Click the styling buck for a gallery of other XF rejects
When the Jaguar C-XF concept appeared just before the Detroit Auto Show most observers breathed a big sigh of relief. After the disappointments of the X-Type and S-Type Jaguar fans were looking for signs of fresh life from Coventry. For a company that has been tied to styling tradition for so long, coming up with a new direction was definitely a challenge. Along the way to the XF, there were numerous proposals ranging from the warmed -ver S-Type pictured above to variations on what was ultimately approved. Check out the gallery to see what the XF was spared from being.
[Source: Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TriShield @ Aug 30th 2007 5:49PM
They should have rejected the exposed door handles and bug-eyed headlights on the XF they settled on.
Tryston @ Aug 30th 2007 5:50PM
Thats all I have said in the past - just round both headlights and you have a modern Jag. They can still do it with this new one coming out. Leave the base line straigth but round those headlights on the top for Traditional Jaguar look. Leave rest as is - it would be so modern and beautiful.
retsel @ Aug 30th 2007 6:09PM
i cant believe it... with some many great designers out there that would give thier first born to design the car that saved jaguar... and this is all they could come up with... my God..
gonzo @ Aug 30th 2007 6:14PM
they lied to clarkson, this car is not what was promised to him. i remember he was very skeptical because of past production cars not meeting the hype from the concepts, they told him, no jeremy it'll be the same car as you see here in the concept (its in one of the top gear mags with the xf concept on the cover)
the production xf is an abomination.
Kowell @ Aug 30th 2007 6:33PM
This looks like a bad chinese mockup
lalaland @ Aug 30th 2007 6:37PM
Normally, the concepts look way better than the final production version. This may be the reverse. Then again, is that a good thing? Man, crap concepts. Someone at Jaguar needs to learn how to draw a face. Then again, the Brits aren't the most handsome folks, so not much to go on, and no wonder the toothless, sucking grille looks the way it does, given the state of British dentistry.
ckm @ Aug 30th 2007 6:42PM
One of the things that got lost in the current S-type and XJ (and with the new XF) is that squashed, low, wide look that Jags have always had.
This made them rather hard to get in and out of, which is one of the reasons for the changes, but it also gave them a sense of aggressive purpose which few of the modern designs seem to have.
You can see it here http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-1990-1999/1994-1997-Jaguar-XJR-X300.jpg
and here http://www.babez.de/jaguar/xjr/pic02.jpg
It's particularly noticeable if you park a current XJ next to a pre-2004 one. The height difference is dramatic, like 2-3 inches along the fender line and in the window glass...
Out of all those concepts only this one http://www.autoblog.com/photos/jaguar-xf-design-rejects/373005/ attempts to capture that typical Jag look.
Oh well, perhaps the new Jag owners will do a better job of reflecting the marque's heritage. Personally, I think the European pedestrian safety regulations have a lot to do with the front-end ugliness we see in new designs. They basically require an upright, SUV-like front design to protect people who wander into streets...
Chris.
SPG @ Aug 30th 2007 7:27PM
I want one.
No, I don't mean the actual Jag (although that would be better then a mockup), I mean the mockup.
Ever since Lotus sold a prototype of a small convertible they were working on in the 80's during a late 90's (I think) auction for $500 I have always wanted a mockup. In a very tastefully designed deco style living room a truly original one of a kind mockup would be an amazing piece of art.
Reno @ Aug 30th 2007 8:48PM
Truthfully, non e of these cars say Jaguar. They all look like cheap knockoffs. The XF is a good looking car, but it doesn't stand out as a Jaguar, it will ultimately blend in with all the Japanese cars out there.
This concept would have said everything. It would have still said Jag while bringing boldness, elegance, and performance all in one package.
http://imgup-lb.automotive.com:8080/files/1015209.w639.jpg
ebm14 @ Aug 31st 2007 3:12PM
Reno,
The red car does look vintage middle range Jag to me, more so than the XF. However, I agree that Jeremy Clarkson (BBC: Top Gear) has every right to be pissed off
that Jag did not stick to their word. If the concept came to production, people would be outside Jag dealers banging
the glass to get in.
Bryan @ Aug 30th 2007 9:22PM
I really like concept we saw and the production version. These were just styling exercises, the exercises that brought the concept we know and the production version. I think this car was made for a darker color. Silver is nice but gets boring fast. I know, I had 2 silver cars! Let's see the production version in dark blue, black, and red.
Ligor @ Aug 30th 2007 10:13PM
that 3rd car from the end looks much like a Bently
that would have been a much better Jaguar XF than the Lexusfied version they settled on
at least if they would have kept the concept headlight shape it would have still looked good
Level @ Aug 31st 2007 11:59AM
They shouldnt have stopped intill they got it right....The concept XF was that right car intill they changed it to a tone down production version with an awful nose job which loses its appeal from the concept car minister look it had....
500 @ Aug 31st 2007 1:03PM
Nearly every single one of those rejected concepts looks way better and far more Jaguar-esque than the Ford Mondeo-lookalike that finally emerged.
As a past Jaguar owner, it pains me to see how the production XF lacks every bit of grace and beauty that used to characterize the brand.
BartMack @ Aug 31st 2007 2:19PM
4 doors are not for me, but I really want to see Jag succeed with this, so I refuse to criticize their design...
And it's certainly not as if Lexus or Infinti or Mercedes et al have designs sexier than this (they do not).
ebm14 @ Aug 31st 2007 3:35PM
http://bp1.blogger.com/_FoXyvaPSnVk/RtgarluxmBI/AAAAAAAASrI/M0uWa2x92j8/s1600-h/Carscoop_XF_CH.jpg