Old Man's car ?
Discussion
Yes, I think that Jaguar is traditionally an old man's brand...but in a good way. It's a smaller, lower volume company than the likes of BMW/Mercedes/Audi and with a smaller range of models. I think that younger customers don't tend to buy Jaguars because there isn't really such a thing as a "cheap" Jaguar, as there is with BMW/Audi/Mercedes (1-Series/A1/A3/A-Class). The higher volumes also mean more competitive lease rates and you can get into one of the other cars for a relatively low monthly payment and then it's quite easy to "upgrade" to a bigger/more expensive vehicle in the range from there. You also don't have the equivalent to the M/AMG/RS products to appeal to the young, rich chavs but that's OK for the older gentleman who just wants something elegant, understated, comfortable and luxurious but isn't bothered about "sporty". I'd wager that a lot of Jaguar's saloons are bought with cash by older gentlemen as a treat on their retirement and with Jaguar's typically longer life cycles, they don't have something that will date as quickly as the equivalent BMW/Audi/Mercedes, which seems to get updated every 5 minutes. I'm sure that Jaguar would love to have the universal appeal of Audi/BMW/Mercedes and its bedfellow Land Rover but they are addressing this to a certain extent with products like the E-Pace, F-Pace, I-Pace, XE and F-Type.
It's funny because Jags were sporty and sexy compared to the premium German brands up until the 1980s, whereas the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi were a little conservative and staid. BMW only really became popular with a younger demographic in the 80s, Audi in the 90s and Mercedes not really until the 2000s. For what it's worth, as a teenager I always loved the contemporary X300/X308 XJs and XK8s and still do, whereas most of my friends preferred BMWs or Land Rovers. Ford certainly didn't help to keep the Jaguar brand up-to-date with retro-looking products like the S-Type and X-Type.
Let's be honest though, a lot of vehicles are old persons cars, if not old man's cars. Pretty much the whole Honda, Toyota, Peugeot, Saab, Lexus and Hyundai ranges, any big saloon/hatch that isn't a BMW really. I don't know many younger people that would choose to drive a Mondeo/Insignia/Passat/Avensis/Superb over a Fiesta/Focus or Polo/Golf unless they absolutely needed the space. The smaller cars are just bigger and more refined than they used to be and have a trendier image too. Things have changed because in the 90s, I seem to remember the Sierra/Cavalier being more aspirational/desirable than the smaller Fords and Vauxhalls.
Re Volvo, which I think has already been mentioned then yes, they always had a bit of a rep for being old man's cars but aren't they quite trendy now?
It's funny because Jags were sporty and sexy compared to the premium German brands up until the 1980s, whereas the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi were a little conservative and staid. BMW only really became popular with a younger demographic in the 80s, Audi in the 90s and Mercedes not really until the 2000s. For what it's worth, as a teenager I always loved the contemporary X300/X308 XJs and XK8s and still do, whereas most of my friends preferred BMWs or Land Rovers. Ford certainly didn't help to keep the Jaguar brand up-to-date with retro-looking products like the S-Type and X-Type.
Let's be honest though, a lot of vehicles are old persons cars, if not old man's cars. Pretty much the whole Honda, Toyota, Peugeot, Saab, Lexus and Hyundai ranges, any big saloon/hatch that isn't a BMW really. I don't know many younger people that would choose to drive a Mondeo/Insignia/Passat/Avensis/Superb over a Fiesta/Focus or Polo/Golf unless they absolutely needed the space. The smaller cars are just bigger and more refined than they used to be and have a trendier image too. Things have changed because in the 90s, I seem to remember the Sierra/Cavalier being more aspirational/desirable than the smaller Fords and Vauxhalls.
Re Volvo, which I think has already been mentioned then yes, they always had a bit of a rep for being old man's cars but aren't they quite trendy now?
Edited by white_goodman on Friday 16th November 17:35
300bhp/ton said:
I guess most "old" people, pensioners drive compact hatchbacks. If going by a purely numbers thing.
A very astute point! I know plenty of folk of advancing years as my parents, their friends, my friends' parents etc. They do tend to downsize to much smaller cars with few exceptions.donkmeister said:
300bhp/ton said:
I guess most "old" people, pensioners drive compact hatchbacks. If going by a purely numbers thing.
A very astute point! I know plenty of folk of advancing years as my parents, their friends, my friends' parents etc. They do tend to downsize to much smaller cars with few exceptions.Apparently, his daughters had told him to sell the Z4 and buy something sensible like a Volvo because he was too old to drive fast cars. I sold him a V60 estate.......
Which just happened to be a Polestar. He said that his daughters wouldn’t know the difference between a Volvo estate and what he had bought...... which was good bit quicker than the Z4.
He had a proper twinkle in his eye.... he also said that the Volvo would come in useful when he took his lady friends away for the weekend. Proper legend, given that a lot of 85 year old men have given up by now. He could drive as well..
gamefreaks said:
I may be winning this old man car thing!
My last few cars have been 2 Volvos, 3 Jags and a TVR. I’m in my mid 30’s.
Guess I'm in for the long run too. I bought my first XJ some 25 years ago and I'm on my fifth one now. My last few cars have been 2 Volvos, 3 Jags and a TVR. I’m in my mid 30’s.
So much easier and simpler just to replace like for like without all the faffing about involved looking for something else instead.
This is one of my favourite Jaguar XFR videos. Old man’s car eh? Turn the volume up to hear that supercharger.
https://youtu.be/a2WqttxNtmo
https://youtu.be/a2WqttxNtmo
This thread reminds me of a conversation that I had with an ex-girlfriend as a mk3 Astra driver back in 2000! The Alfa 156 2.0 TS was the top of my wish list at the time and having seen a gleaming racing red one in a car park, I pointed it out and commented on how stunning it was. She said that it looked like a bit of an old man's car! I asked her what kind of car that a young man should be driving instead and she said probably an Escort or a Golf. The relationship didn't last long beyond that point...
white_goodman said:
This thread reminds me of a conversation that I had with an ex-girlfriend as a mk3 Astra driver back in 2000! The Alfa 156 2.0 TS was the top of my wish list at the time and having seen a gleaming racing red one in a car park, I pointed it out and commented on how stunning it was. She said that it looked like a bit of an old man's car! I asked her what kind of car that a young man should be driving instead and she said probably an Escort or a Golf. The relationship didn't last long beyond that point...
You split up because you had different opinions on what makes a young mans car?TarpaTow said:
Alex_225 said:
I think there's a criteria that's popular with a more senior male. Comfort, luxury, decent spec and decent engine.
The likes of a Jag will fit that criteria and in turn have an image linked to the older gent. Jags are a classic British brand so again, I can imagine and older person liking that and aiming for that. I have two neighbours, both in their 60s who stop and talk to me when I'm washing the car. Both into their cars and both have Jags.
I'm 36 so I don't consider myself old but I do drive an E Class Merc which I suspect many consider to be an 'old man's car'. I don't really care though as for the type of driving I do, it's comfortable, well spec'd and fairly powerful.
You're 36 The likes of a Jag will fit that criteria and in turn have an image linked to the older gent. Jags are a classic British brand so again, I can imagine and older person liking that and aiming for that. I have two neighbours, both in their 60s who stop and talk to me when I'm washing the car. Both into their cars and both have Jags.
I'm 36 so I don't consider myself old but I do drive an E Class Merc which I suspect many consider to be an 'old man's car'. I don't really care though as for the type of driving I do, it's comfortable, well spec'd and fairly powerful.
and DON'T consider yourself old. And you drive an E class Merc.That Merc just spells 'OLD', like Jags going to the golf club or out for Sunday Lunch, complete with blazer and silk hankie in the breast pocket.
That's why I'm in a BM, a very strong message that I'm a successful young entrepreneur and a real go-getter and going places.
That's the image people will subconsciously have of me and why I couldn't drive a Jag, although some of my really old customers do have Jags so I'm happy to play them along when they go on about Jag's racing history. YAWN
I know the first thing I always think of when I see a youngster in a BMW is is firstly that they absolutely must be the next Richard Branson!
thatjagbloke said:
So, this begs the question, is there any such thing as an old man's car and if so can you give examples and reasons why ?
I bought my first Jaguar when I was 37 - a brand new XJ 4.2 V8 in Carnival Red. A lovely thing. Then had two XKR's after that.... I really didn't consider them 'old man' cars - I also had a Murcielago at the same time. So one minute old, next young? No idea.It doesn't bother me what others think about my cars.... currently driving an Aero +8 Morgan. Lovely.
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