Just been looking at some photos of the new Jaguar XF. Quite a departure from current Jag styling.
Looks quite good but bit concerned that the first thing I thought when I saw a photo was - that looks like a Lexus!
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Edited by Pugugly {P} on 26/10/2007 at 23:41
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I think it looks great and I am glad to see them being brave enough to move away from the dull designs that are currently the X type, S type and XJ series.
I do fear though that like the current XK it will look great but will be lacking in technology - the current XK is pretty much a tarted up previous generation XK with the same engines and drive train etc that are now years old and years behind the likes of BMW & Lexus.
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Yup - I just received a brochure and thought: Great car, but looks just like any other high-end car. Replace the Jag badges with BMW/Lexus badges and you'd not think it looked too much out of place.
Interesting, given that it's replacing the S-Type, one of the more recognisable shapes on the road (on which the company's losing cash hand over fist...)
V
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www.jaguarxf.com/Microsites/JaguarXFMicrosite/defa...p
Running a bit slow tonight, probably as a result of their massive brochure drop today.
V
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I like the current XK and so I like the XF. About time they caught up with the times. A risk yes but styling outdated looking cars was the bigger risk.
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I've just had another look at the photees and it does smack of a Lexus GS in parts - I still like it though.
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Stunning.
So what if it's a little similar to a Lexus, is that really a bad thing?
I wish Jag every success with it and will add it to my wish list of future cars. Can somebody go and buy one to absorb the depreciation for me? I'll take it off your hands in 6 or 7 years time. :-)
Blue
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A Mondeo with inverted VW headlights. interesting concept. Does nothing for me, that front on design is not pretty - far to many creases in the bonnet for my liking.
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Looks very similar to the new mondeo to me, bar the grill. No bad thing necessarily. Love the interior.
Phill
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Ditto re: Mondeo looks.
Still a nice car - apart from the weird headlights - probably get used to in the fullness of time (providing they actually make it).
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I think it looks a lot nicer than the new Mondeo. It's a lovely looking car.
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Looks very similar to the new mondeo to me bar the grill. No bad thing necessarily. Love the interior.
It's so similar to the Mondeo in overall proportions that I wonder if it's really a re-skinned Mondeo.
It's quite handsome overall, but the crumpled bonnet and funny headlights look to me like a mistake: Jaguar needed to update its image, and just about anything would look better than the S-type, but Jaguars used to be all about sleek and flowing lines, not creases.
The car pictured on the microsite appears to have abandoned pneumatic tyres and gone for huge metal wheels with a rubber band around them. I hope Jag knows its market, because those wheels look incompatible with Jaguar's traditional supple ride qualities.
The idea of a Jaguar boneshaker doesn't excite me, but hen I wasn't going to buy a Jag anyway ...
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Maybe I will like the estate version. : (
It does look a bit like a Lexus, but I prefer the Lexus.....
Maybe I am barking up the wrong tree as I actually like the current X-type... shock horror. Particularly the estate version as my comment at the top may suggest...
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Jaguar needed to update its image and just about anything would look better than the S-type but Jaguars used to be all about sleek and flowing lines not creases.
If you were a bloke it would be outside now! The S-Type looks fantastic & gets a lot of compliments even from non-Petrolheads. It's a cracking car to drive as well. Now in France having done 8 hours in it on Monday, having driven from Kent to Rennes, I wouldn't have wanted to do it in anything else. Wafting along Cruise on at 80MPH for most of it. Overall consumtion on the computer reckoned 37-38MPG, but proof will be when we tally the figures at the end.
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I like the S-type too. Do I need a support group? "My name is Steve... I like the S and X type Jaguars."
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I like the S-type too. Do I need a support group? "My name is Steve... I like the S and X type Jaguars."
No support group needed - I have always liked the S Type - even more when I used to own one (still regret selling it now) - no everyone's cup of tea but hey.
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'Fraid I'm with the Oh Dears on this one. Curiously - in view of things I've said here before about the fusty, backward-looking X-type and the ghastly, lavatory-seated S-type (pace TR7V8) - this one fails by leaving behind everything visual that defines a Jaguar. The XK looks fabulously modern but still unmistakably Jaguar; this, as others have commented, looks like a cross between a Lexus and a Mondeo, with a complete mess where the tail lights ought to be. The headlights look out of place and the square grille looks like something American than I can't place - Chrysler, perhaps?
It gets better inside, even if the wood looks a bit "We know we've got to have some, so where can we put it?" And that silvery centre panel looks like the same part of a Mondeo or an S-Max - although probably in real metal rather than painted plastic.
Altogether, it looks to me like the work of a company low on confidence. "We know we've been over-cautious before, so let's show them we can do Modern too." And along the way, they've lost sight of something important. It may be a pleasure to travel in, but so is a Mondeo for a lot less money. Buyers don't need a Jaguar; they have to be made to want one. Perhaps this will look better in three dimensions than it does on the screen. I do hope it will - I'd love to want a Jaguar.
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The XF's grille is actually quite reminiscent of the XJ6 Series I to my eyes.
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>> Jaguars used to be all about sleek and flowing lines, not creases. If you were a bloke it would be outside now! The S-Type looks fantastic & gets a lot of compliments even from non-Petrolheads.
I think I can probably agree with you about some of that, but one of the things which distinguished Jaguars from other cars was that they were woman-friendly: fast, elegant and but curvy and sleek rather than sharp and aggressive. Jaguars are losing the gentleness of appearance which distinguished them from the more macho German posh cars.
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The latest What Car dropped through the letterbox today and I think it looks gorgeous. Can't afford one but would definitely buy one over any BMW/Audi/Mercedes (yawn). People slag off the design but look at all the German cars. Each marque's bread and butter saloon cars all look the same, they just get bigger. How boring is that?
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I think that the car looks stunning but what worries me, as does with all modern cars today, is that they are too complicated and complex and I can't imagine what these modern, electronic- festooned cars will be like in, say, 10 years time.
I mean they're fine for the first few owners providing they don't keep them longer than about 3 to 4 years but what happens after that?
In the case of the Jaguar what happens if that rather silly rotary knob for the Auto gearbox no longer decides to rear its pretty head on starting the car? Touch sensitive screens and revolving air vents are all just asking to give trouble in the not so distant future.
Much as I love all this gimmickry, as the next man or woman, owning such cars does bring it problems and ones I wouldn't like to have to foot the bills for when they malfunction.
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Well said "oldgit". You talk a great deal of common sense. I am worried sick at all the electronic gimmicks in many new cars.
I once drove a 1500 Golf near the dessert area of Namibia. That car kept going on the dusty bumpy back roads near Ai-Ais by the Fish River Canyon. Namibia's Canyon is remote. The last time I drove the old Golf there, there had been some flash rain some months earlier, so I got stuck crossing a dried up river. I got the car out as it gradually gripped. those old cars were basic!!
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I try to like "British" cars, but can't see the point in this one.
Might take advantage of the opportunity of depressed prices of the S type after the new model is launched?
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NW "and just about anything would look better than the S-type"
I forgive you.
V
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Stunning. So what if it's a little similar to a Lexus is that really a bad thing? I wish Jag every success with it and will add it to my wish list of future cars. Can somebody go and buy one to absorb the depreciation for me? I'll take it off your hands in 6 or 7 years time. :-)
With you all the way on this one Blue although I'll reserve judgement on the tourer. With all the modern aerodynamic designs its not surprising that there are similarities between makes these days. Definitely got shades of the CLS and the rear looks like what the BMW 6 series should have been.
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I hope it works for them. Personally I am not sure that I like it, too many fussy details, and I really think it could be anything as it does'nt 'read' as a Jaguar. The best looking luxury saloons on sale at the moment (IMO) are the Merc CLS, Citroen C6 and Maserati Quattroporte.
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"and I really think it could be anything as it does'nt 'read' as a Jaguar"
I think a lot of us feel the same - not sure on the whole design etc. But new Jags that hark back to old design cues sold poorly so they have to do something a little more radical. Almost all other maques move on in design, evolving it, but Jag basically kept coming out with the same design.
I wish them all the best. It might not sell to those of us who think a Jag should look like an XJ but we probably don't buy them. On the other hand this might sell globally a little better. Or I hope.
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A colleague is on his second S type and as he's 60 will be changing his car once more before retirement. He received a brochure for the new model and immediately threw it away - "if I want a Mondeo I'll buy one and save a load of cash" was his reaction.
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"colleague is on his second S type and as he's 60 will be changing his car once more before retirement."
So only one lost sale there then. The S-type appeals to those that are older and that is part of the problem. That is a dieing market and they need to do something to appeal to younger drivers. Not defending the styling but they need to sell to those younger than 60 to survive.
The XJ was styled like the older XJ's because it was seen as the thing to do.... and sold very few because it was old fashioned.
Question: what is the average age of say a BMW 5-series driver? 60+??? I doubt it.
Driving the new XF will not be like driving a Mondeo as the chassis is the one under the old S-Type.
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Looks flash & modern, I guess, just what the company need, it seems.
Don't much like the S Type, still like XJ, XK & X , so if they can sell 'em, thats OK!!
But I'll not order one!!
VB
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>But new Jags that hark back to old design cues sold poorly...
They didn't so much hark back to old cues as shamelessly parrot them. The people who remembered the originals fondly enough to like the pastiche gradually died out, and the rest of us were suspicious of buying a car that looked like a museum in case it turned out to be closed on Mondays.
>Almost all other marques move on in design, evolving it...
Precisely. They moved on a step at a time, so that each generation was fresh but recognizably related to the one before. There's plenty of Jaguar cues that could have been worked into a modern whole - the XJ's grille and beautiful fluted bonnet, for example. This baby-with-bathwater atrocity suggests that the reason Jaguar hasn't done Modern before was not so much to avoid frightening the customers as because it didn't know how.
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Agree on the Mondeo similarity. Will probably look better in the flesh.
Was hoping for the car to be as close as possible to the concept though - that would have been a very nice car.
Surely - that would not have been too much of a risk?
Comments on the xj - it does recieve very good reviews though - especially ride / handling / steering.
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Am I the only person under 40 who adores the XJ?
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im under 40 just and i love the XJ. I've been looking for a nice example at about 4k for a while but always chicken out thinking of any repair bills. will buy one some day though.
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I am in my mid thirties and would have an XJ at the drop of a hat or indeed any other garment.
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I actuallt think the Jag range isn't as bad as said. The X type gets a lot of stick - but when it came out it was a pretty good car. Competitve enough - better then an A4 I would say - very close to a 3 series. They were a bit late with diesels though.
The originals Stype's interior was a mistake -, newer one was better.
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Can't say I like the front, particularly the bonnet. It looks as though it has been built and then had an airline applied to fatten it up. Unless they serve some purpose I think the vents in the front wings, just forward of the door hinge line are a mistake. Plenty of room for 4 people and then a picture of the boot with 2 suitcases in it, big admittedly, but not containing the travelling goods of 4 occupants. The same button to start and to stop the engine - that will cause some confusion I'd guess. I wouldn't buy one with my own money
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Surprised how many comments I geenrated from my original post here :)
Also seems quite a few people shared my initial thoughts of the new XF. I do quite like it and seeing more in this weeks mags, and the interior is growing on me but still too 'modern'.
I am sure it will sell much better than the S and X Types but for me, I love the current XJ and having tried an X Type I was smitten by the car. It may only a Mondeo underneath but it just had that Jag 'feel' inside with the wood and leather. Something very few other exec cars seem to be able to pull off well. Audi etc are nice and modern but clinical almost.
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Glancing at a car magazine with the XF on the front.... Americans' will like that. Good news for Jaguar. They will probably end up building in the States too although sale of Jag+LR maybe delayed due to global finance issues.
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Cant agree with you Pendlebery,my daughter has just changed her XKR for the latest model The new one has 420bhp an increase of 20,it is lighter by about a third and now has the benifit of paddle gear shift when you need to press on,vast improvement on the old one.
ndbw
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read the feature in Auto Express and looked at the pictures of a cabriolet and estate versions.
I have to say i'm a convert for the estate.
Up until fairly recently i've always been traditional and thought Jags should be petrol and either proper luxury saloons or sports tourers......however
marrying a girl who insists on diesel, with two big dogs in tow..and needing an estate...(hence an X type estate in our armoury)... I had to either modify my view or buy elsewhere
the estate picture of the XF looks superb....yes please.... that's definitley on the wish list, hope they do it
the other thing is, Auto Express said in a stop press that Ford has delayed the sale of Jag/Land Rover due to the stock market difficulties. If they get firm orders for the XF, which looks most likely, then Jag will no doubt be profitable again, because they'll be selling a load more XFs than they are XKs. Land Rover already is profitable...so will they hang on to them?
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If there are plenty of diesel variants it will sell well if not it won't.
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With 2$ = £1, it's going to be tough going in Jaguar's biggest market.
They still have to build the brand in europe before they can challenge Audi/BMW/Mercedes
I hope it isn't too late
MVP
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With 2$ = £1 it's going to be tough going in Jaguar's biggest market.
they need to build them in the states IMO
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"they need to build them in the states IMO"
Which is why they ought to stay part of the Ford empire. The XF has a chassis very similar to the old S-type (not a bad thing as it drove well). The S-Type shared a Lincoln platform so it would probably be easy to assemble the XF in the States.
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Weren't the Lincoln bits were mostly purged when the S-type lost its squatting-dog rear end in 2002 or so?
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Weren't the Lincoln bits were mostly purged when the S-type lost its squatting-dog rear end in 2002 or so?
Yes it did the suspension is now based on X308
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To me the XF looks spot-on. Just what the doctor ordered - a beautiful car. Not long ago there was a thread asking what we would do to save a newly-independent Jaguar company if we were put in charge. My suggestion was exactly what the XF is (smirk, smirk!).
I'm glad that Jaguar have dropped the retro look - the traditional Jaguar look couln't really be updated any more - although the grille on the XF is a bit XJ6 - but Jaguar have done a better big grille look than Audi managed.
If the XF is competitively priced, reliable, properly put together and a nive drive, it should sell like the very best hot cakes ever in a bogof sale!!!!!!
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Reviving this old thread 'cos I saw an actual, finished and moving grey XF on the Buckinghamshire M40 on Tuesday morning. Can't say it's changed my view - I did a "What's that?" double-take as it passed me, but it didn't occur to me that it was a Jaguar till I saw the awkwardly placed cat badge at the very top of the boot lid, where there isn't really room for it. (Remember when the Cortina Mk4 became the Mk5? The lights got bigger and the badges got squeezed upwards; this gave me the same impression.)
I got another look as the XF got stuck in the queue to join the M25. It looks sleek and modern enough, I suppose, but it doesn't have the XK's happy combination of modernity and Jaguarness. And yes, it does look like a Lexus.
Anyone else seen one?
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Saw one parked up in Dartsmouth Park and Ride two weeks ago. Looks very must like a Lexus - no bad thing - except for the rather natty grill. Question is will it keep the oldies whilst attracting the younger demographic so desired. I know I would be interestedd but need a bigger piggy bank...
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Never seen one in the metal, but from the pictures, the front end of the XF reminds me of the Toyota Corolla 1997-2002.
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I have read that USA customers are placing orders.... so might be good news for Jag after all.
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Saw one parked up in a hotel carpark in Warwick, so had lots of time to look around it.
It's not as striking in the flesh as the photos suggest.
Doesn't seem to ooze executive quality
I'm a bit of a traditionalist, but I really do prefer the S Type.
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