Fortunately, premium automakers have not adopted a One Size Fits All approach. We have choices. Plenty of choices.
Increasingly, however, we are seeing a One Look Fits All Sizes methodology, limiting our ability to distinguish between a 3 Series, 5 Series, and 7 Series at BMW; between A4s, A6s, and A8s at Audi; or between C, E, and S-Class sedans at Mercedes-Benz.
With the second-generation XF appearing all but identical to the first XF, and the subsequent launch of the entry-level XE closely resembling an abbreviated XF, Jaguar’s guilty of the same crime against differentiation.
Fortunately, famed Jaguar design director Ian Callum says future Jaguar designs won’t be revealed merely as S, M, and L versions of the same t-shirt.
“We will separate them more in the future,” Callum told Autocar, referencing the XE and XF in particular and confirming that the next-generation XE will also be rear-wheel-drive-based. While connected by traditional Jaguar themes, Jaguar will provide greater distinctions between its growing lineup. “There will be a constant grille, then a more flexible front.”
This explains why the new E-Pace, revealed yesterday, doesn’t look exactly like the larger F-Pace crossover. “We wanted the E-Pace to have its own character, its own place,” Callum told AutoExpress. “So its headlights are from the F-Type.”
Callum also says the E-Pace’s key side signatures, a line that begins at the headlights and disappears at the rear door along with a higher line that accentuates the hind quarters, are inspired more by the F-Type sports car than the F-Pace utility vehicle.
Design unity is integral to image building, particularly for luxury brands. High-end automakers want their entry-level buyers to feel as though they bought into something premium, an upmarket lifestyle. But if the entry-level model doesn’t look anything like its more expensive siblings, then what is the image-conscious customer acquiring?
Unfortunately, design unity has gradually become design uniformity. Without a measuring tape, it’s not easy to tell which one is the Audi A4 and which one is the Audi A6. Is that a C-Class Cabriolet or an E-Class Cabriolet?
Now it becomes Ian Callum’s job to convince Jaguar’s other division heads that some differentiation is healthy, as the need for greater distinction may only increase. Asked by Autocar about the potential for even smaller Jaguars, “No plans, but I’d like to think so,” Callum said.
[Images: Jaguar]
Timothy Cain is a contributing analyst at The Truth About Cars and Autofocus.ca and the founder and former editor of GoodCarBadCar.net. Follow on Twitter @timcaincars.
Why are they *just now* deciding not to make their cars look all alike? Callum has been at Jaguar for ages.
and the “make everything looks the same” attitude didn’t really start until Tata came into the picture.
The X type, S type. and XJ used the same sausage different length approach in the 2000s.
I’ll give you that the X-type and XJ looked similar, but the S type was totally different and distinctive. They’re about as similar as the X-type and the equivalent year e-class, in that their headlights are round.
“premium automakers have not adopted a One Size Fits All approach.”
HOPE YOU LIKE 2.0L 4-CYLINDER TURBOS!
Yep, nothing says “premium” like two screaming liters in a $72K sedan weighing over two tons. The epitome of refinement, it is.
More good news for Lincoln?
Sales are good for Jag, Audi, BMW, and MB with the different slice of the same sausage family styling program, and it is relatively easy for even a novice to differentiate the brands by appearance even if they can’t identify the model. I don’t see a problem.
Ehh, not really. 5 series and A6 are down in YTD sales from last year.
In the US sales are down due to the move to cross-overs, but globally the 5 and A6 are going well.
BMW is still ramping up production of the new 5 Series as well as filling out the model line-up.
Last month, the 5 Series did 4,068 in sales.
In June of 2016 – did 2,847 in sales.
Yearly sales for the next few years should be better than the last couple of years of the previous gen, but won’t see the same sales heights due to the movement to CUVs.
The XE has killed XF sales, big difference in price, same features, better leases on XE.
I was behind some Jag variant yesterday I was unfamiliar with, I wouldn’t have noticed it were it not for the remarkably cheap look. The tiny exhaust pipes exiting the two massive cut outs in the lower bumper, the tiny looking cabin inside of the Hyundaiesque design qualities. What happened Jag
Tata decided to take Jag mainstream. This is what happens.
And sales figures reflect that it’s working…
K car returns!
The only ones I can’t tell apart are the Audis, and that’s only because the A6 and A8 sell in such minuscule numbers. The Mercedes can easily be figured by amount of ugliness, they generally get better looking the bigger they are.
Say what you want about the Buick ventiports, but when they were properly implemented it told you exactly what model it was.