Jaguar is not for sale: Ford
Blue Oval has big plans for the cat
Jaguar C-XF leads the charge
Mulally, who joined Ford last year after a 37-year career at plane-maker Boeing, told reporters: “Jaguar is not for sale at this time.” While this comment doesn’t close the door on a future sale, it seems the new boss wants to give Jaguar a chance to re-establish itself, with the new XF sports sedan as a key model in a revitalised range.
This car made its debut at the show as a concept car designated C-XF, but Jaguar Cars managing director Bibiana Boeiro confirmed the car would be produced from early 2008, replacing the S-Type and using the XF nameplate.
Designed jointly by Jaguar design director Ian Callum and advanced design studio boss Julian Thompson, the car was welcomed as the sort of car Jaguar should have been making for some time. It represents a break from the overt retro styling of the XJ, S-Type and X-Type models, using subtle design cues to create a new look for the struggling Jaguar brand.
Callum was clear about the design philosophy behind the car: “Sports sedans were Jaguar’s mantle with cars such as the Mk2 and Series 1 XJ of the 1960s – and we’re having it back! But we’re not harking back to another era for the sake of it. Instead we need to recognise design elements and move forward in a modern and contemporary way.”
He said the car’s core design values were “purity, visual dynamism and beauty”, and its low roof and wedge-shaped lower body gave an impression of “visual latent power”. Inside, the car features a very different take on Jaguar’s traditional wood-and –leather finish. The materials are there, but the wood has been scorched black, while the leather has been treated to look like carbon fibre. It’s a far cry from burr walnut and cream Connolly hide.
The XF is the first of a series of new cars under development that will see all three Jaguar salons replaced by the end of the decade. A new XJ – apparently even more radical than the XF – will follow in 2009, while the rumoured Land Rover Freelander-based crossover vehicle to replace X-Type is still coming, said Jaguar executives at the show. “Our future is even more exciting than the XF,” said Callum.
However, Ford is still planning to dispose of Aston Martin, despite strong sales last year and the launch of new models including the V8 Vantage convertible. Ford Premier Auto Group executive vice-president Lewis Booth said Aston had sold 6,500 cars worldwide in 2006. “Aston Martin has developed into a strong and confident brand under Ford, and will continue to develop under new ownership,” he said.
The BMW Z4M has a CF style leather and it does look very good IMHO.
G
While I agree that it would be nice to see Jag move into Aston teritory, I doubt it will happen from some time. It is certain that the sale of Aston will include Ford signing up to something to say it won't do this for x number of years.
While I agree that it would be nice to see Jag move into Aston teritory, I doubt it will happen from some time. It is certain that the sale of Aston will include Ford signing up to something to say it won't do this for x number of years.
I agree that something like that will be put into place. However, it might be more of a promise not to compete in the same price bracket!?
Whilst the top end stuff would be very nice. They really need to sort out what they're going to to with the X-type. Surely if they want to be successful long term, they need to have something in the 3 series size that can be a volume seller
Whilst the top end stuff would be very nice. They really need to sort out what they're going to to with the X-type. Surely if they want to be successful long term, they need to have something in the 3 series size that can be a volume seller
Tricky one. I think Jaguar have had a bit of an identity crisis and wasnt too sure exactly what it was.. (A premium sports car maker? a volume executive saloon maker? a mainstream executive'ish' car maker..)
I'm not certain Jaguar can compete with BMW and the like in that market. I personally think the volumes needed to be sold to make money are too high for Jaguar to compete and i think perhaps it would be too tempting for Ford to use its Volvo / Ford production lines to make it and then surprise surprise end up with another X-Type model.
I think the X-type only really managed to to dilute the premium image of Jaguar..
I'd certainly be interested in others opinons on this.. its quite a contentious issue.
As TVR is now defunct...maybe Nikolai Smolensky's grand plan is to buy AML instead...6,500 units could become 650 very quickly!
Anyhow, I think that new Jag concept looks average, the lights at the back look like a 95' Honda Prelude.
Check out the Porsche Panamera and even a CLS, both look a lot neater.
And is it me or does the front end look completely 'Yank Tanked up'!
While I'm on a rant, Build Quality! I'm sick of reading the hype that Jag has got it's act together, they even have EVO saying it and they should know better (check out their own reports on their long termer S-type R and XK)
Wifey wife does brochures for jag and we had a new XK for the weekend, bits of trim were falling off everywhere and the gearbox (driveshaft?) vibrated. Build Quality my ar.e!
Get some fresh team members Ian Callum and while your at it, get the Brummie workforce to give a damn about the product they are assembling*
Rob
*Actually, when you look at the work pool around Castle Bromwich, its no surprise really....
“Jaguar is not for sale at this time.” While this comment doesn’t close the door on a future sale, it seems the new boss wants to give Jaguar a chance to re-establish itself
Perfect - if they re-establish themselves the price will go up even more, so it's almost blatant as a statement saying: "what we want is fair so cough up because in a year or two it's gonna cost more!"
Anyhow, I think that new Jag concept looks average, the lights at the back look like a 95' Honda Prelude.
Check out the Porsche Panamera and even a CLS, both look a lot neater.
And is it me or does the front end look completely 'Yank Tanked up'!
While I'm on a rant, Build Quality! I'm sick of reading the hype that Jag has got it's act together, they even have EVO saying it and they should know better (check out their own reports on their long termer S-type R and XK)
Wifey wife does brochures for jag and we had a new XK for the weekend, bits of trim were falling off everywhere and the gearbox (driveshaft?) vibrated. Build Quality my ar.e!
Get some fresh team members Ian Callum and while your at it, get the Brummie workforce to give a damn about the product they are assembling*
Rob
*Actually, when you look at the work pool around Castle Bromwich, its no surprise really....
Having owned 3 BMW's & now an A4 - I have to say that German build quality is overated. My M3 had around £2500 worth of warranty work done to rattling trim & heater linkages - at only one year & 6000 miles old. That is crap. Now my A4 is about to make it's 5th visit, in almost a year, to Stratford Audi to sort a dashboard rattle once and for all hopefully.
Not making excuses, but you probably had a proto XK for the w/e. I drove a similar one last year - and trim was a problem there too. Production ones are well sorted! I also fail to see how you can say the XF looks average. It now pisses over anything that has four doors from Germany - particularly the 5-Series. In fact that now looks very bland next to the XF.
Anyhow, I think that new Jag concept looks average, the lights at the back look like a 95' Honda Prelude.
Check out the Porsche Panamera and even a CLS, both look a lot neater.
And is it me or does the front end look completely 'Yank Tanked up'!
While I'm on a rant, Build Quality! I'm sick of reading the hype that Jag has got it's act together, they even have EVO saying it and they should know better (check out their own reports on their long termer S-type R and XK)
Wifey wife does brochures for jag and we had a new XK for the weekend, bits of trim were falling off everywhere and the gearbox (driveshaft?) vibrated. Build Quality my ar.e!
Get some fresh team members Ian Callum and while your at it, get the Brummie workforce to give a damn about the product they are assembling*
Rob
*Actually, when you look at the work pool around Castle Bromwich, its no surprise really....
Having owned 3 BMW's & now an A4 - I have to say that German build quality is overated. My M3 had around £2500 worth of warranty work done to rattling trim & heater linkages - at only one year & 6000 miles old. That is crap. Now my A4 is about to make it's 5th visit, in almost a year, to Stratford Audi to sort a dashboard rattle once and for all hopefully.
Not making excuses, but you probably had a proto XK for the w/e. I drove a similar one last year - and trim was a problem there too. Production ones are well sorted! I also fail to see how you can say the XF looks average. It now pisses over anything that has four doors from Germany - particularly the 5-Series. In fact that now looks very bland next to the XF.
I think design is a very emotive subject but.... the 5 series design study car would now be well over 6 years old so it's not comparible to the XF, better to look to the Porsche Panamera perhaps. And as design is emotive I'd stand by my comments that the XF doesn't ring my bells, it looks like any new yank design at the front and a grafted on old Prelude rear end, side profile is nice though. But remember, the production car will be toned down (duller?) so if the show car's not floating my boat (with it's 28inch wheels, burnt wood, big air intakes, stainless steel etc, etc...) what's the production car going to do???
The XK was criticised for looking like the DB9/V8 but does look good so why didn't Ian C just say 'bugger it' and make the XF look more like the Rapide, which IS a design that is just lovely!
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