Motoring murmermings

Hi, my name's Alex and I'm starting this blog because I'm full of opinions on the motoring industry but am yet to find anyone who cares. Unfortunately I am a poor, struggling copywriter who ironically doesn't even own a car! I do however have a license and I once did own a beautiful Volkswagen Golf Mk2. But, alas, my budget now dictates that a car is a luxury I simply cannot justify (or afford). Of course, being the pauper that I am, I will not be writing reviews per se - unless someone wants to lend me their car? But, at least here - in the ether - I can console myself with the thought that someone, somewhere might be interested in my blatherings.
 

For my first installment, I want to talk about Jaguar Land Rover and the renaissance that they're currently experiencing. Although Land Rover has been fairly steady in it's success over the years, it's future hasn't always been secure. Fortunately, with the modernist design of the Range Rover that remains at the very peak of off-roading luxury after 10 years, they have survived.

Jaguar, on the other hand, has languished in the shadows of it's German counterparts for far too long. The XK8 was an extremely pretty car, yet it never quite lived up to the promise of it's beguiling looks. The S-Type was the polar opposite. It received roaring reviews for it's drivability and engines but it looked like shit.

But, with the arrival of their new parent company, Tata, both marques have distinctly upped their game. The new Evoque from Range Rover looks absolutely spectacular. It points Land Rover in a direction that exudes luxury while being a more realistic option for many buyers. Hopefully this new design will feed through to the next RR, RR Sport and Land Rovers. Of course, I hope they don't go mental and wildly alter designs that have proved successful in recent times. Something as iconic as the RR needs to be handled with care after all.

I also think that the recently unveiled concept for the new Defender is very interesting. Of course, there will always be naysayers who claim that it will never be as good as the original. The type of people who view the current MINI brand as a bastardisation of a British classic. Basically morons. But I think the new design looks great. Of course, it's a bit heavy on the bling side. The wheels are humongous and the grill is a bit sparkly for my taste, but it's a concept so you can't blame the designers for having a bit of fun. The bare bones of the design - which hopefully will transfer to production - look great so there's little to worry about.

Jaguar just seems to be on a continuous roll at the moment. The XF was a massive success and with the recent refresh, it finally has the aggressive face from the original concept that it always should have had. And the ever evolving XK seems to be getting more hardcore by the day. I love that Jaguar is challenging preconceptions by producing cars that look properly mean. The XKRS does a fine job of striking fear into anyone's rear view mirror.

The XJ, put simply, is a beautiful thing. Somehow, they've made something that's gigantic in size look taut and nimble, which is no mean feat. I know that the rear lights have proved controversial. The 'cat's claw' shape is a bit of a stretch I suppose. But I do think that they look elegant and suit the overall proportions. Most importantly, Jaguar seem to have found their sex appeal which has been lacking from their offerings for far too long.

Let's hope both marques keep producing cars the prove serious contenders to the obvious choices.