1952 Jaguar Xk120 Roadster - Beautiful, All Numbers Matching And Entirely Solid on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar XJ50 Road Trip Review | Driving the XJ50's history

PARIS, France – It's motor show week in Paris, and Jaguar – which launched the original XJ here in 1968 – is indulging in a little nostalgia to celebrate the 50th anniversary that event. In the half century since, it's become the brand's definitive model – as the Wrangler is to Jeep and the 911 is to Porsche. This sexy, curvaceous and unashamedly sporty sedan set the template for generations of XJs. And to get to the show, I'm going to drive examples of each on a roadtrip from Jaguar's home in Coventry and onward to Paris, via Goodwood and Le Mans. There's new product to enjoy along the way, too, in the shape of the celebratory XJ50 trim level created to mark the anniversary. But this is really a chance to explore Jaguar's past, and how previous XJs will inform the company's future. Respecting traditions without being chained to them is a recurring theme in the XJ story and one Jaguar has, at times, struggled with. Nobody understands this better than design boss Ian Callum, who says the original XJ inspired his dream to one day design cars for Jaguar. When his moment came, however, the opposing pressures of nostalgia and innovation became apparent. He recalls seeing the clay models for the circa 2002 XJ, code named X350, styling for which had already been signed off when he started. "I asked 'this is the new one?' because, to me, it looked just like the old version," he says with characteristic bluntness. Callum's chance to truly reinvent the XJ finally came in 2009 with the current model, a car that jolted Jaguar and its customers out of their comfortable slumber. "It's nearly 10 years old now but I still think it looks good – I'm very proud of what we did with that car," he says. Professionally Callum is always looking ahead. Personally he's happy to indulge himself in what came before. He even brought his own XJC – the rare coupe version of the 70s XJ – to drive on the event. Sadly, the XJC didn't make it off the start line in England, but he's clearly enjoying the chance to immerse himself in XJ history. As am I. Given his appraisal of its retro looks, it's interesting to start in the X350. Here you encounter those aforementioned opposing forces: the forward-thinking aluminum construction (which inspired manufacturing techniques used by Jaguar to this day) and the staid styling. Like many of the heritage fleet examples here, this one is actually badged as a Daimler – to Jaguar what Maybach is to Mercedes.

Take a trip down Jaguar's memory lane with Xcar

For decades, Jaguar has been a company of two minds. On one hand, there are its luxurious, British saloon cars. They might be quick, even sporty, but when it comes down to it, they usually put a focus on comfort and accommodations above all. On the other hand, Jag has its sports cars to really get its buyers' blood pumping. Think about it: the XJ might look pretty sweet, but you know deep down that you would rather take the F-Type for a spirited drive, reveling in its snorty exhaust note. In its latest video, Xcar Films takes us on a very enjoyable history lesson covering some of the Brit brand's most exciting models ever.
Xcar hits all of the highlights, starting with the often-overlooked C-Type from early '50s with its somewhat bulbous shape. Things then progress to the drop-dead gorgeous D-Type. The one in this video is actually the first ever made and therefore worth a fortune. Because of that, the host isn't really able to get too aggressive, but it's fantastic to get an idea of what it's like to experience being behind the wheel of this icon. Finally, it ends with a Series 1 E-Type. This was when the classic model was still something of a sports car; instead of the grand tourer that the E-Type became in its later days.
All three of these cars are legends in their own right, and maybe one day the F-Type could be too. Scroll down for a history lesson on some of Jaguar's best sports cars.

Jaguar calls a hot-rodded I-Pace a when, not an if

Jaguar showed the world what a high-performance I-Pace might look like when it unveiled the racing-ready eTrophy (pictured) in 2017. Though it's built exclusively for track use, the hot-rodded EV is teaching the British firm's Special Vehicles Operation (SVO) division valuable lessons about electrified performance, and those tricks will seep into a street-legal production model in the coming years. Michael van der Sande, the head of SVO, told British magazine Autocar that a high-performance I-Pace is more of a when than an if. Jaguar has amassed decades of sports car-building experience, and it's trying to reinvent itself as a purveyor of electric cars, so combining these two images into one seems natural. We're a little bit surprised it hasn't happened yet, though van der Sande warned the project hasn't started because SVO is busy making other, higher-volume cars with fatter profit margins. The eTrophy uses the same basic powertrain as the I-Pace, according to Autocar, but it receives a long list of chassis modifications that help it handle better than stock. The production model would receive more comprehensive changes, including a more powerful electric powertrain, but its body kit would certainly resemble the one worn by the eTrophy cars. Whether the hotter I-Pace would arrive as a limited-edition model, like the XE Project 8, or as a standard addition to the range is up in the air. Jaguar is aware that venturing into the high-performance electric car segment would force it to lock horns with Tesla, which offers jaw-droppingly quick versions of the Model S and the Model X. The California-based firm is currently planning to attempt a lap record on Germany's Nurburgring track with a triple-motored prototype of a car coming to production in 2020, so Jaguar knows precisely who to beat if it wants to secure ultimate bragging rights in the electric car segment.