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The horizontal bar on the front grille of the F-Type was a deal breaker for me. Jaguar got it right on the Project 7's front grille. If the F-Type had debuted with a grille like that I would have bought one in an instant.
Our beloved XK/R had a horizontal bar on the front grille:
The X-C75 makes the XKR and the F-type obsolete but never made it into production, what a shame. Now Acura has the next generation of NSX on the production line. The X-C75 looks sooooooo good! The NSX makes the F-type look obsolete.
To each his own. I think the NSX looks positively horrible like every other car in the Acura line. And certainly not as nice as the first generation NSX. Yuck! And that goes for the Lexus LFA (and the rest of the Lexus line while we're at it).
The Project 7 front grill without the bar is a huge improvement.
And while I'm being an opinionated S.O.B., I was right up next to and behind a new BMW I3 today, and while I've seen many driving around the streets of Los Angeles, this was my first up close and personal. And you know what, it's better from afar than up close. It's ugly too, and has all sorts of angles and pieces that don't belong, it's simply meant to shock without much reasoning behind it. Another thumbs down.
To each his own. I think the NSX looks positively horrible like every other car in the Acura line. And certainly not as nice as the first generation NSX. Yuck! And that goes for the Lexus LFA (and the rest of the Lexus line while we're at it).
The Project 7 front grill without the bar is a huge improvement.
And while I'm being an opinionated S.O.B., I was right up next to and behind a new BMW I3 today, and while I've seen many driving around the streets of Los Angeles, this was my first up close and personal. And you know what, it's better from afar than up close. It's ugly too, and has all sorts of angles and pieces that don't belong, it's simply meant to shock without much reasoning behind it. Another thumbs down.
I agree on the over done Acura insignia look. I much prefer the C-X75 look. However, the ground breaking hybrid performance standards of the NSX for $150K is something to look forward to. If the NSX kills the Nissan GT-R and is easily modifiable it should be a nice toy to have in the garage. I'll wait for the spyder version to show up and after all the bugs are worked out. I'm looking forward to the performance specs on the NSX.
Hmmm, not wild on the NSX myself. It reminds me of the Audi R8 which is too feminine for my liking. Agree with you on the CX-75, what an awesome looking car that is.
But all of this talk has made me think maybe I should grab a decent XKR while they are running them out cheap here. The local guys have 3 X 2014 models for $175K which is about $75K less than 12 months ago or what it would cost for a f-type R (which I couldn't see myself buying as a daily drive anyway). When that comes down to $150K or less, I might be tempted. That or wait for an XKR-S to come on second hand for similar money, but I don't need the extra speed and I don't think that they are as pretty as the XKR.
I think the XKR looks better myself. I was really excited about the C-X16/F-Type but disappointed with the result. The idea of a true Jaguar sports car appealed to me, but it seems more like a stubby version on an XK without the back seat and incrementally improved performance. Just didn't move the ball forward enough to make it an upgrade at the cost of a much more user friendly interior space.
I've driven the new F-type R coupe. My God it's fast. It's a better sports car but not necessarily a better car. The F-type shouts "look at me!!". The XKR is understated elegance and power. Other than a spirited drive the XKR is better everywhere else.
Hmmm, not wild on the NSX myself. It reminds me of the Audi R8 which is too feminine for my liking. Agree with you on the CX-75, what an awesome looking car that is.
But all of this talk has made me think maybe I should grab a decent XKR while they are running them out cheap here. The local guys have 3 X 2014 models for $175K which is about $75K less than 12 months ago or what it would cost for a f-type R (which I couldn't see myself buying as a daily drive anyway). When that comes down to $150K or less, I might be tempted. That or wait for an XKR-S to come on second hand for similar money, but I don't need the extra speed and I don't think that they are as pretty as the XKR.
Couldn't agree more! I'm very happy with my 2010, and can't get enthusiastic about the F type - which means a very long wait until they bring our the XKR replacement..
flyc2c,
I completely agree with your comments, two great cars, two different purposes.
Jagtoes
As for the new Ford GT, while certainly avant-garde in its exterior design (as every exotic manufacturer seeks the same kind of look), I was underwhelmed, turned off is probably a better description by the interior. It looked cheap and underdeveloped (and maybe is not the final design). And what's with the completely boring wheels that look like a hundred other rim designs (including some from Jaguar)? Boring and unattractive.
one vs the other, well it's hard no know, only a person who has owned each can tell us, is there anyone can give us some feedback who has owned each. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDGDCRgjxDE#t=131
I had a XKR and it was wonderful yet, when I saw the F type R coupe, I decided to sell the XKR and bought the F.
As a comparison, the XKR has a bit more room for storage with the tiny back seat. It rides somewhat softer and is more of a GT than a sports car when it comes to aggressive cornering etc.
The F is faster, handles tighter, and is more in your face while driving it, hearing it, and to some extent looking at it. My colour choice was Italian racing red and the overall car attracts a lot more attention than the XKR each and every day... and for me, the attention gets a bit over the top at times.
Lawrence.
The only new vehicle that I have seen that compares favorably to the XK/XKR line is the new Maserati coupe which was on display at the LA auto show in November. I found it to be elegant, understated and well executed. Now it remains to be seen what the actual production model has in the way of motive power and handling.
The Jaguar community continues to struggle to differentiate the identities of two models because they are so similar, and a lot more similar than they are different. I see the F-Type as essentially an XK with the rear parcel shelf/seat removed and different bodywork. Same engine, and same tranny as other models. I wonder if they gave the 8 spd ZF to all models except the XK in an effort to differentiate it more.
As far as performance goes, the top F-Type Coupe R is barely quicker than the top XK-RS despite the F being one generation more developed. Look how close they are in the most revealing kind of performance testing...around a race track. Laguna Seca is used for this kind of comparison testing, with most cars driven by the same race driver, Randy Pobst.
Look how many high performance and sports cars the XK-RS outperforms around this twisting track, how the F-type barely beats it by 0.9 seconds, and how many are much quicker than the F-Type R.
Yep, awfully similar indeed, and if the existence of the parcel area behind the seats differentiates a sports car from a grand touring car then you go right ahead. But to me they are both equipped with the identical power, comfort, convenience and luxury features that make them GT's, and an awful lot of automotive journalists and testers refer to them both as GT's as well, despite Jaguar's best efforts to make the world think it's a sports car.
Now if Jaguar had made the F-Type a lot lighter, trimmer, less loaded with all the XK's GT features as standard, and maybe even added a manual or DCT tranny as an option, then I could see calling it a sports car, and the spiritual successor to the XKE. Heck, Jaguar could have even sold that kind of an F-Type sports car alongside of the XK, instead of killing off the XK with no replacement in sight.
Just my opinion as an XKR owner who considered the F-Type when looking for a sports car.
Originally Posted by flyc2c
I've driven the new F-type R coupe. My God it's fast. It's a better sports car but not necessarily a better car. The F-type shouts "look at me!!". The XKR is understated elegance and power. Other than a spirited drive the XKR is better everywhere else.
And the XKR is fantastic for spirited driving, and a blast on the road course to boot!
The only new vehicle that I have seen that compares favorably to the XK/XKR line is the new Maserati coupe which was on display at the LA auto show in November. I found it to be elegant, understated and well executed. Now it remains to be seen what the actual production model has in the way of motive power and handling.
The Maserati will be 2Xs the price of the XKR with similar or less power. The Jaguar XK platform remains the best bang for your dollar. If Jaguar were to update the XK it would cost much more than the F-type.
IMO the C-X75 is a sweet looking supercar and looks modern. Before I bought my 2013 XKR I considered the F-type convertible but thought the XKR looked better and the extra room was more than welcome. I don't think the XK platform looks that much outdated along side of the F-type--basically they have the same drive train. I was hoping the F-type would have more of the engineering of the C-X75. The new Acura NSX is raising the bar mechanically. However, cosmetically the NSX was designed to look like an Acura in everyway first and like a supercar as an after thought. If Jaguar produced the C-X75 in the sub $200K range with a similar drive train as the NSX I would be all over it. IMO the F-type was built using old performance car engineering.
I like the F-Type... its a awesome looking MODERN looking car. The XK 2012-2015 is timeless however in its beauty and those HEADLIGHTS ARE AWESOME LOOKING. CALL ME BIASED I HAVE 2.... but it is what it is... A hot car!!!
2007-2011 not as much due to the older looking headlights I think... sorry owners of those years!!
May be I'm biased because I have a XK but I prefer it both visually and practically but they are very different cars. I hope Jaguar bring back at GT car like the XK but looking at the sales figures probably not.
While the F-Type Coupe R has the most insane exhaust crackle and feels tighter than my (2011) XKR coupe, I found little else to compel me to upgrade to the newer car.
I really don't think the F has the presence and timeless classic good looks of the XKR. It looks more common and turns less heads. And the XKR is dated, so that tells you they got something fundamentally right in the design. There are definitely some striking angles for the F, but overall I'm down with the more organic and exaggerated lines of the XKR. Coupes, I'm talking. No opinion regarding the 'verts.
Funny I stumbled across this post today... I hadn't had the Jag washed in months (had it detailed thoroughly a while back and couldn't find time to have it properly washed by a place thatn wouln't put swirl marks back in the glossy black paint, so I finally broke down and had it washed.
As I was getting in it, I had two people approach me and compliment the car. "Stunning car! Is that a 2015?" they wondered together. Obviously not Jag aficionados but still satisfying to know that the aging Panther is still capable of impressing...
Now if I could just pry myself out of that crazy AWD Tesla more often and use the Jag as she deserves. Had a blast driving it today, purely for pleasure after having her washed. But GOD are black cars impossible to keep clean! I'm drawn to every fleck of pollen or swirl mark, just awful. Nothing nicer than perfect deep grossly black paint, but what a price!
F type looks more square where the XK has length to the lines (ode to E Type). The long look I think will come back on the next XK in due time. There's too many high up's and designers at JLR to let that design ethos languish too long.
01-13-2015, 06:29 PM
