The current Jaguars designed by Ian Callum are hands down the best handling and driving Jaguars of all time with supercharged V-6s and V-8s and even their own Ingenium turbo 4s. Having driven both the old classics and the newer XEs and XFs, F-Pace and I-Pace are hand downs some of the best driving and handling cars on the road. The reality is that Jaguar is probably on the verge of extinction and will simply die off like SAAB. I owned SAABs and Jaguars are hands down superior cars in every way.
I have an xtype, although lots of people quickly hated on it for being “just a mondeo” although I can safely say it’s nothing like the mondeo, it’s style is in my opinion very nice, mine is black and has the option body kit which does really improve the look of the car, it really stands out in todays traffic and I get many compliments about it, the v6 engines also keep that jag purr although they are not strictly like a classic jag with the straight sixes
I have a straight six xj now but did have a 2.5 V6 xtype sport briefly.a nice car!not like any rattly old Mondeo I've ever driven.a very underrated car & the duratec engine was solid
The X-Type was and is one of the best small Jags you can get for the money. Brilliantly made, reliable and well designed and there's nothing wrong with it sharing the platform with the Mondeo. In fact, I consider it the small successor of the XJ.
I have the 2.0 diesel X type, I can't fault it. It's nothing special in terms of speed and handling, but it's fast enough, reliable and comfortable to ride in. As a daily driver I can't fault it at all, the only criticisms I have are stupid things like the heated seats turning off after a few minutes, and when you press the button to turn the fan on inside you have to press the AC button and turn the knob to get it on heating, instead of keeping the same setting it was when you turned it off.
I believe Callum had designed the XF before the sale to Tata ... but the car didn't hit the streets until after sale ... it was probably a part of the reason Tata saw Jaguar as worth buying. The traditional jags just weren't selling and it's buying base was dying off ... they needed a kick in the image and Callum gave them that. Having said that I think older Jags are starting to become cool again ... or maybe I'm just getting older!
I think I did allude Callum designed it during Tata, but yah thinking back that doesn't make sense since the car debuted for the 2009 MY and the buyout was completed in 2009. As such the XF was started well before then. My mistake, but I'm sure I'll have a full video about corrections in old videos eventually lol! 😅 and oh for sure about Older Jags becoming cool again, I mean I came across a pretty young guy with a 60s Merc he found, so crossing my fingers for old Jags at more cars and coffees!
@@velocemidwest I just bought a 98 XJ8 Sport 4.0. I’m 51, so I’m not young. I don’t answer to old yet, though! Always loved Jag styling when I was young, so this is me taking the plunge on a weekender from a time when Jag had decent reliability. Interestingly, the car is a bit like me in feel - not old and not young 🤣
@@colino72 I am 57 so I'm not young, either. When I watched this, I wondered "so what's wrong with not being young?" Not being 25 any more means that I a) belong to an age group much larger and more significant in current and future demographics and b) that I am far more likely to be able to afford a car with that price tag. The abrupt change from the XJ 350 hit me when I was 42 (so not entirely past everything yet). I found that pretty bizarre because to me, the 350 had succeeded to be a genuinely beautiful modern car taking up cues from traditional Jaguars (after the 300 and 308 - in my humble opinion - hadn't).
Ian Callum or not. Pre Ford or post Ford, Cars like Jaguar under large car companies wil always lose there originality as there is no one who is interested in individuality and originality over just money in these big companies. Jaguar was always a niche market car, and if you egnore that concept and marketing then you lose your individuality and become just another common car as Jaguar are today apart from the name. What's in a name? Today it's just seems to mean more of the Emperors new clothes.
NOTHING beats the classic low slung, double goggle with the classic grill. Never give that up, modernize but you dont gove it up. The feature model looks typical. But I always stopped in my tracks for a moment to watch that XJ6 Vanden Plas glide past...any year!
I have owned Jaguars starting with a Mark 2, then an XJ6, then two aluminium XJ6s, and finally an XE. So which was best in terms of style ? Frankly I don't know, each car was a child of its time. The biggest problem for Jaguar has been the mania for SUVs or as I call them, "double-decker buses". Elegance of style no longer seems important to the average buyer. It was not until the first Jaguar SUV came along that sales started to increase again, only to be killed off by the pandemic, and the UK government's idiocy in forcing EVs onto UK motorists from 2030. Jaguar have now announced they are going hugely up-market, so much so that they have essentialy kissed goodbye to ALL of their customers ! So their new cars from 2025 will have no existing customer base whatsoever. This is lunacy, pure and simple.
I love the older jags. The X308 is iconic, there's not really anything special about the new ones that sets them apart. They look too much like a Honda Accord, the Ford Fusion and everything else on the road. Also nice video.
You just earned yourself a new sub in me. Excellent video and I couldn’t agree more. I like the newer more modern Jags but they just don’t have the appeal of the classic Jag aura that comes with an older car. My father has an 07 XK which made fall in love with Jags and I consider the 2000s to be peak Jaguar. 90s a close second. Glad to see other young people such as myself loving these cars. You choose to buy a jag because of the way it makes you feel, not others. Can’t wait to own one myself one day.
Funny enough, I'm pretty sure the tail lights of the 2nd Gen Fusion were direct derivatives of the first gen XF, although most focus on the Fusion's Aston style grille
Jaguar's new design is a grave mistake. I would happily buy every car they made in 2003, but none of the cars they make in 2023. They look a copy of an Audi, rather than grace, space, grace clad in metal.
I totally agree with you. I have a X300 and an X Type. I love the X300 but the X Type is not in the same class, and although I still love the X Type because it is very compact and a traditional looking Jaguar inside and out, I hate the V6 and the mechanical design of the car. That is one car that would have been better with a simple 16 valve 4.
That’s the problem though. you say you would but all the previous cars, but have you? Has anyone? They just aren’t selling, and they have to pivot or risk being history. What they were doing before just wasn’t working
There were design bucks made of a new 1980’s XJ with an XJS styled front end. I always thought a shortened Aston Martin Lagonda would have made the basis of a compelling 1980’s Jaguar XJ saloon. Great video
This is a nice piece of history about one of the biggest English brands that unfortunately moved to another part of the world. A note about the video: Use a shorter black screen. Excellent commentary and beautiful photos.
The SS-100 at 7:12: Thinking of vintage Jags, I used to know a guy who owned an SS-100 a long time ago. -And then suddenly, a picture of the (formerly his) actual car!
Jaguars designs may have been considered "old" but it was unique. Jaguar now are just another lookalike. They threw out the "old unique" for the Ikea new.
Jaguars now look like a Lexus and a Camry, I am not a fan although I believe that they are relatively good cars. In this video about Jaguar styling one adjective is never mentioned and that is "sexy". Jaguars styling has always, for the most part, been described as sexy and that no longer applies. The traditional styling of Jaguar may be perceived as "posh" but it is the reason for buying a British car outside of Britain, people bought them for their walnut dashboards, their rich leather appointments and their understated elegance (posh). If not for those styling characteristics, why buy British, just buy that Lexus or Audi. Taking hints from women or viewing a car as an object to impress the ladies with; when women see a Mercedes, they know that it is an expensive brand and an indicator of status or income, same goes for a BMW or Audi but when women see a traditional Jaguar their eyes and everything lights up and they enthusiastically say "I like that car!" Just a few years ago I owned and almost drove daily a 2005 XJ VDP and I collected tons of nods and smiles and recognition and that absolutely included from many young people. I don't appreciably detect where Jaguar, since Tata's ownership, has gained new customer bases or where the brand reputation has increased except for the fact that Jaguar has introduced more new models, more frequently, which generates press and up'd their marketing efforts. Jaguar has always had difficulty in sustaining company viability but people have a soft heart for the legendary brand and there has been an investment community that did not want to see the brand disappear from existence, I am not sure the same will be the case when Tata eventually gives up on them.
I think you’ve missed a Jaguar styling theme, which is that sports car styling has tended to preconfigured that of saloon cars and this most clear post-war. The XK120 begat the style of the “Mk1” and Mk7 and evolved through the XK140 and 150 styling changes continuing through the Mk2 and Mks 8 to 9. Whilst all of this was going on, Jaguar was dominating endurance racing (and most other non Formula races) with the C-Type, which was a competition version of the XK120. Then there was a step change with the D-Type brought about careful attention to aerodynamics. This led directly via the XK-SS to the E-Type. The E-Type led to the XJ (which began as four door E-type - the boot line of the XJ is the same as the E-Type with the end chopped off etc). Then, another aero-led step change with the XJ-S which led to the XJ40. After this, however, the line of sports car led development got lost until, as you’ve identified Ian Callum began it again. I’m not a massive fan of this style of Jaguar (or of how any “modern” cars look) but I agree that he did an exceptional job of integrating some key Jaguar styling features into the modern idiom, which is dictated more by safety and efficiency requirements than by style. Good video and enjoy you’re Jaaag!
Because the x-type was sketched on paper design wereas cars today are 3d print design. Wouldn't have a new range rover near me dumb idea the rear wheel steering.
Car designers have 2 jobs, 1, make a car that looks good, and 2, make a car that looks DIFFERENT than cars that have already been made. The XJ6 was One of the best looking 4 door cars ever made. They would have done better to keep making cars that looked like the 1968 XJ6 but such a car made in the 21st century would look old. The old XJ6 was a sculpture designed by talented 20th century artists. Nowadays cars are designed by computers, and the goal is to give a car the most efficient shape possible. While these 21st century cars may looked well designed sometimes, but only when they are in a wind tunnel with white smoke flowing over them to show you how aerodynamically more efficient they are. Since they made the Ford Taurus, In order for a car to look new, it has to be streamlined with every thing round and no corners or edges. N.B. a convex round surface makes less noise as it moves thru the air than a corner. They have to make the wheels too small and the passenger compartment too large.
They're not alone! When Mercedes changed hands they changed the cars to look like something from GM, with Ford/MAzda interiors. I've been a Merc man since 1990, but the last 3 cars have been Volvos to get the quality & style of interior that I like.
It's not so much that I don't like the 'new' Jaguars, as to me they look as good as most cars on the market these days. I just don't think they look so distinctive or classy as they did before. So it's fair to say, I l think they're fine, but just not badged as a Jaguar 🤔.
Now that Jaguar is owned by TATA we can expect future Jaguars to look more like vehicles that are popular in India. We can assume the next generation XJ6 to be smaller with 3 wheels and a Mo-Ped engine, and will be called a "Tuck-Tuck Deluxe.
You missed a greater influence in the design evolution. Euro-mandated safety design standards which govern ratios b/w bumper/hood heights/angles, relative distances between components, windshield rake, etc. Manufacturers no longer have the same latitude in creating distinctive designs which is why so many new cars all look the same.
You could say the same about Mercedes and especially BMW.... Modern Jags are great cars in the looks and driving department, I mean nothing beats a Project 8... the old XJR did look amazing though!
Very cool video, a like and a sub from me. A lot of love and effort has been put into this. Although I do not like Callum's saloon/sedan Jags (those droopy headlights kill the mood), I do agree with the point of the video, they needed to change things...
Jaguar decided to compete with the Germans in making German looking cars. Ironically the new style language didn’t sell as well as the traditional styled models. BMW or Mercedes people don’t want a Jag, especially one that looks like a BMW rip off. The XF is nice, but has lost the sense of luxurious Britishness. The Bertone B99 Jaguar concept offered a way forward, but was sadly ignored. Now Jaguar is almost out of business with the “electric only” line up.🙁🙄
I used to be a BMW guy (E63 6 Series coupé) but wanted a Jaguar, too. So in 2019 I bought a 2013 XF and kept the BMW, therefore becoming a Jaguar & BMW guy. My point is that some BMW people want a Jag 😊. It's actually the most beautiful car I've ever owned. And it's fairly reliable to boot.
@@zsb707 you bought a good year if you have the 5.0. When we got our first Jag my husband and I learned you really have to research the cars. We got an X300 and that was bulletproof for many years until the rust got to it. We now have a Series 3 xj6, another X300, XK8 4.2, 420 and a 52 Mark VII getting slowly restored. I may trade the xk8 for an early XK in the next year or so. I’m kind of a fanatic now.🤷🏻♀️😂😂😂
I'm glad you've already accepted your error on Tara influence on the XF and XJ. I do, however, think that a major reason for these updates have more to do with safety for pedestrians. Being hit by a metal grille with a metal hood ornament on top of it is going to be more life threatening than a deformable plastic front grille and surround and an aluminium bonnet (hood). What is important is Tata's pretty much hands-off approach to design management, allowing Jaguar's own in-house design teams to develop the brand in the way that Jaguar believes their market is demanding. Quite why they've decided to go all-electric, with no apparent desire to invest in Hydrogen, is anyone's guess. That lack of Hydrogen gas delivery infrastructure that is crippling Fuel Cell development, is likely the only way we are going to get Heavy Road Transport off its dependence on Diesel. Internal combustion engines that are powerful enough for the heaviest Heavy Goods vehicles have been developed by JCB in the UK to power their future lines of heavy vehicles. It seems likely that battery development will never provide a battery that is both compatible with the range and therefore storage capacity needed for a long-distance heavy truck, and a weight that doesn't excessively reduce its load capacity.
Everyone has their own taste. We have a 2016 XJ (facelift) in Europe....lovely to drive and still looks as modern as other new models....much more of a standout then a Mercedes or BMW
As a car enthusiast I have owned lots of Jags (around 50 I guess, including all the sport models and all XJ generations) and still own 3. However build quality has taken a dive after Tata bought Jaguar. My 2017 XF needed a new engine every 100K km. I sold it when the 3rd blew at 303K km. At the dealership they have a few mechanics only changing engines, and they complain about Indian "engineering". I still like the styling and driving characteristics though.
No mention of the 80s XJ40 and its initial (failed) departure from the traditional sedan front end when it replaced the double round lights with a single large rectangle?
About to watch the video but everybody said they looked old fashioned, so they modernised the styling, and then everybody complained they didn't look like old school Jaguars anymore. Jaguar were damned if they did and damned if they didn't.
It’s hard for Jag to incorporate those classic lines into new cars due to all the safety legislation. The X350 highlighted the problem, compared to its predecessor the X308 it didn’t look anywhere near as good. Still the new design language doesn’t resonate with the brand and is a bit bland but they are still great cars.
I simply have not trusted modern Jaguars to be proper Jaguars since about 2010. I used to look at an XJ driving down a street, but that time is king gone.
The XF and XJ were penned under ford who bought Jaguar in 1990, not 1999 They were inherited production ready from ford. Ian Callum and his brother Moray is responsible for modern jaguar, Ford, Aston and Land Rover design.
I inherited my late Mother’s mint, low-mileage 2001 S-Type 4.0 V8 and was smitten with its quiet, powerful abilities and its unique’60’s-style ‘Britishness’ and always worshipped the XJ Super V8 as my favorite Modern Jag..; it was everything I loved about Jaguar in one car. I got an XF loaner when they were new and hot with that ‘Hush…Hush’ ad campaign that made it so sexy to accept Jag’s new direction…but now I just feel…ambivalence..? I’m back with Mercedes- it’s a family thing…but I will never forget my Jag Era… (Some day…my Bucket List Jag must surely be a well-kept survivor Mark X..; to my American eyes the most handsome sedan ever dreamed…with a manual gearbox and a sunroof please..!) *PS: ‘POSH Old Men’s Cars’ are the best cars; buy them CPO when the first owners pass on or go to prison…they are generally immaculate!
Make the most of it, Jag won't be here 10 years from now. I've had a couple and will always make room for a Series 2 Daimler Vanden Plas but they abandoned so much of their heritage whilst retaining too much of their reliability issues that they simply make no sense when stacked against a comparable Mercedes, which is why I drive a CLS not an XJ...
I've had 2 XJ;s and an S Type 4 litre which were excellent performers with great style....they could not be mistaken for anything but a Jag.....Jags now IMO lack style and can be mistaken for many other cars. Brands should have unique styles.
I honestly tend to believe that Jag has never made their cars look bad EXCEPT the too retro s-type and the (in my opinion) absolutely hideous X351 XJ that, after X350/X358's grace, to me felt like the E65 7 series after the GOAT E38 for BMW, i.e. wrong
I have the limited edition XE Reims (the one in your thumbnail) IMO it's the nicest looking Jag ever made, the colours are unique only 200 made and every time I drive the heads turn, it's a beautiful car and as it will be my final Jag due to them going down the soulless EV route in 2025 I think it's a fitting exit from this great manufacturer. Shame they will be bankrupt by 2030 :(
Jaguar are in a tough position. Dammed if they do & dammed if they dont. The older market jag fanatics like me love our old xj's with acres of wood & leather & big petrol engines.we cringe at the carbon fibre & diesel engines of their new cars...but-jaguar need to evolve & sell cars to a younger market to keep fresh & innovative. They are trapped between traditionalists & innovation.
The Callum designed jaguars are what saved Jaguar… plus lots of TATA investment of course! The designs are visually stunning, clearly identifiable as “jaguar” and have aged much better than Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes of the same era. Sadly, the reliability doesn’t match the premium design, premium cost and premium image that the car deserves. This reputation is always going to be an issue for jaguar. It’s sad, as the world needs a brand like jaguar as a refreshing Alternative to the boredom-boxes from the mass manufacturers.
Hmmmm, nice show but a few BIG mistakes... Ford bought jaguar in 1990, not 1999 and not with land rover. Ford bought land rover several years later. Regarding that new design theme , it did not come from Tata. Under Ford the new design theme was created and developed for both models. When sold, Under agreement Ford allowed Tata to release the new models rather than Ford doing so. Release was 6 months after the sale of the company and 2 years after the sale for the J.
The Jaguar X Type is a nice little car with traditional styling. However the modern mechanical side of the car is not good. The modern car buyer seems to be his own worst enemy. They want the types engines they don't need and if you don't understand what I am talking about, then ask a good mechanic.
Calum did well with the XK but all the saloon cars styled by him SUCK! I've owned E-types, XJS, XJ140, X300, X350. I particularly HATE the last XJ styling. They look like damn Buicks or something! FUGLY!
Shucks. I was looking forward to hearing what was behind Jaguar's dramatic XJ design decision. *_Would_* have been an interesting video *if one could actually hear what the narrator was saying* and his speaking wasn’t in direct competition with the turned-up-way-too-loud musical din. As with SO many videos / TV shows / documentaries, when the _'background music’_ is playing it's often *_'foreground-overpowering music'_* to the point you can barely hear, or can't hear at all what the host is saying. If the music is turned up so loud that I have to _concentrate_ to keep it from interfering with my awareness or comprehension of the dialogue, it’s too d*** loud. The irony is that *‘background music’ is usually totally unnecessary.* Leave it out, and no one---absolutely *_no one_* would say: _”hey---I wish instead of interesting, relevant, well presented information the videographer would have smashed a bunch of music over his words”._
Eh, still figuring out the sound mixing. Probably didn't help that the vice audio quality wasn't great to begin with since I recorded in an open kitchen (oops). It'll be a little trial and error I'm afraid. Thanks for the feedback though. 👍
You made an error in your history. Ford acquired Jaguar in 1989 not 1999 as you state. I have an XKR (X 100 body) and it is one of the most beautiful Jags since the E Type. I don't care for the new ones.
Hm, everything I found seems to indicate they purchased in '99. There may have been a partnership or stock purchase in '89. I also really do quite like those XKR coupes. Very polished, very Jag. Wouldn't mind one myself someday! Edit: Actually now I did find something pointing to '89, though it's worded a bit oddly and maybe 100% control wasn't finalized until '99? Hm, interesting, and thank you for pointing it out!
@@velocemidwest Absolutely everything I've ever read on the Ford acquisition states 1989. I just snapped a pic from the book, Jaguar XK8 The Authorised Biography by Philip Porter that states this very fact. Of course, I can't figure out how to att a pic to a comment here. My XKR is an 03 convertible. Property of a widow. A real stroke of good luck as I don't have the means to dabble in old cars.
The current Jaguars designed by Ian Callum are hands down the best handling and driving Jaguars of all time with supercharged V-6s and V-8s and even their own Ingenium turbo 4s. Having driven both the old classics and the newer XEs and XFs, F-Pace and I-Pace are hand downs some of the best driving and handling cars on the road. The reality is that Jaguar is probably on the verge of extinction and will simply die off like SAAB. I owned SAABs and Jaguars are hands down superior cars in every way.
I have an xtype, although lots of people quickly hated on it for being “just a mondeo” although I can safely say it’s nothing like the mondeo, it’s style is in my opinion very nice, mine is black and has the option body kit which does really improve the look of the car, it really stands out in todays traffic and I get many compliments about it, the v6 engines also keep that jag purr although they are not strictly like a classic jag with the straight sixes
I have a straight six xj now but did have a 2.5 V6 xtype sport briefly.a nice car!not like any rattly old Mondeo I've ever driven.a very underrated car & the duratec engine was solid
The X-Type was and is one of the best small Jags you can get for the money. Brilliantly made, reliable and well designed and there's nothing wrong with it sharing the platform with the Mondeo. In fact, I consider it the small successor of the XJ.
I have the 2.0 diesel X type, I can't fault it. It's nothing special in terms of speed and handling, but it's fast enough, reliable and comfortable to ride in. As a daily driver I can't fault it at all, the only criticisms I have are stupid things like the heated seats turning off after a few minutes, and when you press the button to turn the fan on inside you have to press the AC button and turn the knob to get it on heating, instead of keeping the same setting it was when you turned it off.
Bentley and Rolls Royce have managed to modernise their classic look. I think Jag should had done the same. The new Jags looks like any other car.
I believe Callum had designed the XF before the sale to Tata ... but the car didn't hit the streets until after sale ... it was probably a part of the reason Tata saw Jaguar as worth buying. The traditional jags just weren't selling and it's buying base was dying off ... they needed a kick in the image and Callum gave them that. Having said that I think older Jags are starting to become cool again ... or maybe I'm just getting older!
I think I did allude Callum designed it during Tata, but yah thinking back that doesn't make sense since the car debuted for the 2009 MY and the buyout was completed in 2009. As such the XF was started well before then. My mistake, but I'm sure I'll have a full video about corrections in old videos eventually lol! 😅 and oh for sure about Older Jags becoming cool again, I mean I came across a pretty young guy with a 60s Merc he found, so crossing my fingers for old Jags at more cars and coffees!
@@velocemidwest I just bought a 98 XJ8 Sport 4.0. I’m 51, so I’m not young. I don’t answer to old yet, though! Always loved Jag styling when I was young, so this is me taking the plunge on a weekender from a time when Jag had decent reliability.
Interestingly, the car is a bit like me in feel - not old and not young 🤣
@@colino72 I am 57 so I'm not young, either.
When I watched this, I wondered "so what's wrong with not being young?"
Not being 25 any more means that I a) belong to an age group much larger and more significant in current and future demographics and b) that I am far more likely to be able to afford a car with that price tag.
The abrupt change from the XJ 350 hit me when I was 42 (so not entirely past everything yet). I found that pretty bizarre because to me, the 350 had succeeded to be a genuinely beautiful modern car taking up cues from traditional Jaguars (after the 300 and 308 - in my humble opinion - hadn't).
Ian Callum or not. Pre Ford or post Ford, Cars like Jaguar under large car companies wil always lose there originality as there is no one who is interested in individuality and originality over just money in these big companies. Jaguar was always a niche market car, and if you egnore that concept and marketing then you lose your individuality and become just another common car as Jaguar are today apart from the name. What's in a name? Today it's just seems to mean more of the Emperors new clothes.
NOTHING beats the classic low slung, double goggle with the classic grill. Never give that up, modernize but you dont gove it up. The feature model looks typical. But I always stopped in my tracks for a moment to watch that XJ6 Vanden Plas glide past...any year!
I have owned Jaguars starting with a Mark 2, then an XJ6, then two aluminium XJ6s, and finally an XE. So which was best in terms of style ? Frankly I don't know, each car was a child of its time. The biggest problem for Jaguar has been the mania for SUVs or as I call them, "double-decker buses". Elegance of style no longer seems important to the average buyer. It was not until the first Jaguar SUV came along that sales started to increase again, only to be killed off by the pandemic, and the UK government's idiocy in forcing EVs onto UK motorists from 2030. Jaguar have now announced they are going hugely up-market, so much so that they have essentialy kissed goodbye to ALL of their customers ! So their new cars from 2025 will have no existing customer base whatsoever. This is lunacy, pure and simple.
I love the older jags. The X308 is iconic, there's not really anything special about the new ones that sets them apart. They look too much like a Honda Accord, the Ford Fusion and everything else on the road.
Also nice video.
Thanks! And the X308 is a gorgeous piece of design work. I really wouldn't mind picking one up as second car for like weekend cruises or something.
You just earned yourself a new sub in me. Excellent video and I couldn’t agree more. I like the newer more modern Jags but they just don’t have the appeal of the classic Jag aura that comes with an older car. My father has an 07 XK which made fall in love with Jags and I consider the 2000s to be peak Jaguar. 90s a close second. Glad to see other young people such as myself loving these cars. You choose to buy a jag because of the way it makes you feel, not others. Can’t wait to own one myself one day.
Totally on point in my opinion. This screems for a update video on the future of Jaguar with al we know so far.
Jaguar now simply looks like a....... FORD!
Funny enough, I'm pretty sure the tail lights of the 2nd Gen Fusion were direct derivatives of the first gen XF, although most focus on the Fusion's Aston style grille
Ford took styling cues both from Jaguar and Aston Martin. But let's be honest, the first gen XF LCI looks gorgeous inside and out.
They gave up.their distinct look, now they look like a volvo
Jaguar's new design is a grave mistake. I would happily buy every car they made in 2003, but none of the cars they make in 2023. They look a copy of an Audi, rather than grace, space, grace clad in metal.
I totally agree with you. I have a X300 and an X Type. I love the X300 but the X Type is not in the same class, and although I still love the X Type because it is very compact and a traditional looking Jaguar inside and out, I hate the V6 and the mechanical design of the car. That is one car that would have been better with a simple 16 valve 4.
That’s the problem though. you say you would but all the previous cars, but have you? Has anyone? They just aren’t selling, and they have to pivot or risk being history. What they were doing before just wasn’t working
4:55 - I love my S-Type (even though it is only the 3.0)
I love the older look.
There were design bucks made of a new 1980’s XJ with an XJS styled front end. I always thought a shortened Aston Martin Lagonda would have made the basis of a compelling 1980’s Jaguar XJ saloon. Great video
This is a nice piece of history about one of the biggest English brands that unfortunately moved to another part of the world.
A note about the video: Use a shorter black screen. Excellent commentary and beautiful photos.
Jag-YOU-are? Bravo. 🙌
Cheers for this. I believe they should hark back for a more individual look, but like you I have warmed to the design. Nice car matey. Enjoy🍻
The SS-100 at 7:12: Thinking of vintage Jags, I used to know a guy who owned an SS-100 a long time ago. -And then suddenly, a picture of the (formerly his) actual car!
Jaguars designs may have been considered "old" but it was unique. Jaguar now are just another lookalike. They threw out the "old unique" for the Ikea new.
My Favorite are 2005 -2009 XJs and 2005 -2015 XKs.
Agreed!
@@marc4199 Touche' (smile)
Jaguars now look like a Lexus and a Camry, I am not a fan although I believe that they are relatively good cars. In this video about Jaguar styling one adjective is never mentioned and that is "sexy". Jaguars styling has always, for the most part, been described as sexy and that no longer applies.
The traditional styling of Jaguar may be perceived as "posh" but it is the reason for buying a British car outside of Britain, people bought them for their walnut dashboards, their rich leather appointments and their understated elegance (posh). If not for those styling characteristics, why buy British, just buy that Lexus or Audi.
Taking hints from women or viewing a car as an object to impress the ladies with; when women see a Mercedes, they know that it is an expensive brand and an indicator of status or income, same goes for a BMW or Audi but when women see a traditional Jaguar their eyes and everything lights up and they enthusiastically say "I like that car!" Just a few years ago I owned and almost drove daily a 2005 XJ VDP and I collected tons of nods and smiles and recognition and that absolutely included from many young people. I don't appreciably detect where Jaguar, since Tata's ownership, has gained new customer bases or where the brand reputation has increased except for the fact that Jaguar has introduced more new models, more frequently, which generates press and up'd their marketing efforts. Jaguar has always had difficulty in sustaining company viability but people have a soft heart for the legendary brand and there has been an investment community that did not want to see the brand disappear from existence, I am not sure the same will be the case when Tata eventually gives up on them.
They left ford and made a car that looked like a ford fusion rebadge
I still prefare my xj8 2006 model to the present model.
Well done for pronouncing Jaguar correctly.
Really nice job with the Video....look forward to more videos from you
I think you’ve missed a Jaguar styling theme, which is that sports car styling has tended to preconfigured that of saloon cars and this most clear post-war. The XK120 begat the style of the “Mk1” and Mk7 and evolved through the XK140 and 150 styling changes continuing through the Mk2 and Mks 8 to 9. Whilst all of this was going on, Jaguar was dominating endurance racing (and most other non Formula races) with the C-Type, which was a competition version of the XK120. Then there was a step change with the D-Type brought about careful attention to aerodynamics. This led directly via the XK-SS to the E-Type. The E-Type led to the XJ (which began as four door E-type - the boot line of the XJ is the same as the E-Type with the end chopped off etc). Then, another aero-led step change with the XJ-S which led to the XJ40. After this, however, the line of sports car led development got lost until, as you’ve identified Ian Callum began it again. I’m not a massive fan of this style of Jaguar (or of how any “modern” cars look) but I agree that he did an exceptional job of integrating some key Jaguar styling features into the modern idiom, which is dictated more by safety and efficiency requirements than by style. Good video and enjoy you’re Jaaag!
Well said. The words Racing, C Type or Le Mans should have been mentioned in the first three minutes of this video.
Ive had 9 jags. From the series 3 to s types love them. Fairly reliable too my s type v6 just hit 200k miles
Because the x-type was sketched on paper design wereas cars today are 3d print design.
Wouldn't have a new range rover near me dumb idea the rear wheel steering.
The problem with retro, I think is where does it go? How does it develop? I think Jag hit a dead end, and had to start again styling wise
Car designers have 2 jobs, 1, make a car that looks good, and 2, make a car that looks DIFFERENT than cars that have already been made. The XJ6 was One of the best looking 4 door cars ever made. They would have done better to keep making cars that looked like the 1968 XJ6 but such a car made in the 21st century would look old.
The old XJ6 was a sculpture designed by talented 20th century artists. Nowadays cars are designed by computers, and the goal is to give a car the most efficient shape possible. While these 21st century cars may looked well designed sometimes, but only when they are in a wind tunnel with white smoke flowing over them to show you how aerodynamically more efficient they are.
Since they made the Ford Taurus, In order for a car to look new, it has to be streamlined with every thing round and no corners or edges. N.B. a convex round surface makes less noise as it moves thru the air than a corner. They have to make the wheels too small and the passenger compartment too large.
They're not alone! When Mercedes changed hands they changed the cars to look like something from GM, with Ford/MAzda interiors.
I've been a Merc man since 1990, but the last 3 cars have been Volvos to get the quality & style of interior that I like.
It's not so much that I don't like the 'new' Jaguars, as to me they look as good as most cars on the market these days. I just don't think they look so distinctive or classy as they did before. So it's fair to say, I l think they're fine, but just not badged as a Jaguar 🤔.
Now that Jaguar is owned by TATA we can expect future Jaguars to look more like vehicles that are popular in India.
We can assume the next generation XJ6 to be smaller with 3 wheels and a Mo-Ped engine, and will be called a "Tuck-Tuck Deluxe.
This channel is so underrated 😭😭
nice music in the video. Trippy trap-hop
You missed a greater influence in the design evolution. Euro-mandated safety design standards which govern ratios b/w bumper/hood heights/angles, relative distances between components, windshield rake, etc.
Manufacturers no longer have the same latitude in creating distinctive designs which is why so many new cars all look the same.
You could say the same about Mercedes and especially BMW.... Modern Jags are great cars in the looks and driving department, I mean nothing beats a Project 8... the old XJR did look amazing though!
It progress, old and new Jags are gorgeous, Ferrari's dont look like the 1950's cars
Very cool video, a like and a sub from me. A lot of love and effort has been put into this.
Although I do not like Callum's saloon/sedan Jags (those droopy headlights kill the mood), I do agree with the point of the video, they needed to change things...
I always thought the new S Type looked nasty, thank goodness they got rid of that grille 😅
The plastic grille wasn't the best but the R grille looked great
Jaguar decided to compete with the Germans in making German looking cars. Ironically the new style language didn’t sell as well as the traditional styled models. BMW or Mercedes people don’t want a Jag, especially one that looks like a BMW rip off. The XF is nice, but has lost the sense of luxurious Britishness. The Bertone B99 Jaguar concept offered a way forward, but was sadly ignored. Now Jaguar is almost out of business with the “electric only” line up.🙁🙄
@@sovas2111 well, a hybrid and ice also would be necessary. I doubt evs are dominant in the US by 2030. Most ev producers loose money on them.
I used to be a BMW guy (E63 6 Series coupé) but wanted a Jaguar, too. So in 2019 I bought a 2013 XF and kept the BMW, therefore becoming a Jaguar & BMW guy. My point is that some BMW people want a Jag 😊. It's actually the most beautiful car I've ever owned. And it's fairly reliable to boot.
@@zsb707 you bought a good year if you have the 5.0. When we got our first Jag my husband and I learned you really have to research the cars. We got an X300 and that was bulletproof for many years until the rust got to it. We now have a Series 3 xj6, another X300, XK8 4.2, 420 and a 52 Mark VII getting slowly restored. I may trade the xk8 for an early XK in the next year or so. I’m kind of a fanatic now.🤷🏻♀️😂😂😂
a really fascinating video. I am delighted that Gerry McGovern is at the helm of the new design team, given his success with Land Rover.
I'm glad you've already accepted your error on Tara influence on the XF and XJ. I do, however, think that a major reason for these updates have more to do with safety for pedestrians. Being hit by a metal grille with a metal hood ornament on top of it is going to be more life threatening than a deformable plastic front grille and surround and an aluminium bonnet (hood). What is important is Tata's pretty much hands-off approach to design management, allowing Jaguar's own in-house design teams to develop the brand in the way that Jaguar believes their market is demanding. Quite why they've decided to go all-electric, with no apparent desire to invest in Hydrogen, is anyone's guess. That lack of Hydrogen gas delivery infrastructure that is crippling Fuel Cell development, is likely the only way we are going to get Heavy Road Transport off its dependence on Diesel. Internal combustion engines that are powerful enough for the heaviest Heavy Goods vehicles have been developed by JCB in the UK to power their future lines of heavy vehicles. It seems likely that battery development will never provide a battery that is both compatible with the range and therefore storage capacity needed for a long-distance heavy truck, and a weight that doesn't excessively reduce its load capacity.
Ya gotta have the leaping cat!
Thank you for pronouncing it properly!
Imagine Jaguar XJ X358 2007 -2009 style with modern interior😍
What happened was, they sold the company!
Everyone has their own taste. We have a 2016 XJ (facelift) in Europe....lovely to drive and still looks as modern as other new models....much more of a standout then a Mercedes or BMW
It looks amazing for sure. And distinctive, too!
I think canceling the XJ will turn out to be a big mistake …
I love jaguar and never heard of the xk8 I have some research to do now 😂
As a car enthusiast I have owned lots of Jags (around 50 I guess, including all the sport models and all XJ generations) and still own 3. However build quality has taken a dive after Tata bought Jaguar. My 2017 XF needed a new engine every 100K km. I sold it when the 3rd blew at 303K km. At the dealership they have a few mechanics only changing engines, and they complain about Indian "engineering".
I still like the styling and driving characteristics though.
I've had 9 and that feels like a lot
2:33 sorry say that fact is incorrect. SS changed it's name (in 1945) to Jaguar because of the links to Nazi Germany.
Browns lane is gone and so is the car except the badge.
They made themselves obsolete 😥
No mention of the 80s XJ40 and its initial (failed) departure from the traditional sedan front end when it replaced the double round lights with a single large rectangle?
Yah I might have glossed over that one.
The square headlights were on higher end xj40s a lot of them still had circles I had a 91' with circles
About to watch the video but everybody said they looked old fashioned, so they modernised the styling, and then everybody complained they didn't look like old school Jaguars anymore. Jaguar were damned if they did and damned if they didn't.
It’s hard for Jag to incorporate those classic lines into new cars due to all the safety legislation. The X350 highlighted the problem, compared to its predecessor the X308 it didn’t look anywhere near as good. Still the new design language doesn’t resonate with the brand and is a bit bland but they are still great cars.
I simply have not trusted modern Jaguars to be proper Jaguars since about 2010. I used to look at an XJ driving down a street, but that time is king gone.
"What Happened to Jaguar's Classic Look?" - Went the same way as everyone else's Classic Look
The XF and XJ were penned under ford who bought Jaguar in 1990, not 1999 They were inherited production ready from ford. Ian Callum and his brother Moray is responsible for modern jaguar, Ford, Aston and Land Rover design.
I inherited my late Mother’s mint, low-mileage 2001 S-Type 4.0 V8 and was smitten with its quiet, powerful abilities and its unique’60’s-style ‘Britishness’ and always worshipped the XJ Super V8 as my favorite Modern Jag..; it was everything I loved about Jaguar in one car.
I got an XF loaner when they were new and hot with that ‘Hush…Hush’ ad campaign that made it so sexy to accept Jag’s new direction…but now I just feel…ambivalence..?
I’m back with Mercedes- it’s a family thing…but I will never forget my Jag Era…
(Some day…my Bucket List Jag must surely be a well-kept survivor Mark X..; to my American eyes the most handsome sedan ever dreamed…with a manual gearbox and a sunroof please..!)
*PS: ‘POSH Old Men’s Cars’ are the best cars; buy them CPO when the first owners pass on or go to prison…they are generally immaculate!
Goof😂ball shows the xtype
Make the most of it, Jag won't be here 10 years from now. I've had a couple and will always make room for a Series 2 Daimler Vanden Plas but they abandoned so much of their heritage whilst retaining too much of their reliability issues that they simply make no sense when stacked against a comparable Mercedes, which is why I drive a CLS not an XJ...
callum is from the west of scotland not south east england u didn't even get the correct nationality right with the accent
I've had 2 XJ;s and an S Type 4 litre which were excellent performers with great style....they could not be mistaken for anything but a Jag.....Jags now IMO lack style and can be mistaken for many other cars. Brands should have unique styles.
I honestly tend to believe that Jag has never made their cars look bad EXCEPT the too retro s-type and the (in my opinion) absolutely hideous X351 XJ that, after X350/X358's grace, to me felt like the E65 7 series after the GOAT E38 for BMW, i.e. wrong
The old jags were looking dated and as someone says only bought by old men. However the real problem has always been the crap reliability
I have the limited edition XE Reims (the one in your thumbnail) IMO it's the nicest looking Jag ever made, the colours are unique only 200 made and every time I drive the heads turn, it's a beautiful car and as it will be my final Jag due to them going down the soulless EV route in 2025 I think it's a fitting exit from this great manufacturer. Shame they will be bankrupt by 2030 :(
My favourite is the classic e type
They have made a come back in Jamaica.
the S-type is hideous compared to XF or XE I think they have improved
You're definitely right 👍.
Jaguar are in a tough position.
Dammed if they do & dammed if they dont.
The older market jag fanatics like me love our old xj's with acres of wood & leather & big petrol engines.we cringe at the carbon fibre & diesel engines of their new cars...but-jaguar need to evolve & sell cars to a younger market to keep fresh & innovative.
They are trapped between traditionalists & innovation.
The Callum designed jaguars are what saved Jaguar… plus lots of TATA investment of course! The designs are visually stunning, clearly identifiable as “jaguar” and have aged much better than Audis, BMWs, and Mercedes of the same era. Sadly, the reliability doesn’t match the premium design, premium cost and premium image that the car deserves. This reputation is always going to be an issue for jaguar. It’s sad, as the world needs a brand like jaguar as a refreshing Alternative to the boredom-boxes from the mass manufacturers.
Then why did the x type outsell the xe?? 😂😂
Hmmmm, nice show but a few BIG mistakes... Ford bought jaguar in 1990, not 1999 and not with land rover. Ford bought land rover several years later. Regarding that new design theme , it did not come from Tata. Under Ford the new design theme was created and developed for both models. When sold, Under agreement Ford allowed Tata to release the new models rather than Ford doing so. Release was 6 months after the sale of the company and 2 years after the sale for the J.
The Jaguar X Type is a nice little car with traditional styling. However the modern mechanical side of the car is not good. The modern car buyer seems to be his own worst enemy. They want the types engines they don't need and if you don't understand what I am talking about, then ask a good mechanic.
FYI, it's "MY-Bahk" (not "May-Bahk")
Newer Jags look more generic
Calum did well with the XK but all the saloon cars styled by him SUCK! I've owned E-types, XJS, XJ140, X300, X350. I particularly HATE the last XJ styling. They look like damn Buicks or something! FUGLY!
Ian Callum's XF and XJ are actually awesomely styled.
Agreed. Callum should stick to sports cars and grand tourers.
How to make really boring into just boring, jaguar lost its way, and I am an avid jaguar fan, the F type is ok, but other current models suck.
Shucks. I was looking forward to hearing what was behind Jaguar's dramatic XJ design decision.
*_Would_* have been an interesting video *if one could actually hear what the narrator was saying* and his speaking wasn’t in direct competition with the turned-up-way-too-loud musical din.
As with SO many videos / TV shows / documentaries, when the _'background music’_ is playing it's often *_'foreground-overpowering music'_* to the point you can barely hear, or can't hear at all what the host is saying.
If the music is turned up so loud that I have to _concentrate_ to keep it from interfering with my awareness or comprehension of the dialogue, it’s too d*** loud.
The irony is that *‘background music’ is usually totally unnecessary.* Leave it out, and no one---absolutely *_no one_* would say: _”hey---I wish instead of interesting, relevant, well presented information the videographer would have smashed a bunch of music over his words”._
Eh, still figuring out the sound mixing. Probably didn't help that the vice audio quality wasn't great to begin with since I recorded in an open kitchen (oops). It'll be a little trial and error I'm afraid. Thanks for the feedback though. 👍
Jaguars look like Fords now.
They became mere jags... Jaguar no longer make Jaaags.
So many mistakes in this video.
Dates are wrong.
Xf came out earlier.
Ford had xj earlier etc.
Ford sold earlier as well.
But still good video.
Jaguars are now shite… lost it
Chinese own everything
You made an error in your history. Ford acquired Jaguar in 1989 not 1999 as you state. I have an XKR (X 100 body) and it is one of the most beautiful Jags since the E Type. I don't care for the new ones.
Hm, everything I found seems to indicate they purchased in '99. There may have been a partnership or stock purchase in '89. I also really do quite like those XKR coupes. Very polished, very Jag. Wouldn't mind one myself someday!
Edit: Actually now I did find something pointing to '89, though it's worded a bit oddly and maybe 100% control wasn't finalized until '99? Hm, interesting, and thank you for pointing it out!
@@velocemidwest Absolutely everything I've ever read on the Ford acquisition states 1989. I just snapped a pic from the book, Jaguar XK8 The Authorised Biography by Philip Porter that states this very fact. Of course, I can't figure out how to att a pic to a comment here.
My XKR is an 03 convertible. Property of a widow. A real stroke of good luck as I don't have the means to dabble in old cars.
You should try the later, all-new XK (X150) built from 2006. Great new chassis and all aluminum body, with wonderful looks.
@@davidgamper6726 true 👍
It's British not brita please