Ford squaring up to UK and EU

[Brigadier]

You must have seen the various memes about the current trend with BMW grilles though?

No, I haven't: I'm not on social meeja, so the only stuff I see is what's on here, and stuff a mate might send through Whatsapp.


I really think BMW completely lost the styling plot, many years ago: much of their stuff is meh at best, and some of it is appalling to the point of tragic.

For what used be sold as a "driver's car", much of their range looks like a "I don't care: I'm too busy doing school and supermarket runs".........

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I like cars that evolve. One of my favourites is the XJ6 that came out in about 1970. Jaguar evolved that design over the years to keep it fresh and did a fantastic job. That shape was only discontinued quite recently, however it was instantly recognisable, even to people with no knowledge of the earlier cars. It's a very well proportioned and classy car, whether original or in it's final incarnation.

Unfortunately the newer Jag saloons are no longer distinctive and recognisable. Often mistake an XF for an Insignia from a distance from side profile.

 

[Avocet]

Almost certainly, after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Absolutely. So far, nobody moaning about current vehicle styling, has posted up an image of a car that they consider to be good looking, but chances are, not everyone would agree!

Because vehicle manufacturers have shareholders to satisfy & an extensive workforce to pay (they) design cars that the marketing dept. perceive will appeal to potential buyers. Fortunately for the manufs. those same buyers are far more gullible than they were back in my day & tend to put fashion ahead of practicality/build quality/longevity & have a greater disposable income with which to satisfy their egos.

Now I don't believe that for one minute!

We're as fickle as anyone when it comes to fashion. Look at the ridiculous fins on that Vauxhall, pretending to be American! No useful purpose whatsoever, just fashionable back in the day! And as far as longevity goes, few of them would live to see their 10th birthday!

I love my BM not only for it's shape/form but also the fact that it was designed by engineers, not accountants.

It's not really true though. That's part of the "spin" that the marketing guys and accountants put out to make the gullible think they're getting something unique. In reality, however, all cars are designed by a mixture of engineers and stylists, (or "designers" as they'd call themselves) and the accountants and marketing men tell the engineers and stylists how much they're allowed to spend. If you want a car company genuinely run by engineers, Citroen in the 1950s and '60s is about as close an example as I can think of, but they went bust because they could make enough of a profit on their whacky products (which is why you need the accountant, unfortunately)! If you want engineer-led products these days, you need to go very niche and very expensive.

 

[JohnD]

I like cars that evolve. One of my favourites is the XJ6 that came out in about 1970. Jaguar evolved that design over the years to keep it fresh and did a fantastic job. That shape was only discontinued quite recently, however it was instantly recognisable, even to people with no knowledge of the earlier cars. It's a very well proportioned and classy car, whether original or in it's final incarnation.

Unfortunately the newer Jag saloons are no longer distinctive and recognisable. Often mistake an XF for an Insignia from a distance from side profile.

1968 to 2009

more than a family resemblance

The final aluminium version was completely new, and much the best car, but Ford insisted it had to look like the old ones.

 

[Avocet]

I like cars that evolve. One of my favourites is the XJ6 that came out in about 1970. Jaguar evolved that design over the years to keep it fresh and did a fantastic job. That shape was only discontinued quite recently, however it was instantly recognisable, even to people with no knowledge of the earlier cars. It's a very well proportioned and classy car, whether original or in it's final incarnation.

Unfortunately the newer Jag saloons are no longer distinctive and recognisable. Often mistake an XF for an Insignia from a distance from side profile.

I thought the XJ was a beautiful car indeed, but they lost the plot in the '80s when they went over to those horrible square headlights.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I thought the XJ was a beautiful car indeed, but they lost the plot in the '80s when they went over to those horrible square headlights.

View attachment 348638

I think they were just trying to keep it current and copying what other manufacturers were doing at the time. My father had a 1988 3.6 model for a while, but it did unfortunately follow Jaguar traditions and start dissolving. They soon reverted to twin headlights, and the last redesign is one of their best. Wouldn't mind one and always envious when I see one.

 

[norseman]

We're as fickle as anyone when it comes to fashion. Look at the ridiculous fins on that Vauxhall, pretending to be American! No useful purpose whatsoever, just fashionable back in the day! And as far as longevity goes, few of them would live to see their 10th birthday!

I had the same model/colour back in the 'Seventies, it's from a later year with the larger 2.6L engine.

Fond memories: engine so quiet I've been guilty of cranking it when it's actually still been running.
30 mpg possible if you kept below 60 on a long run .. very good for the period & better than the equivalent Ford offering.
ride comfort, even if the handling wasn't great .. but then I never had an 'off' despite the country lanes I belted around.
Not-so fond: hitting my right knee on the wrap-around 'screen corner nearly every time I got into the driving seat.
trying to keep ahead of the corrosion .. though despite that nice examples can still be found at classis car shows.

 

[Avocet]

I think they were just trying to keep it current and copying what other manufacturers were doing at the time. My father had a 1988 3.6 model for a while, but it did unfortunately follow Jaguar traditions and start dissolving. They soon reverted to twin headlights, and the last redesign is one of their best. Wouldn't mind one and always envious when I see one.

Indeed. I've always wanted an XJ6. The only reasons I never did, were the rust and the fact that nearly all of them are autos. However, the square headlights completely spoil them. There's something about the 4 "tunnels" pressed into the steel of the bonnet...

 

[Avocet]

I had the same model/colour back in the 'Seventies, it's from a later year with the larger 2.6L engine.

Fond memories: engine so quiet I've been guilty of cranking it when it's actually still been running.
30 mpg possible if you kept below 60 on a long run .. very good for the period & better than the equivalent Ford offering.
ride comfort, even if the handling wasn't great .. but then I never had an 'off' despite the country lanes I belted around.
Not-so fond: hitting my right knee on the wrap-around 'screen corner nearly every time I got into the driving seat.
trying to keep ahead of the corrosion .. though despite that nice examples can still be found at classis car shows.

They certainly don't do it for me, but I'm sure the "mini Yank tank" styling would appeal to some!

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I had the same model/colour back in the 'Seventies, it's from a later year with the larger 2.6L engine.

Fond memories: engine so quiet I've been guilty of cranking it when it's actually still been running.
30 mpg possible if you kept below 60 on a long run .. very good for the period & better than the equivalent Ford offering.
ride comfort, even if the handling wasn't great .. but then I never had an 'off' despite the country lanes I belted around.
Not-so fond: hitting my right knee on the wrap-around 'screen corner nearly every time I got into the driving seat.
trying to keep ahead of the corrosion .. though despite that nice examples can still be found at classis car shows.

They look amazing and must have seemed space age compared to everything else on the road when they came out. When I was at school we had a minibus based on Bedford J type which I believe had the same engine. When idling was very difficult to tell it was actually running. Surprisingly quick

 

[JohnD]

Indeed. I've always wanted an XJ6. The only reasons I never did, were the rust....

X350 aluminium.

 

[Avocet]

X350 aluminium.

Yeah, not really the same pond that I'm fishing in, just yet! Spent a princely £600 on my Alfa!

 

[norseman]

Yeah, not really the same pond that I'm fishing in, just yet! Spent a princely £600 on my Alfa!

Doesn't take much doing .. £1200 (inc. labour) on my BM last year.
New front struts/coils/top mounts plus discs/pads all round, all new park-brake components & some brake line sections.

Feel it's worth it though.

 

[JohnD]

if it's your own car, and you're keeping it, that's one more thing that probably won't go wrong again for years.

I dare say you greased the threads as well.

 

[Avocet]

if it's your own car, and you're keeping it, that's one more thing that probably won't go wrong again for years.

I dare say you greased the threads as well.

That's much what I've done, over the years. This is my 4th, Series 1, 164. I've bought genuine or good quality spares for the previous cars and then just broken them and stashed the bits whenever I've bought a new one, so I can tell which bits came from which car, and how many miles they've done.