Re: Yet another XK8 sighting report

["Kirbert" <palmk@mailer.gadcomm.net>]

> From:          Stefan Schulz <jaguar@suaviter.demon.co.uk>
> They just go after the biggest market share, like everyone else.  From a
> purely financial standpoint there's nothing wrong with that.  Most of the
> cars they're competing against with the XK8 have V8's as well, V8 is what
> the buying public wants, so it gets it.

Actually, I have no problem with the V8.  Lyons didn't like V8's, but his 
objections were apparently based on the difficulties with carburetor setups.  
Since EFI came along, those objections are gone.

The only problem I have with the engine is that it is far too small.  You can 
get 4-litre V8's of comparable quality and performance from Ford, Lexus, you 
name it -- and for less money.  A large part of the reason the Jag V12 was 
developed was because the 4.2 litre six was too small; the wisdom of the 
decision has been made apparent over and over, winning LeMans as late as the 
late 80's, and BMW and Mercedes both introducing big V8's and V12's much more 
recently.  The 4-litre V8 is just another reason the XK8 appears to be just 
another in a large pack of similar offerings rather than the outstanding 
vehicle that Jaguar has a history of introducing.  If I had been making the 
decision, that engine would have been at LEAST 6 litre, possibly 7 or more.

>  Ditto the Mazda-Miata-on-steroids
> body design.

Lyons himself was apparently a primary influence on Jaguar body style up 
through the XJ-S.  While one may be tempted to think that such artistic 
talent is fairly common (who among us wasn't doodling car designs as a kid?), 
it is only too apparent that such genius is rare indeed.  The XK8 looks to me 
more like it was designed by a committee.

> Pity is that the same kind of thinking also leads to general shallowness of
> product.  When was the last time you drank a good mass-produced beer ?

Appealing to the mass market has always been a mistake, IMHO.  If you aim for 
the same 90% of the market that 100 other car makes are aimed at, you can 
only reasonably expect to get 1% of that 90%.  If, however, you aim at the 
10% that everyone else is ignoring, you might sell a LOT more cars.  Needless 
to say, I am at a loss to explain why Honda cancelled the CRX.

Even better, though, is the idea of building a great car and letting the 
market come to YOU.  Again, if I were in charge of a car company, I would 
fire the entire market research department, they are a complete waste.  I 
would build the car _I_ think needs to be built, and satisfy myself with 
whatever customers that brings.  I am confident that this is what Lyons did, 
and you can probably look at several other greats in the automotive industry 
as well -- Iococca building the Mustang for one.  In fact, I wonder just how 
many truly great automobiles have come about as a result of "market 
research".

 -- Kirbert      |     If anything is to be accomplished,
                 |     some rules must be broken.
                 |          - Palm's Postulate

---

Follow-Ups:

• Re: Yet another XK8 sighting report
• From: Victor Naumann <jagdoc@erols.com>

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