Jaguar hasn't been Jaguar since the original XKE and XJ6 died. At that point they lost what made them unique and they just became another badge-engineered blob-mobile
Speaking as a Jaguar-owner since 2004, I can say assuredly they are not. Along with their companion brand, Land Rover, which I have also and presently own.
Their recent history is instructive. Their ownership under Ford tutored them in modern quality control (freeing them from the jokes about Joseph Lucas being the Prince of Darkness). Tata Motors is arguably the largest producers of automobiles in the world. The then Chairman, Ratan Tata, agreed in 2008 to purchase Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, partly out of his enthusiasm for the brands as a young man. His vision was to encourage their growth and well-being. They are doing well. They really don't need airhead advertising.
I wasn't aware that it was. Upon looking into it, it seems that it had come to that phase of its model life cycle where it needed a complete revamp (hard to imagine, but it happens) and the going-forward vision was go make it an electric model. This approach apparently soured during the development process, so the concept was abandoned. (I'm not surprised. The required battery would increase vehicle weight by about a ton or so, and that would be poison to the performance and handling desired.) And, with it, the XJ per se was abandoned, as Jaguar thought it didn't comport with their vision. Quite a downfall. I've driven one, once, and it was great. I think you honestly get most of the way there with the XF. The XF station wagon was a dream machine, but apparently no one buys station wagons any more.
Jaguar may be great, but maybe short of genius. I had thought they could have captured a lot of BMW customers with a convertible version of the XE. That would have made up for the discontinuation of the XK8, which was a grand tourer. The supposed replacement was the F-Type, but it was a Corvette-beater, not a touring car. Seats and suspension far too hard for cruising comfort. I drove one, too, and was disappointed by the discomfort.
Jaguar hasn't been Jaguar since the original XKE and XJ6 died. At that point they lost what made them unique and they just became another badge-engineered blob-mobile
Speaking as a Jaguar-owner since 2004, I can say assuredly they are not. Along with their companion brand, Land Rover, which I have also and presently own.
Their recent history is instructive. Their ownership under Ford tutored them in modern quality control (freeing them from the jokes about Joseph Lucas being the Prince of Darkness). Tata Motors is arguably the largest producers of automobiles in the world. The then Chairman, Ratan Tata, agreed in 2008 to purchase Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, partly out of his enthusiasm for the brands as a young man. His vision was to encourage their growth and well-being. They are doing well. They really don't need airhead advertising.
Why was the XJ discontinued?
I wasn't aware that it was. Upon looking into it, it seems that it had come to that phase of its model life cycle where it needed a complete revamp (hard to imagine, but it happens) and the going-forward vision was go make it an electric model. This approach apparently soured during the development process, so the concept was abandoned. (I'm not surprised. The required battery would increase vehicle weight by about a ton or so, and that would be poison to the performance and handling desired.) And, with it, the XJ per se was abandoned, as Jaguar thought it didn't comport with their vision. Quite a downfall. I've driven one, once, and it was great. I think you honestly get most of the way there with the XF. The XF station wagon was a dream machine, but apparently no one buys station wagons any more.
Jaguar may be great, but maybe short of genius. I had thought they could have captured a lot of BMW customers with a convertible version of the XE. That would have made up for the discontinuation of the XK8, which was a grand tourer. The supposed replacement was the F-Type, but it was a Corvette-beater, not a touring car. Seats and suspension far too hard for cruising comfort. I drove one, too, and was disappointed by the discomfort.
Looks like the F Type is being retired