How interesting to clock initial reactions to the shape of the new Jaguar XJR, which are now on our website.
I’m surprised to see that many of them are adverse — vehemently so — despite the fact that almost without exception the commentators haven’t seen the car in the flesh, or even viewed a wide selection of views of it yet.
See more pictures and read details of the new Jaguar XJ here - Jaguar XJ: full details and pics
The car is certainly different. Design boss Ian Callum has been promising us a rule-breaking XJ styling job for two years. But I believe there’s no case for criticising it just because it looks different.
One of the unbreakable rules about car styling is that you don’t truly know how you feel about it until a) you’ve seen it in the flesh and from all angles, and b) you’ve seen it in the traffic, against its peers.
Our art editor, Peter Charles, who knows about such things, refers to something he calls “Angel of the North” syndrome. When the idea of placing Anthony Gormley’s mighty sculpture beside the A1 was first mooted, many people were vehemently opposed to it and said so, very loudly. Now, says Peter, it’s a much-loved landmark and if anyone tried to take it down there’d be a riot.
When assessing the XJ, I reckon we should bear this in mind...
Technorati Tags: Jaguar XJ, Jaguar, XJ, Angel of the North
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re: Don't judge the new Jaguar XJ too soon
Poledancer, you say "no one spared the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera when they were released, why should we spare the XJ?"
This is true but remember the new XJ, love it or loathe it, is nevertheless an interesting and imposing design approach and a far departure from its predecessor. The Panamera and Cayenne by comparison are variations of a tried and tested theme.
Porsche could have done more with the stying of the cars in question but chose not to. It sometimes feels as if they are saying "We are Porsche and can give the punters what WE want, as opposed to what THEY want"
Their engineering is faultless but the cars have all followed the same template
re: Don't judge the new Jaguar XJ too soon
It's the dogs bollocks and everyone knows it but some won't admit it. Like the XF, it doesn't look like an old Jag. Good. If you want an XJ that looks like an old one then buy an old one!
re: Don't judge the new Jaguar XJ too soon
I'm glad there are people who like the design of the new XJ - hopefully it will sell well as a result. But I'm not one of them.
At the best of times it looks like the ill-begotten love child of a Citroen C6, a large Lexus and an XF, which hasn't produced the most gracious of designs, but really anyone with any grasp of aesthetics is going to find that rear end problematic. The c-pillar covers are just bafflingly awful and the rear lights have been nicked from something large, Korean and fugly. And the numberplate should be above the bumperline.