Tony Crook in Octane Magazine

[browning l]

Originally Posted by lansdownplace

I was in the back of a Bentley Flying Spur recently and to my eye it looked like there had been a competition to see how much leather you could cram into the car. Perhaps the car I was in was Woolworths special edition? That (bitchily) said they are a marvelously engineered piece of kit

Beginning about '85, or so, we were fortunate to be able to have one Bentley or another.

Even if they were still available at the prices then in effect, their current styling turns me off completely.

The only way I do, or would, invest now, is in 1/43rd scale models for my collection, which is pretty much up to date from W. O.'s first models to the more recent.

I only wish I could get a good 1/43rd scale model of a 603, to add to what representations I have of other cars I've owned. I even have the paint to put it in its current iteration.

[Markus Berzborn]

Yes, the smaller ones, but the new Mulsanne is a very nice car again.
Bentley has succeeded in creating a modern car without neglecting the marque heritage and traditional design elements. In fact, the car is immediately recognizable as a Bentley.
Something which Jaguar's current designers seem to be completely incapable of. The new XJ ist really horrible. Without the Jaguar logo it could be mistaken for a Lexus, an Infiniti or anything else for that matter.

Regards,
Markus

Originally Posted by browning l

Even if they were still available at the prices then in effect, their current styling turns me off completely.

[browning l]

I hope this won't disappoint you, but I cannot agree.

I find them bulbous on both ends and completely without grace or elegance.

[jimfoz]

Originally Posted by Markus Berzborn

The new XJ ist really horrible. Without the Jaguar logo it could be mistaken for a Lexus, an Infiniti or anything else for that matter.

Regards,
Markus

I am warming to the Jaguar. I too didn't like it before. I saw an XJ go past last night and it actually LOOKED like a Jaguar - dark colours do really set it off and the interior is pretty good as well. Jaguar are trying to get away from the lazy designing they used to do in the 1990's where the XJ and X-Type were just a retro design homage to the 1968 XJ. With the XF and XJ they have had a huge resergence in popularity. I heard that most V8 supercharged models head off to China.

[Markus Berzborn]

It's probably true the car may appeal to a new generation of buyers but noone of the traditional customers I talked to here in Germany (including me) likes it. So my Double Six will be the last Jaguar I bought should the next generation not be better again (to my taste).
What I want to say is I am not against new models of course. But they should while being modern somehow continue a design tradition.
This is perfectly possible, as proven by Aston Martin, Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
Or take the Jaguar study Bertone just showed in Geneva. This is what a modern Jaguar should look like and everyone was enthousiastic about it. And it's immediately recognizable as a Jaguar without having to attach a big cat logo to it as on the XF and XJ. Isn't it a shame an independent Italian design house seems to understand the essential marque characteristics better than the company itself?

Regards,
Markus

[browning l]

Just looked at the Bertone99.

If you didn't have the red taillights, you couldn't tell the front from the rear.

Looks like the car took a heavy dose of steroids every day during its design and manufacture. Great heavy areas at every corner, crowding out the top.
UGH!

[browning l]

Steroid car design base.

[Markus Berzborn]

Quite obviously, we have different tastes in cars.

I like the Bertone and I like the Mulsanne, you don't.

But at least, we both like Bristols, I presume.

Regards,
Markus

Originally Posted by browning l

Just looked at the Bertone99.

If you didn't have the red taillights, you couldn't tell the front from the rear.

Looks like the car took a heavy dose of steroids every day during its design and manufacture. Great heavy areas at every corner, crowding out the top.
UGH!

[browning l]

Yaas, I like my 603 S3, very much. Have you seen it in the album here?