Sex Kitten

There are certain cars that enthusiasts like myself can never shake. Cars that will forever hold a grip on our ever-loving hearts and when we hear their name we get a sparkle in our eye and completely lose our previous train of thought.

Cars like Porsche Speedster, Mercedes 300SL, BMW 3-Series, and of course the Jaguar E-type. Damn it, where was I? It should be no surprise that the cars I just listed were also on my list of the top best looking cars as well. The Jaguar E-type is a no-brainer when it comes to looks but it also packed a serious performance punch for its day. It is an iconic car and thoroughly deserves the pedestal in which it stands on. Another car that made it on the list was the Aston Martin DBS, which really represented all of the current Aston models because lets face it all Astons look good. That meant that the Vantage was technically left off the list but was just as eligible, unlike it’s sister the Jaguar XK. In fact Jaguar did make an appearance three times but the XK was left out because although it does look good, it doesn’t hold a candle to the Vantage.

But I don’t feel bad for XK because it seems to be universally liked more than the V8 Vantage. The XK offered a better ride, better performance, and a much better price tag. The Vantage was the angrier evil step-sister while the XK was the nice one who was composed and charming. And yet, if handed both sets of keys, I would be guilty of driving the Aston Martin. I don’t mind working out a rough car, or a hard suspension, or a traditional shifter. I don’t mind the absence of SatNav and would probably fall in love with the firm steering and ferocious exhaust noise. Maybe it’s the Aston Martin heritage, the DB5, or the prestigious badge but I would normally choose Aston Martin over Jaguar…until now.

Jaguar hasn't exactly been quiet with the concept car set to carry on the E-type legacy. They named the project a cool name, brought it to car shows, tested the market, and even released photos of it along the way. But for some reason, maybe it was just me, I wrote it off. I said “cool” and moved on to what Aston Martin was doing because I had always assumed they would beat Jaguar at anything. That is until the new F-type V8 was set to be put into production. It is finally the Jaguar I wouldn't mind settling for. It looks amazing, has a supercharged V8, aluminum chassis, retro details honoring the E-type, and is shorter than the XK. In red paint and harsh sun it slightly looks like a Ferrari California, from the rear it reminds me of BMW Z8, and the noise…oh the noise…I hope dearly it sounds like it does in this video.

Make sure to check out the promo movie Jaguar released, reminiscent of the BMW films back in 2001-2002. 

photos courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaguarcarsmena
videos courtesy of SupercarHall and JaguarCarsLimited