Jaguar vs The Petrol Engine
Discussion
So I've been spending a bit of time thinking about what new car Id like to get, even though in reality this will only happen in about a years time.
I need a roomy saloon, that looks good, is from one of the more premium brands, and has a really nice interior.
BMW are okay, but the new 3 series "squinting face" look puts me off a bit, and I've never really been a BMW man. Audi A5 is a good shout, in sportback form for the 4 doors, but as far as looks go, the Jaguar XF is definitely the pick for me. Sat in one the other day and the interiors are fantastic, the whole car just feels well proportioned and put together, and is my favourite out of the BMW/Audi rivals (new C-Class also looks good, so will get around to looking at that too).
I then tried doing the Jaguar configurator online, and there is no petrol option at all!! You have to choose a diesel, in one of three different guises. I get that Diesels are all the rage now, and I know how good they are in general, but I do about 6000 - 8000 miles per year, and of that there aren't that many long journeys, so a diesel to my mind doesn't really make sense.
The only way to get a petrol engine XF is to basically get a fire breathing monster version, which would be great if money was no object, but at the under £40k mark it is diesel only. So you have this massive void between a fire breathing monster, and everything else. Some of the diesels are pretty powerful, but for my use would it be a false economy to consider a diesel? a petrol would surely make more sense.
At least Audi do a 225BHP A5 petrol, which slots in between their lower powered and high powered cars nicely, but Im very surprised Jaguar don't.
Is this a marker being put down by Jag to say that they are done with the petrol engine in their mainstream saloons? and are Diesels that good now that they can replace a petrol engine in most common scenarios? Or possibly due to Tata owning Jaguar Land Rover, and really the only engines being used in mainstream Land Rovers being diesel, Tata perhaps don't want to go to the trouble of developing a "normal" petrol engine.
Seems extreme, but I suppose it doesn't limit their market too much since the default choice is now diesel, so perhaps I should just plump for a diesel when the time comes and forget that humble petrol engine ever existed.
I need a roomy saloon, that looks good, is from one of the more premium brands, and has a really nice interior.
BMW are okay, but the new 3 series "squinting face" look puts me off a bit, and I've never really been a BMW man. Audi A5 is a good shout, in sportback form for the 4 doors, but as far as looks go, the Jaguar XF is definitely the pick for me. Sat in one the other day and the interiors are fantastic, the whole car just feels well proportioned and put together, and is my favourite out of the BMW/Audi rivals (new C-Class also looks good, so will get around to looking at that too).
I then tried doing the Jaguar configurator online, and there is no petrol option at all!! You have to choose a diesel, in one of three different guises. I get that Diesels are all the rage now, and I know how good they are in general, but I do about 6000 - 8000 miles per year, and of that there aren't that many long journeys, so a diesel to my mind doesn't really make sense.
The only way to get a petrol engine XF is to basically get a fire breathing monster version, which would be great if money was no object, but at the under £40k mark it is diesel only. So you have this massive void between a fire breathing monster, and everything else. Some of the diesels are pretty powerful, but for my use would it be a false economy to consider a diesel? a petrol would surely make more sense.
At least Audi do a 225BHP A5 petrol, which slots in between their lower powered and high powered cars nicely, but Im very surprised Jaguar don't.
Is this a marker being put down by Jag to say that they are done with the petrol engine in their mainstream saloons? and are Diesels that good now that they can replace a petrol engine in most common scenarios? Or possibly due to Tata owning Jaguar Land Rover, and really the only engines being used in mainstream Land Rovers being diesel, Tata perhaps don't want to go to the trouble of developing a "normal" petrol engine.
Seems extreme, but I suppose it doesn't limit their market too much since the default choice is now diesel, so perhaps I should just plump for a diesel when the time comes and forget that humble petrol engine ever existed.
Potential bork factor is all that puts me off modern diesels in cars like that. If it doesn't need to feel sporty, a diesel is pretty good at moving you around. Cheaper VED, too. I think the logic of saying you need to do the miles to make a diesel worthwhile has faded since the 90's, as many of the drawbacks have been sorted.
mnkiboy said:
I'm still seeing the 3.0V6 supercharged engine on their website available in the XF. Just under £40k for the 'premium luxury' version.
I cant find it, only a 3.0 V6 Turbocharged Diesel, will take another look.Edit: can see a 3.0 V6 Supercharged Petrol 340 Premium Luxury, but that is just under £50k, and also a little more than what Im looking for power wise (fallacy I know, but I have to run and insure the thing, up to about 260BHP, modern efficient petrol engine would be ideal).
Ive seen some manufacturers able to produce really efficient petrol engines though, but as mentioned in this thread I suppose the demand just isn't there.
If more people realised that they aren't getting 50MPg in their diesel when all they do is the daily school run, petrol cars might be more popular, but there is a shared mentality that diesel is so much better and more efficient than petrol in all circumstances.
I really think if Jag could put something out that slots between their diesel and V8 Supercharged petrol models, something like a 240BHP Turbo charged XF, with a XF-S/R look to it, it could be very popular.Some of the S/R sporty attributes without the massive running costs.
If more people realised that they aren't getting 50MPg in their diesel when all they do is the daily school run, petrol cars might be more popular, but there is a shared mentality that diesel is so much better and more efficient than petrol in all circumstances.
I really think if Jag could put something out that slots between their diesel and V8 Supercharged petrol models, something like a 240BHP Turbo charged XF, with a XF-S/R look to it, it could be very popular.Some of the S/R sporty attributes without the massive running costs.
To be fair in the fleet markets where the 'cheaper' options are aimed the priority is mostly about fuel economy the diesel provides the best compromise between fuel consumption and good enough performance in a big saloon.IE it's what the bulk of the customers in that sector wants.
But.That leaves the question of Jaguar's performance aimed products.In which case it would be fair to say that many buyers are priced out of that sector which is a totally different issue of the affordability of the performance options.
But.That leaves the question of Jaguar's performance aimed products.In which case it would be fair to say that many buyers are priced out of that sector which is a totally different issue of the affordability of the performance options.
I'd be even happier with a six speed manual and petrol engine.
One of our Neighbours has just swapped his E90 325D Coupe for a 428i Petrol. He reckons if it gets close to the advertised MPG it will be as good as the 325D. There is a backlash against diesel due to the inefficiencies of the DPF's and the soot they allow into the environment as well as the fact that if you don't use the things they break!
One of our Neighbours has just swapped his E90 325D Coupe for a 428i Petrol. He reckons if it gets close to the advertised MPG it will be as good as the 325D. There is a backlash against diesel due to the inefficiencies of the DPF's and the soot they allow into the environment as well as the fact that if you don't use the things they break!
Edited by telecat on Monday 19th May 14:20
For some reason I was under the impression it was a 3 series/A4 competitor, but it's actually a 5 series/A6 competitor then. The dimensions seem quite a bit smaller when you look at a 5 series, then look at an XF. Thought the XJ might be the equivalent 5 series, but that is obviously an A8 equivalent.
Somehow the Jags seem smaller, might be clever design lines, but the 5 series did come across as being a class up in dimensions.
Quite like the 5 series, will take a look at the available engines, but do prefer the XF. Would come down to what sort of packages are available on each, and of course what engines. BMW make some superb petrol engines.
Somehow the Jags seem smaller, might be clever design lines, but the 5 series did come across as being a class up in dimensions.
Quite like the 5 series, will take a look at the available engines, but do prefer the XF. Would come down to what sort of packages are available on each, and of course what engines. BMW make some superb petrol engines.
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