Jaguar F type - initial reviews
- Thread starter IKZ4
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Stark said:
'Jaguar curse' odd term. Pop into a Jag dealer or look at their global resurgence. Jaguar is one of the most iconic brand names in the motor world.
Jaguar is a bit chalk and cheese. Some people like them and some don't.
For me personally I think they are still way too much "gin and Jag set". I don't think the XF and XJ have changed that much at all. I think of old self-made blokes from Solihull in camel overcoats, tweed jackets and pipes or cigars. I think the XF is as boring to look at as all the other Exec expresses (5-series, A6, E Class) and the XJ - well it's just hideous and I've hardly seen one on the road. I do think the XK is lovely looking though.
What you must praise Jag for, is the PR hype of the F-Type. They've managed to create a lot of momentum for it but time will tell whether or not that lasts. I like it from the front but the rear end is awful IMO.
For me personally I think they are still way too much "gin and Jag set". I don't think the XF and XJ have changed that much at all. I think of old self-made blokes from Solihull in camel overcoats, tweed jackets and pipes or cigars. I think the XF is as boring to look at as all the other Exec expresses (5-series, A6, E Class) and the XJ - well it's just hideous and I've hardly seen one on the road. I do think the XK is lovely looking though.
What you must praise Jag for, is the PR hype of the F-Type. They've managed to create a lot of momentum for it but time will tell whether or not that lasts. I like it from the front but the rear end is awful IMO.
It's a curse in terms of what has gone on before, and I don't think residually their cars will ever fair well, and yes most cars don't these days....but I can see Jaguar being sold off from Land Rover at some point, as its the very poor relation and is losing money.
The F type is a great way forward, and the large saloon eclipses most others, but I am sceptical by British press endorsements as they feel they should be behind them just due to the British workforce and not necc the credibility of the product
The F type is a great way forward, and the large saloon eclipses most others, but I am sceptical by British press endorsements as they feel they should be behind them just due to the British workforce and not necc the credibility of the product
I remember all the hype surrounding the XJ220...... 4 wheel drive and powered by a V12, when it arrived in the showrooms it was powered by a Metro 6R4 V6 and adorned with Ford Fiesta door locks and side repeater flashers......
But I love the marque, the cars, the hype and the legends and over the years owned a lot of them ......also owned one 911 too...... it went back after a week
But I love the marque, the cars, the hype and the legends and over the years owned a lot of them ......also owned one 911 too...... it went back after a week
cj10jeeper said:
Not really a global resurgence. Jag sold 5% more cars in 2012 than 2011 but less in the UK, Europe and the US. It was only China that stopped it being in negative territory. Compare that to Land Rover which was +33% and sold nearly 5 times more cars.
original guvnor said:
But it's one company JLR, most of the investment over the last three years has been in 3 land rover products compared to one new Jaguar. Their biggest seller, the XF is heading towards the later stages of life, launched in 2007 and so a 5% increase in sales is not bad at all.
sars said:
Not bad but not a global resurgence. It was down in sales in it's key markets that make up nearly 70% of volumes. The F-Type should fix that but Jaguar has a long way to go to prove it has a future yet.
But think of Jaguar before and after the launch of the XF and you cannot come to any other conclusion than a resurgence. Development time scales for cars are long and thus changing the fortunes of your brand can take a decade. The F type is part of the change, but a niche product, Jaguar need the 3 series rival due to launch in 2015 to really shift up a gear, the F type is about promoting name, to change the assumption that its for old flat hatted old men.
sars said:
Well Kryton's video hasn't done much for that aim. 1600kg with a slush box and over 3 seconds a lap slower than the bog-standard 991 Carrera Cab. Looks like an old mans cruiser again to me.
If speed were everything we wouldn't be driving Z4's around, we would be in Japanese four wheel drive turbo rally style cars.original guvnor said:
Also the Porsche is an ugly car where as the Jaguar is a stunner. And from everything I have read about it, it drives brilliantly too.
And I don't think it's too expensive.I bet if you spec a Porsche up similar to the Jag it would be much more expensive . The Jag F-type S gets active suspension and sports exhaust as standard. That's probably a few grand of extras on a Porsche.
The F-type is beautiful, fast, well made and British. I'd take one over an ugly, blobby looking German car any day
You forgot to add "in my opinion" Zeld. 
I thought that would be obviousoriginal guvnor said:You forgot to add "in my opinion" Zeld.
But there seems to be a consensus amongst motoring magazines that it's a good drive.
Of course looks are subjective but hasn't the 911 cab always been a bit of a munter? I mean they just chopped the roof off!
ZermattV said:
I'll give you that
The point I was trying to make is that if Jaguar want to appeal to a younger target audience, as we keep being told they do, they need to start producing cars they want to drive. Fitting autos on a heavy Roadster and then telling us it's a sports car won't do it. If you ask me they've played safe with it. Their traditional customer base will love it but I don't think they'll win many new younger buyers.
As an anecdotal case study of Jag's problem, in my company the senior management grades can choose an XF as a company car and there are probably getting on for 100 of us. Some, like myself, choose to opt out, but the majority don't. I only know of 2 people who have chosen the XF, and one is a typical Jag style owner. We are talking about a cohort of people aged from mid 30's to early 50's, prime target market for a new healthy Jaguar. There are many, many more people choosing BMW (X3's and X5's, large engined diesel 3er's and 5er's), Audi (A5, A6, Q5, Q7) Land Rover (Disco, RRS, Evoque) and Merc (E Class). If Jag want to prosper they need to get these sort of people back in to Jag's and from where I'm sitting at the moment they aren't doing it.
EDIT: I should say we are Birmingham based and so you'd think we'd be more loyal to Jag then elsewhere!
Why is everybody getting so snobby about it having a slush box?original guvnor said:
BMW's latest hero car the M135i is fitted with one too and it's supposed to work brilliantly, practically like the DCT they offer on the three series.
It's amazing what modern electronics can do
Zeld4 said:Why is everybody getting so snobby about it having a slush box?original guvnor said:
BMW's latest hero car the M135i is fitted with one too and it's supposed to work brilliantly, practically like the DCT they offer on the three series.
It's amazing what modern electronics can do
You can choose a manual too though, which so far the journos seem to prefer, even though it is a bit slower due to longer gearing.
I agree OG and that is why I said the 3 series rival currently in development is more important for continued growth and future prosperity. The F Type is a very good marketing campaign to tempt younger drivers into the fold, i.e. those who haven't retired yet (no offence CJ)
and I think that leads to my biggest complaint is that it's far to expensive for those that I would have thought it was aimed at, yes it's going to sell well initially but I don't believe in two years that it will be selling anywhere near as well.
and I think that leads to my biggest complaint is that it's far to expensive for those that I would have thought it was aimed at, yes it's going to sell well initially but I don't believe in two years that it will be selling anywhere near as well.
sars said:
I agree with that 100% Sars.
I should also say, I'd love Jaguar to succeed and produce products that me and my friends would actually like to own. I think what Tata has done with Land Rover is brilliant so far, I hope they manage to do the same with Jaguar.
