XF Jaguar C-XF Concept @ NAIAS 2007

[Ultimate Car Guy]

I've read that the upcomming XF will carry-over the existing S-Type platform!

Can you believe this? Jag is expecting to be competitive with the upcomming 5 Series, E class and A6 (all of which are expected to be released as new advanced models) with a car thats based on the- by then -10 year old Ford DEW98 platform.

This platform wasn't even good enough to really challenge the BMW E39 platform.

 

[siko]

Press kit with alot of pics @ WCF

 

[Mr. M]

I've read that the upcomming XF will carry-over the existing S-Type platform!

Can you believe this? Jag is expecting to be competitive with the upcomming 5 Series, E class and A6 (all of which are expected to be released as new advanced models) with a car thats based on the- by then -10 year old Ford DEW98 platform.

This platform wasn't even good enough to really challenge the BMW E39 platform.

I hope that isn't true. Otherwise, Jag might be in serious trouble - I agree with your points.

 

[Osnabrueck]

Agh! I really wanted to jump into this discussion, but alas, Time Warner dropped the ball and has left me without internet access for almost two weeks now. Oh the humanity!

Anyways - I have very mixed feelings about this concept, and presumably, where Jaguar is headed.

Ian McCullum is gifted with the ability to design the same car over and over again. Fortunately, said car is an Aston Martin, and and C-XF is the ovbious benefactor of curves we already know and admire.

To my eyes, the car is a slam dunk until you get to the very squinty and almost anthropomorphic looking headlights. It looks like a failed attempt to inject the car with "human emotion" - which isn't really what should be expressed in a Jag. A Jag's headlights should say "Power, Class and Superiority Complex." The end result reminds me of something we'd see on a SEAT, and isn't terribly sophisticated.

Fix those headlights, and Jag could be on the money with this one. Thing is, we all know that details such as these are typically approved and bound to make the final cut once they've been presented in concept form.

 

[PanterroR]

Lol! I like the way you put it, Osna.


but i must say that i don't have any problems with headlights. They look cool to me... It's the grille that needs to go, imho...

 

[NarutoRamen]

While we are sitting here complaining about how jaguar shouldn't do this or shouldn't do that and how jaguar shouldn't alienate their followers...I hope you guys understand that because of not trying to alienate their customers, the whole company has gone down the drain. Their design hasn't changed since the 60s. Seriously, if I was in their spot I would rather alienate 50k people and gain 200k more rather than keep the same followers. They aren't a charity, they are a company built on money, and people have jobs at risk right now and I'm not even talking about execs, I'm talking about hard working folks in the plants. So if Jag thinks they can sell more cars by going in a new direction, then hell they should.

 

[EnI]

First real-life XF spy pics:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2007/01/03/production-jaguar-xf-spied/

 

[Osnabrueck]

Interesting. Looking at those spy shots it's hard to believe that the final car will have headlights seen on the concept. This may very well end up looking similar to other Jag concepts that we've seen in the past.

 

[NarutoRamen]

Interesting. Looking at those spy shots it's hard to believe that the final car will have headlights seen on the concept. This may very well end up looking similar to other Jag concepts that we've seen in the past.

Yeah, I higly doubt those head lights will make it into production. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the eye candy we see doesn't make it into production...after all it is a ford product

 

[bmer]

I like the grill but there are some other details that aren't exactly eye-pleasing. Well, got to give thumbs up for the modern and revolutionary ( <-- compared to the previous generation) design.

The end result reminds me of something we'd see on a SEAT, and isn't terribly sophisticated.

Exactly, I instantly thought SEAT as well!

 

[siko]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[NarutoRamen]

Thanks for the Vid. Thats awesome. I like how the LCD screen flips and comes out and how the "thingy" in the center console drops down tier style and comes back up. Pretty sick! very futuristic, but super highly unlikely to make it in produciton.

 

[Mr. M]

While we are sitting here complaining about how jaguar shouldn't do this or shouldn't do that and how jaguar shouldn't alienate their followers...I hope you guys understand that because of not trying to alienate their customers, the whole company has gone down the drain. Their design hasn't changed since the 60s. Seriously, if I was in their spot I would rather alienate 50k people and gain 200k more rather than keep the same followers. They aren't a charity, they are a company built on money, and people have jobs at risk right now and I'm not even talking about execs, I'm talking about hard working folks in the plants. So if Jag thinks they can sell more cars by going in a new direction, then hell they should.

That's true. I've always assumed Jaguar sold enough, but they are just so deep in debt that they have to use whatever profits they make to fund these debts.

Eni, do you have any sales figures for Jaguar?

 

[Merc1]

Jaguar sold only 20,683 units in the U.S. in all of 2006, about the same as MB or BMW does in one month so clearly they need something. The status quo won't due.

JAGUAR BRAND DECEMBER 2006 U.S. SALES

----------->December Month % December CYTD %
----------> 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change
XJ -------> 543 658 -17.5 5,027 8,304 -39.5
S-TYPE--> 266 879 -69.7 5,875 8,897 -34.0
X-TYPE--> 284 778 -63.5 5,214 10,941 -52.3
XK-------> 460 130 253.8 4,567 2,282 100.1
Total Jaguar 1,553 2,445 -36.5 20,683 30,424 -32.0

M

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

Gosh, those sales figures are truly shocking!

No wonder Jaguar is in such red ink. I'd imagine this situation is the same in all other contries like in the UK.

 

[SDNR]

It's not a bad looking car ....most of us agree on that. The problem is, it could be a Lexus or a number of American makers.

...but if you guys like it so much ...then I guess you would choose it over an E class or 5er .....eh?

It really is all just flash right now ....the design is not terribly original or amazing .....we will all loose interest in it soon enough. Jaguar really need to get their act together a little better than this.

The key, I believe, is to do something similar to what Mercedes-Benz have done: Identify the "essence" of the Jaguar brand ...don't seek to create a "Retro" version of older cars, but rather capitalize on the strong brand identity associated with specific Jaguar styling cues. To be fair to Jaguar designers, they appear to have tried to do exactly this with this concept. But sadly, it really isn't as great as it could have been. BMW have done a marvelous job with Rolls-Royce and Mini ..... if only Ford had the personal with the intuition and talent to do the same for Jaguar.

 

[7saen]

Now after few days of checking the looks of the car I now can say that I actually like it. I first had a problem with the front lights (and actually still have some concerns about them) but overally I like this Jag.
The grill is very nice imo, I'd just place it a bit deeper, or the lights a bit higher, so that ti doesn't dominate the frons like it's doing right now.
The bottom of the front bumper is a bit busy and doesn't fit the rest of the car which screams subtle sportiness.

As you all have written before, the design isn't really original or breathtaking in its innovation, but it looks good. that can be good for a concept, but -as rob said- the production car will suffer from this fact. A good looking design isn't enough to make a car live long and keep buyers coming. You still need that little something that makes the car not only beautiful but timelessly attractive. And imo this concept lacks this timelessness.

I just hope that this concept will be the start of a new wave of good (looking) designs by Jag. they really need that at the moment.

 

[Centurion]

Here are pictures of the production car test mule:
It seem like it will be like a S-type replacement, note the Volvo S80 side mirrors and the Volvo-ish tail lights
Or is this car the new Volvo S60?

 

[Ultimate Car Guy]

I'm pretty sure that this is the upcomming XF.

And if it is, it means it would share a lot of exterior and interior components with Volvo.

 

[siko]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies