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What should a Jaguar "be"?

22 messages,  Last post on Feb 15, 2013 at 10:08 AM

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#1 of 22 What should a Jaguar "be" and what should their lineup consist of? by seminole_kev

Apr 06, 2007 (8:49 am)

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?

#2 of 22 Sports Cars by john_324

Apr 06, 2007 (9:42 am)

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...

#3 of 22 My thoughts.... by seminole_kev

Apr 06, 2007 (10:07 am)

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.

#4 of 22 Re: My thoughts.... [seminole_kev] by seminole_kev

Apr 06, 2007 (11:47 am)

Replying to: seminole_kev (Apr 06, 2007 10:07 am)
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.

#5 of 22 Re: My thoughts.... [seminole_kev] by steve_ HOST

Apr 06, 2007 (12:17 pm)

Replying to: seminole_kev (Apr 06, 2007 11:47 am)
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?

#6 of 22 Re: My thoughts.... [seminole_kev] by british_rover

Apr 06, 2007 (12:48 pm)

Replying to: seminole_kev (Apr 06, 2007 11:47 am)
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.

#7 of 22 British Rover. by seminole_kev

Apr 06, 2007 (1:01 pm)

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.

#8 of 22 Enable the XJ line to be available at all by euphonium

Apr 07, 2007 (10:15 am)

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!

#9 of 22 Re: My thoughts.... [seminole_kev] by andys120

Apr 07, 2007 (3:56 pm)

Replying to: seminole_kev (Apr 06, 2007 11:47 am)
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.

#10 of 22 andys by seminole_kev

Apr 09, 2007 (1:37 pm)

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

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