When it comes to cars, the Brits have had a habit of coming up with great ideas. The only problem has been the execution. The original Mini is a case in point. It was a truly innovative packaging exercise -- never had so many been able to ride so comfortably in a car so small -- but hapless BMC managers never realized they were losing money on each and every one they built.The original Range Rover is another. Smooth and fast on road, unbelievably comfortable and utterly unstoppable off it, the 1970 Rangie set a benchmark for all-terrain, all-weather capability that few SUVs come close to matching even today. But with electrics by Lucas, The Prince of Darkness, and build quality that made even the worst efforts of the UAW look like something made by German craftsmen, exploiting that capability was something best left to Rover test drivers, journalists, and customers wealthy enough to have something else in the garage as a backup.
Jaguar's original XJ sedan was another great idea hamstrung by poor execution. The low-slung XJ established the template for the modern luxury sedan; it was fast and stylish, yet it was smooth and comfortable -- key characteristics you'll find to varying degrees in every Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, and Lexus LS of the past 20 years. The XJ rode like a magic carpet, cosseting its passengers in its wood and leather trimmed cabin, yet its performance and handling rivaled that of raw-boned sports cars. It instantly made Mercedes-Benzes look staid and stolid; like the boring but well-built sedans for bankers from Dortmund they really were. Only problem was, by the 1970s, as Jaguar was sucked into the industrial anarchy that was the state-owned British auto industry, the XJ wasn't so much a car as a loose assembly of car parts that all too frequently parted company.
Chicago Used Jaguar
