Like any normal human, I've always considered the Jaguar E-Type among the most beautiful of automobiles ever created. The first E-Type (Series 1) hit showrooms in 1961 with a 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine (though a larger 4.2-liter engine was introduced in late 1964). Many "purists" feel these are the best versions of the car, and consider all later models inferior.
The Series 2 models came out in 1969 and offered upgraded cooling and braking systems, as well as open (non-covered) headlights and other subtle styling changes. All Series 2 cars used the 4.2-liter engine.
The model pictured above is listed by Jaguar as a 1970 Series 3, which is interesting because the official production dates for Series 3 cars are considered 1971-1975. The documentation on this car confirms it is one of the earliest E-Types with the 5.3-liter V12, listed as the 10th right-hand drive model built. It was also in the official Jaguar press fleet and used in a story at the time where it "raced" a jet fighter aircraft to produce dramatic photographs. So if Jaguar says it's a 1970 model, I ain't arguing with them.
Especially because I was fortunate to drive it last week.
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Categories: Jaguar, Karl on Cars, Test Car Notes
The Bowers & Wilkins audio system in a 2010 Jaguar XF I recently tested ranks as one of the best high-end stock audio options available. What I appreciate about the system (and previous non-B&W system in other Jags) is it gives you three ways to listen to music.
In the Sound menu are three touch-screen tabs for stereo, three-channel and Dolby ProLogic II. While they all have their advantages and disadvantages -- and it comes down to personal taste -- only one passed our test for accurate soundstaging and imaging.
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Categories: Car Audio and Technology, Jaguar, Test Car Notes
Opinions on a given automobile's styling tend to be rather varied. One man's "clean and classy" is another's "bland and featureless." But if there was ever a car that could make all who see it agree (after catching their breaths) that it is simply beautiful, the first Jaguar XKE would have to be it.
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Categories: Dream Car Corner, Jaguar
In my first round victory in the Face-Off World Cup, I noted that 10 years ago it would've been a struggle to pick a British car worth buying. Maybe a Vanquish or DB7? An XKR? They were nice enough, but there were more appealing choices. While Land/Range Rover, Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce were revitalized and Mini reborn (mostly by Germans), Jaguar soldiered on as a relic of the past. Even when a new XJ debuted with an advanced aluminum chassis, it was dressed to look like the Duke of Edinburgh's weekend runabout.
Starting under Ford's ownership and carried over under Tata's, Jaguar is in the midst of a renaissance that began with the XK, intensified with the XF and will reach its crescendo with the XJ.
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Categories: Jaguar, Thoughts from the Curb
Are you one of those car guys who wish he could go back in time and buy a brand new exotic sports car from the 1950s or 1960s? Maybe an Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato (shown above, only 19 ever produced) or Ferrari 250 GTO (shown below, only 39 ever made)? Well, provided you have the massive funds, you can commission an exacting reproduction of not only that Ferrari or Aston, but any of dozens of classic Italian and British sports/racing cars but others including Maseratis and Jaguars.
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Categories: Aston Martin, Dream Car Corner, Ferrari, Jaguar
There have been two redesigned models recently that are so staggeringly different from the cars they replace, it's hard to believe they belong to the same brand, let alone model nameplate.
One is the 2011 Jaguar XJ. The old car was a perfectly modern automobile under the skin, but that skin was a wrinkled, liver spotted rehash of Jaguar's previous 30 years. The interior was so stale, it was practically a crouton growing mold. And Jaguar was suffering for it. For every 72-year-old Jag owner who treasured the crusty old character, there were thousands of luxury car buyers treating it like a velvet-upholstered antique ottoman.
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Categories: Hyundai, Jaguar, Thoughts from the Curb
Until this most recent generation which debuted a few years ago, Jaguar's XKR was something of an outsider in the sports grand touring world. Sure, it had power, but it lacked the polished dynamic poise of rivals such as the Benz SL AMG or BMW M6. It was dismissed as a boulevard cruiser, an automotive fashion accessory typically worn by denizens of Beverly Hills.
I can say with certainty that's no longer the case. Follow the jump for bullet points on this fierce new top cat.
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Categories: Jaguar, Rants & Musings, Test Car Notes
If you saw last Friday's blog you know that the Jaguar XF Supercharged comes standard with 20-inch wheels, and in my opinion those wheels reduce ride quality to an unacceptable level. The car's confidence around corners is undeniably enhanced by such large orbs, and many would say it's appearance benefits as well. Yet I would argue the car could/should handle exceptionally without wheels of this diameter. As for style, the large circles are actually too large in my not-so-humble opinion, further compromising the XF's already questionable looks.
However, in a world where entire TV shows can be named after automotive wheels it may be heresy to suggest a uniqe whip could actually be...too large? But I'm suggesting it all the same. The Jaguar XF by no means owns this "excessive rim" status. The new Dodge Challenger with 20-inch wheels? Too big! Makes the car sit too high, giving it more of a "monster truck" versus "performance car" stance.
Same goes for the 20-inch wheels on high-end luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the 22-inch rims on Cadillac Escalades both of them make the vehicles in question look like one of those circus clowns on stilts IMHO. Conversely, the 20s on the Rolls-Royce Phantom neither look too big (likey because it has such large proportions to begin with) nor upset the ulta-luxury sedan's ride quality. Consider the Rolls the rare exception, as I'd argue it's nearly impossible to put 20-inch wheels (or larger) on a vehicle without drastically sacrficing ride quality.
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Categories: Cadillac, Dodge, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Talk Back Tuesday
In a move sure to shock traditionalists Jaguar has gone and done something rather rash. No, they didn't decide to build an SUV, but they did decide to shed old-world thinking in an effort to compete with modern luxury sedans.
The all-new 2009 Jaguar XF is unlike any Jaguar before it. Even before entering the cabin this car's exterior shape establishes it as a different kind of Jag. I'm personally not thrilled by the styling, though I don't hate it, either. It's a shame when a carmaker feels it must totally abandon tradition to convince potential buyers the company has moved forward. The 911 is proof that a distinctive shape can stand the test of time, but it requires a shrewd design team.
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Categories: Jaguar
If you read my blog on the Jaguar XJ last week you know I wasn't too impressed. For $13,000 more than a well-equipped BMW 550i you get a sedan with less power, inferior handling, reduced driver's seat comfort and no auxiliary audio input (though the Vandan Plas does have more rear-seat legroom than a 5 Series).
After driving the XJ I was even more concerned about Jaguar's future, regardless of who owns the brand (remember, they still don't have any SUVs or crossovers in the product line-up). But driving a 2008 Jaguar XKR Portfolio convertible last night largely cleansed my palate of XJ after-taste. Maybe it was the driving rain that helped the cleansing process, though it also limited my full appreciation of the XKR's 420-horsepower, 4.2-liter V8 and all-aluminum structure that makes for nimble handling. Regardless, this cat proves Jaguar still has at least one or two lives left.
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Categories: Jaguar
Drive the latest 2008 Jaguar XJ Vandan Plas and you can't help but feel the continued "magic" that makes up Jaguar "mystique." The sleek exterior lines, the rich wood interior, the confident-yet-comfortable ride quality -- they are all in place.
But despite these classic traits it's clear Jaguar (like the rest of the Ford corporation) has suffered from product neglect. The interior design/controls feel about a decade out of date. They are still functional, but "cutting edge" or even "modern" don't work to describe them. That might not be all bad when you consider the "cutting edge" design of BMW's iDrive, but I can't help feeling there's a happy medium between old-fashioned (this car) and obnoxiously unnecessary (any iDrive system). Actually I know there is -- it's called MMI, and you can find it in any Audi.
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Categories: Jaguar
It appears that Indian carmaker, Tata Motors, is going to be the new owner of Jaguar and Land Rover. Several recent articles, including this one in the Financial Times, show Tata in a leading position to buy the brands from Ford. We've already discussed the premium brand Ford is keeping, Volvo, so today let's look at the two nameplates Ford is looking to unload.
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Categories: Jaguar, Land Rover, Talk Back Tuesday
In our ongoing series of future product plan coverage let's take a look at what will be coming across the Atlantic in the coming years. Glancing through the Automotive News analysis it would appear Europe's focus will be on crossovers, small cars and increased fuel efficiency. Who'd a thunk it? But a return of Alfa Romeo and a "cheap" Rolls Royce should keep things interesting. I'm only covering half of the European brands today because, well, there's a lot of them!
Alfa Romeo: After years of hints and innuendos it appears Alfa Romeo may really be coming to America in 2009. Look for the 8C Competizione
(rear-drive coupe with 450hp V8), the 159 sedan (front- or all-wheel drive), the Brea (a 2+2 coupe) and the Spider (a two-seat convertible based off the Brea platform). Momma-mia!
Aston Martin: The DBS is debuting this week in Frankfurt, and it looks to be a worthy successor to the Vanquish. But the real test of Aston Martin's future will come with the launch of it high-end, high-performance sedan, the Rapide
(in 2009). With new ownership and a new product direction the future could be very bright for this British brand.
Audi: The redesigned A4 is practically here, and the redesigned A6 follows next year. But the big news for 2009 is a sleek new A7 sedan that goes up against the CLS, plus not one but two
new crossovers (one of which is the Q5
, pictured). An A5 convertible and redesigned A8 round out the fun in 2010.
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Categories: Aston Martin, Audi, Auto Shows, BMW, Bentley, Ferrari, Future Vehicles, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land Rover
You know that dreaded statement when being set up for a blind date? "Well, um, he/she has a good personality." The all-new 2007 Jaguar XK8 is the opposite, meaning the superficial part of us would love going on a blind date with the car. As soon as you see it you're like, "Score!! Oh yeah, this will work!" But get in it for a drive and, if you're like me, your rally call will quickly switch to, "Check please!"
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Categories: Jaguar
I
have been known to criticize cars that many people think are "good." It's not uncommon for a reader to see my opinion of a vehicle and say, "don't bash car XYZ, it's a 'good' car." But as many of you already know, "good" isn't good enough in today's super-competitive market. This is doubly true if, as an automaker, you are in the unenviable position of trying to reverse your dropping market share and/or change consumer perception of your product. Those guys need to be doing it better, cleaner and more effectively than the competition, and they certainly can't be producing "also rans" in terms of marketplace competitiveness. However, I'm willing to admit that while a Chevy Cobalt, Ford Five-Hundred or Chrysler Town & Country doesn't get my "gotta have" blood pumping, they are fully functional vehicles that will serve most buyers with minimal fuss.
BUT -- what about cars that aren't even "good" or "fine" but are downright "bad?" The truth is, those models are becoming fewer and further between each year...but they do exist. And, as your personal guide through the automotive world, I'm even willing to call these vehicles out by name.
Yes, I'm risking the wrath of all these cars' current owners, but I'm also ensuring that, if anyone who reads my blog subsequently buys one of these models, they do it with full knowledge of these vehicles being on my personal "Don't Buy!" list. Let the games (and hate mail) commence!
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Categories: Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Jaguar, Toyota
