Keep your day job ...

Boy the difference is in the details isn't it? The angle the photos are shot from make a huge difference as well. It's hard to tell for certain but the coupe looks like it has a lower roof line?

Bob S.

 

Here is a concept S-Type coupe. This would have been really sweet if Jaguar made one.

 

LOL... If the Internet was around in 1968 I'm sure the conversation would have been the same... The year that the XJ was introduced and the Mark II / S Type faded away.. A major shift in Jaguar design...

So, I personally think the style of the XF is quite beautiful and will hold up very well over time..

The real funny thing is while you aren't going to be able to swap parts between the two, the XF is not a new car but simply a refreshed version of the S Type.. Same holds true for the new XJ...

That is why I'm still on the fence regarding Tata's ownership of Jaguar / Land Rover. They are doing a very good job of leaving them alone and letting them be independent, BUT they also haven't produced a ground up design as of yet. When that happens, we'll see how good they really are. That was one of the good things that came from the Ford ownership. They had access to resources of one of the largest international car companies. That makes a huge difference when you talk about the huge expense of designing something from the ground up.
It is very similar to where I work... Power and Signal operates as if it is an independent company but in all actuality is owned by Arrow Electronics. In my role, it allows me to leverage huge resources when making changes to our facilities where I would have to spend much more if we really were a stand alone business..

As for a coupe... Rumor has it that Tata will allow Jaguar to add a coupe and wagon to the XF range. They also have said that they will be adding a new smaller car and lower range sports car. Some of these will be the first cars truly designed under Tata so we'll have to see....
Here is a link to Autoweek's article on it...
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2010...NEWS/100909996


And here is one of the Photoshop concepts of what an XF coupe would look like..



Oh, and an idea of the XF estate as well...

 

That's a little better than the photo shopped example but neither is nearly as striking as the concept car. But that's pretty typical. Concept cars have a way of getting uglier once they make it though the production process. Maybe the Aston Rapide is an exception. But that just looks like a gorgeous 4 door. Those rear doors might as well be decals because you can't get into the rear of the car. At least I couldn't and I'm just under 6'1".

I like the car from #1 post. Ad a rag top version and Oh la la ...

 

Bob,

The rear seats for an Aston Martin Rapide are for children or petite women models.

The R-Type would make for a really nice either as a coupe or ragtop though. A lot of the styling cues from the R-Type seem to have made it to the later model S-Types like the rear end treatment and the front grill.

Mike

 

Some from this one also


http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg...oncept-14w.jpg

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg...oncept-13w.jpg

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg...oncept-12w.jpg

 

Did you guys see the top gear when they compared the Aston Martin Rapide, The Maserati Quatroporte GTS and the Porsche Panamera Turbo? They had two full size adults in the Back of the Rapide. (Although I agree only models and or children should be allowed in it).

Bob, supposedly what you posted were the XF prototypes before they decided to kill the classic lines. It a shame none of these cars will see the light of day.

George

 

They appear to be of the RD6 concept. It was supposed to be a five door compact. The rear treatment was less successful IMHO. Still showed a lot of promise.

 

Did Jeremy break their legs first or what. I could not get in that gorgeous piece of car. The Panamera is a different story I expect. It's also a styling nightmare. Kind of like a young, athletic woman with a perfectly toned body that's also hard to look at and think about making love to her. It looks much better with the car cover on if you know what I mean ... I really would like to drive a Panamera though.

 

The bag over the head trick? That wouldn't be a first.

 

No, actually they used the 3 cars as livery service for a wedding. The bride and her father going in the Quattroporte, the Groom and Best Man in the Rapide, and the Mother of the bride and maid of honor in the panamera.

Jeremy Clarkson's take on the Panamera. - "God, it's hideous, and I don't mean just hideous compared to the other two, I mean hideous compared to a genital wart!"

All Agreed that the Panamera was the best driving car of the lot. But All agreed that if they had to actually drop coin on one, they would own the Maserati, despite its shortcomings.

I just don't get the design of the panamera... Let's take the 911, and STRECH it two doors? It looks almost something that would be done by a custom limo company.

George

 

So who was in the back seat of the Rapide?

They had all of their models at a car show I attended this summer and I got a chance to look them over really well. They make beautiful looking cars. I didn't get a drive in one though I might in January out in SF but it won't be anything fast. I think we're going to be driving through GG park or something.

 

Two rather large guys. The groom and his best man. They seemed fine in it. Yes the Astons are Beautiful. And the Aston was probably the best looking car. It looked almost like a rather large coupe, rather than a proper sedan.

George

 

I need to have my legs shortened then.

 

That reminds me of Richard Hammond's comments about the new Camaro. "It even has a wonderful back seat that your passengers would find lovely if you cut their legs and head off".

George

 

With me it was the distance from the waist to the knee. The new XJL with the 485HP engine would be just fine. I can fit in the back of that one. It's not that bad looking and probably goes every bit as well as the Rapide???

 

Probably... but then again the question arises of why would someone care if they were comfortable in the back seat of their car? I understand if you have a family or what have you... But I wouldn't be looking at any of these vehicles if my intention and budget were akin to being chauffeured around...

George

 

maybe I should weld up my rear doors

 

Yes but then you're a self confessed and convicted bachelor. And what happens when you have 3 women than want to come home with you?

Over the Thanksgiving holiday I stuffed and I do mean stuffed 5 adults into the STR and went for a brisk 4 hour ride to Bear Mountain and back. An XJL would have been nice at that time.

Just buy the coupe instead.

 

For the first part of your supposition, I will have died and gone to heaven, therefore my choice of vehicle on this planet will not matter

I hear you on these cars not being practical for transporting large groups of adults, I'm 6'1" 240, and my S-Type is a 2+2 at best. However I don't know that any of the other cars we have discussed would be adequate either. Cars imho are purpose built - performance, passenger comfort / cargo room, off road ability etc. Trying to combine several of those factors always leads to compromises.

I've been toying for a couple years about adding a cheap SUV to the fleet and replacing my X-Type, which is decent due to all wheel drive, but is small and doesn't have the ground clearance to really make it a true winter car.

And you're right.. .I should buy the coupe

George