What should a Jaguar "be"?

seminole_kev

What are your thoughts on some of the following:

a) What should a Jaguar "be"? What should be the theme, or niche that Jaguar should exploit?

b) What should their lineup consist of? Obviously they can't be a Toyota or Ford where everything from small cars, to SUVs and even Trucks are sold, but what do you feel their lineup should consist of? Some of this would obviously depend on if Jag stays Ford owned, or is sold of to be on its own (or another auto company)

c) Describe how you think the interiors should look. Also, what kind of styling would you like to see from Jaguar (retro, modern, something like no other car out on the road)?

I've come to see that the Jaguar name means different things to different people. Some people on think of exotic only sports cars, some super luxury sedans and some think of "reasonably" priced sports cars for example.

So what are your thoughts on Jaguar and its future?

john_324

I'd love to see Jag return to making real sports cars...not the luxury barges with big engines they make now, but something more along the lines of the old E-Types.

Maybe offer sportscars that while not the stripped-down track stars that Lotus offers (which I love), but rather are cars that are about everyday sport driving. The kind of cars for which you'd seek out the twisty back roads, or take a weekend drive to the country. A car that's about the experience and connection to driving.

Light weight, 6cyl engines, manual transmissions standard, convertible option. Offer the luxury options, but as options. Most of all, the distinctive, swoopy styling that no one does as well as Jag when it's "on".

Play up the British-ness of it all. Sorta a combination of Jeremy Clarkson and the boys, and the Mini's "Let's Motor" mojo...

Seems to me there's a nice slot open between the hard-core boy-racer stuff and the go "100 mph in w/o noticing it while sitting on heated seats" luxury stuff.

I dunno...probably wouldn't sell these days...

seminole_kev

Well above all else, I'd love for them to offer a coupe and convertable version of a more basic sports car than they do now. Something along the lines of a Porsche Cayman/Boxster or the ill-fated F-type.

As far as engines, really I'm still a sucker for straight-six motors and associate that with Jaguar. I'd like to see them (if staying in the Ford family) take the new Volvo straight six and revise it (within financial reason) to be as sporting as possible. Put that in a sporty car and maybe undercut Porche pricing a little and I'd think they'd have a relative hit on their hands (if the styling is there)

That and roll out a proper BMW 3-series competitor. Not the X-type, but a proper sporting sedan, with maybe a little "warmer"/retro interior than the Germans would typically roll out.

Those two items could turn Jags fortunes around here I would think somewhat. I'll post some more thoughts a bit later.

seminole_kev

As far as the total lineup, I'd like to see:

1) The before mentioned, smaller and more (relatively) affordable coupe/roadster. Straight six (maybe optional turbo version?) manual or DSG transmission. Doesn't have to be an absolute race car, but a very good handler that doesn't crash over every little bump in the road.

2) BMW 3 Series competitor. same engines/trannies as above, Handles very well. A "warmer" interior than the germans. doesn't have to be slathered in wood, just maybe not so grey and bleak as you might see in the average mercedes/bmw.

3) A GT that pretty much is inline with the current XK.

4) Sort of a blend of BMW 5 series and 7 series in size. Little bit smaller probably than the current XJ. Sporty handling and style, style, style! Not sure on the CX-F size, but probably something along those lines.

Looks like 3 and 4 may pretty much be in place, but the first 2 are key to me.

If the company does well, throw in:

5) A Maserati Quattroporte "type" of car. A big time, stylish sedan.

stever

I saw a Jag ad in a recent Fortune magazine yesterday - sure looks like they are chasing the luxury label, not the "reasonably" priced sports car one.

Maybe they run a different ad campaign for Mother Earth News?

british_rover

Jaguar has given up on appealing to the lower end of the market that your number one and two points would address.

They just can't compete with the germans and japanese at that price point and/or volume.

I have heard rumors that the new 3.2 liter Inline 6 from volvo might find its way into some new jags but that is all they are rumors. The new LR2 is being built at a Jaguar factory with the 3.2 liter inline 6.

seminole_kev

What do you think they shoud be/focus on then? And if you say just making tarted up Land Rover defenders with wood and leather I'll banish you from this thread. :P

euphonium

Lincoln dealerships who are 50 or more miles away from a Jag dealer. Jaguar needs more dealer representation than just one in the state of Oregon!

andys120

As far as the total lineup, I'd like to see:

1) The before mentioned, smaller and more (relatively) affordable coupe/roadster. Straight six (maybe optional turbo version?) manual or DSG transmission. Doesn't have to be an absolute race car, but a very good handler that doesn't crash over every little bump in the road.

Right on the nose with this one, love the idea of a straight six, they're very sweet motors and pretty economical too. Call it the F-Type.

2) BMW 3 Series competitor. same engines/trannies as above, Handles very well. A "warmer" interior than the germans. doesn't have to be slathered in wood, just maybe not so grey and bleak as you might see in the average mercedes/bmw.

Dunno about this one. IMO the base Jag sedan should be around 5-series size but undersell the BMW pricewise, a tough job.

3) A GT that pretty much is inline with the current XK.
Yeah the only thing wrong with the XK is the name, it strikes me as more of an "XJ-S".

4) Sort of a blend of BMW 5 series and 7 series in size. Little bit smaller probably than the current XJ. Sporty handling and style, style, style! Not sure on the CX-F size, but probably something along those lines.

The CX-F looks pretty good to me but again I don't like the very un-Jag sounding name, CX-F sounds Japanese to me.

5) A Maserati Quattroporte "type" of car. A big time, stylish sedan.

Oh yeah, an XJ12 with modern-looking styling similar to the CX-F and to top off the line eventually, a high-performance mid-engined GT.

seminole_kev

Why do you think they shouldn't have a "3 series" class of car? (just curious, not trying to be a jerk )

seminole_kev

Hopefully this S-type replacement is a much bigger hit for them. I still see a ton of modern S-types around, and love the style, but it just needed a bit more...well..."something".

andys120

Why do you think they shouldn't have a "3 series" class of car?

Well, a 3er seems smallish for a Jag to me. Although the new 3er is probably bigger inside than your Mk. II :confuse: .

seminole_kev

Oh yeah. Inside is more like a Focus sedan in size. Not a much larger exterior foot print either (just longer front and rear overhangs). A new 3 series has to be larger by a good amount.

stever

Maybe Tata does know what it's doing?

"This proves once again that the UK car industry is the place to invest."

Former Rover managing director and honorary professor at Warwick Business School Kevin Morley said: "They really are on a roll."

Jaguar Land Rover creates more than 1,000 Solihull jobs (BBC)

fintail

A link in the article makes one wonder if they also Just didn't get lucky via the new Chindian gilded age

stever

Timing is everything. Wonder if they are growing too fast now?

fintail

Maybe not just yet, they are coming from almost ground zero not too long ago. I think they have some room for sales, at least in the short term.

stever

The only gallery pics I see are from concept cars, or the camo one at the Jaguar site.

"Jaguar is invoking its iconic E-Type roadster to challenge Mercedes-Benz and Porsche with its first two-seat sports car in almost four decades.

The F-Type, due to be unveiled in September and go on sale as soon as next April, will be Jaguar's smallest auto in more than a half-century as the marque seeks a return to its sporting tradition following decades spent focusing on luxury sedans."

Jaguar F-Type recalls '60s style (Detroit News)

The pundits are saying that the sales volume isn't there for Jag to continue to be viable - 80% of their sales are Land Rovers. Here's an official pic from Jag:

stever

"Jaguar's sales for the year were up 6 percent compared to 2011. The launch of the XF 2.2 Diesel, XF and XJ 3.0 liter powertrains, and the introduction of various new derivatives, including the XF Sportbrake, has widened the brand's portfolio and geographic reach. Its top five markets were the United Kingdom, U.S., China, Germany and Russia.

Jaguar is concentrating on widening its four-wheel-drive availability and lessening its offering of big, V8 engines by producing more four-cylinder engines with superchargers."

Britain's Jaguar Land Rover has best year ever, vows to repeat (Detroit News)

stever

"It's a fabulous-looking car in the metal. Not radical, but crisp, cultured and contemporary. Certainly there are historical Jaguar references for the die-hards to spot, but as Jaguar's design director Ian Callum says, "If you've never seen an E-Type taillamp or bonnet bulge, it doesn't matter; the design stands on its own merit."

And if anything, the interior is even better. The twin instrument dials, analog affairs with hip-looking typeface, are stylish and easy to read, the rocker switches click satisfyingly and the rotary dials move with the sort of precision that suggest Jag's chassis demigod, Mike Cross, might have been involved in tuning their feel."

Preview: 2014 Jaguar F-Type

stever

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