My dad owned an XK 120 for a while. What a hoot that car was to drive! The XK motor pulls like a freight train at any amount of revs, and the suspension is so primitive so that the whole package is like driving a high-performance tractor. Driving it at 90 MPH felt like going 200+ in any other car… scary as hell, yet strangely and satisfyingly pleasurable.
The world’s worst ergonomics in any car …ever.
BTW I agree with your daughter, if it is a sports car, rip out the rear seats. Unless your passengers are legless dwarves they’ll never be comfortable in the rear of a 2+2.
Well, it definitely is interesting to get the kid’s perspective. My inner child agrees with her on some stuff, the importance of the interior of the Minivan for ex, and I don’t think I would have liked the Jag as a kid (had no interest in Wayne McRae’s father’s MG, Borgward, or the 1959 BMW (501?–looked sort of like a rolls of that era)) but is mystified about the Aztek. Inner child does not approve of hte TV however. We crossed the country 3 times by the time I was 8. Watching the scenery was an adventure.
She’s very insightful. She sort of reminds me of my little cousin, who sounds about her age.
She asked me if I had a car. I told her yes, of course. She asked me if it was a Mercedes-Benz. I replied, “No, why?” She then told me “You’ll never get a good girlfriend if you don’t drive a Mercedes-Benz.”
Kids are weird, they incredibly perceptive and yet brainwashed by TV all at the same time.
The XK120 is definitely a looker, but the XK150 gives up essentially nothing in looks, and was a much better car to drive. That said, it can’t hold a candle to the designs from the late ’30s.
Sexiest car of all time: Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B touring spyder superleggera. Very advanced mechanicals for its day, and ye gods is it pretty. Honorable mention: Auburn boattail speedster.
romanjetfighter – go to a Concours d’Elegance. If you seriously can’t tell a Cord from a Pierce-Arrow, you need glasses.
Personally, I prefer the original BMW 328 Mille Miglia over the Jag.
But the most stylish car ever has to be the Mercedes 300SL gullwing. Although I generally like classic sports cars (like the Dino one post down). The only modern one that can live up to that is the Alfa 8C Competizone.
I’m with you, Katie. The E-Type is drop dead BEAUTIFUL in my eyes. I remember seeing my first one growing up in Jacksonville, FL (the import point). Our neighbor across the street worked for the importer, and he had the “task” of delivering (i.e., DRIVING) a new British Racing Green, wire spoked XK-E from Jax to West Palm Beach for delivery to Carry Grant. It even had his name on the doors just below the windows. He took me and my father on a test drive (first my dad, then me) through the neighborhood, and the feel, sounds, and smell were to die for. In my weaker moments, I’ve continued to lust for a ’63 XK-E.
Also, RF, it’s nice to know that someone other than me has raised a real car snob as a daughter. Not a bad thing, mind you. She got it from her mother (and I helped a bit to…..). My wife always tells this funny tale about meeting a guy in a bar who she thought was real cute. Well, they got to talking and the subject of cars came up. When she asked him what he drove, and he said a Buick Regal (this was 1979 or so, to put it in context), she told him everybody drives one of those, and she quickly walked away from him. Thank god I was driving an Alfa at the time!!!!
But, my daughter is the same. No guy with a minivan need apply.
This was great, I love the fact she liked the Aztec. And her importance of heated seats… my thoughts and sentiments exactly! Can’t underestimate the importance of heated seats.
It’s also funny how even a younger person sees the stupidity of crappy, limited back-seat space. One nice point of the Nissan Venza Versa is that there is ample legroom in the back seat of that econobox, compact car. It can be done! Why must us tall gents suffer!
And hey, what the hell, how was I not a man while I owned both an old and New Punch Buggy!
Personally, I’m concerned. The praise lavished upon the Aztek’s design and the dissing of the Jag are sure signs that strong meds, therapy and a deprogramming effort are urgently needed here.
Either that, and you’re going to have to move to Michigan, where she can reach out to find other lost souls like herself. If she keeps it up, the Brits won’t allow her into their country again.
I guess I am too late into the game. When I was young, the car that I fancied the most was a 300ZX. (You know it’s long ago, when you see numbers before letters)
One of the biggest disappointments of my then-young life was when I discovered a faded but straight and non-rusty XK120 coupe at a dealer, at a price that I convinced myself I could somehow afford, and discovered that at 6′ 2″ I was too tall to be able to drive the car. I could get behind the wheel but couldn’t operate the pedals without my knees hitting the steering wheel.
First sports car I ever rode in, robins egg blue, dark blue leather, cutaway doors 1953 XK-120M. First one sold in South Texas. Ruined my life. That inline six was amazing. Never got over the sound.
for about a yr, I had an 84 XJ6, Beautiful form IMHO, great engine, I prefer I 6 to V8 because I’m weird that way. But there was something just plain off in the engineering of the car. Almost perverse. I have always thought the E Jag to be ugly compared to other Jags of the era. Front end is too over hung
At first I didn’t know what to think about this podcast, but I quickly came to realize that it is one of the most brilliant and entertaining ones we’ve had. In some ways I can’t believe that you and Sasha are related (what with the Aztec and so on) and in other ways it’s all too obvious.
Nice looking Jaguar. XK120?
Sniff. Yes.
My dad owned an XK 120 for a while. What a hoot that car was to drive! The XK motor pulls like a freight train at any amount of revs, and the suspension is so primitive so that the whole package is like driving a high-performance tractor. Driving it at 90 MPH felt like going 200+ in any other car… scary as hell, yet strangely and satisfyingly pleasurable.
The world’s worst ergonomics in any car …ever.
BTW I agree with your daughter, if it is a sports car, rip out the rear seats. Unless your passengers are legless dwarves they’ll never be comfortable in the rear of a 2+2.
–chuck
That is one beautiful Jag.
Well, it definitely is interesting to get the kid’s perspective. My inner child agrees with her on some stuff, the importance of the interior of the Minivan for ex, and I don’t think I would have liked the Jag as a kid (had no interest in Wayne McRae’s father’s MG, Borgward, or the 1959 BMW (501?–looked sort of like a rolls of that era)) but is mystified about the Aztek. Inner child does not approve of hte TV however. We crossed the country 3 times by the time I was 8. Watching the scenery was an adventure.
Did SHE make you sell it?
How the heck does this car look any different from any other car from 1930-1960!! They all look the same from that era.
Sexiest car is definitely 1997-205 XK. :)
Every time I see an XK from that generation I think “What makes you think I would go for that bet? It’s a 1956 Jaguar ROADSTER.”
“You can…put it anywhere!”
That’s a good looking car. Enjoy it.
She’s very insightful. She sort of reminds me of my little cousin, who sounds about her age.
She asked me if I had a car. I told her yes, of course. She asked me if it was a Mercedes-Benz. I replied, “No, why?” She then told me “You’ll never get a good girlfriend if you don’t drive a Mercedes-Benz.”
Kids are weird, they incredibly perceptive and yet brainwashed by TV all at the same time.
The XK120 is definitely a looker, but the XK150 gives up essentially nothing in looks, and was a much better car to drive. That said, it can’t hold a candle to the designs from the late ’30s.
Sexiest car of all time: Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B touring spyder superleggera. Very advanced mechanicals for its day, and ye gods is it pretty. Honorable mention: Auburn boattail speedster.
romanjetfighter – go to a Concours d’Elegance. If you seriously can’t tell a Cord from a Pierce-Arrow, you need glasses.
I can’t believe no-one mentioned the Jaguar E-Type. A car which Enzo Ferrari called “The most beautiful car ever made”.
British racing green and wire spoke wheels.
Lovely!
Personally, I prefer the original BMW 328 Mille Miglia over the Jag.
But the most stylish car ever has to be the Mercedes 300SL gullwing. Although I generally like classic sports cars (like the Dino one post down). The only modern one that can live up to that is the Alfa 8C Competizone.
I’m with you, Katie. The E-Type is drop dead BEAUTIFUL in my eyes. I remember seeing my first one growing up in Jacksonville, FL (the import point). Our neighbor across the street worked for the importer, and he had the “task” of delivering (i.e., DRIVING) a new British Racing Green, wire spoked XK-E from Jax to West Palm Beach for delivery to Carry Grant. It even had his name on the doors just below the windows. He took me and my father on a test drive (first my dad, then me) through the neighborhood, and the feel, sounds, and smell were to die for. In my weaker moments, I’ve continued to lust for a ’63 XK-E.
Also, RF, it’s nice to know that someone other than me has raised a real car snob as a daughter. Not a bad thing, mind you. She got it from her mother (and I helped a bit to…..). My wife always tells this funny tale about meeting a guy in a bar who she thought was real cute. Well, they got to talking and the subject of cars came up. When she asked him what he drove, and he said a Buick Regal (this was 1979 or so, to put it in context), she told him everybody drives one of those, and she quickly walked away from him. Thank god I was driving an Alfa at the time!!!!
But, my daughter is the same. No guy with a minivan need apply.
D-Jag over E-Jag any day, tho lose the silly tail fin. Muscular.
The Jags were all beautiful, the 120s, 150s and the XKE. I also loved the Austin Healy 3000, gorgeous car.
This was great, I love the fact she liked the Aztec. And her importance of heated seats… my thoughts and sentiments exactly! Can’t underestimate the importance of heated seats.
It’s also funny how even a younger person sees the stupidity of crappy, limited back-seat space. One nice point of the Nissan Venza Versa is that there is ample legroom in the back seat of that econobox, compact car. It can be done! Why must us tall gents suffer!
And hey, what the hell, how was I not a man while I owned both an old and New Punch Buggy!
Personally, I’m concerned. The praise lavished upon the Aztek’s design and the dissing of the Jag are sure signs that strong meds, therapy and a deprogramming effort are urgently needed here.
Either that, and you’re going to have to move to Michigan, where she can reach out to find other lost souls like herself. If she keeps it up, the Brits won’t allow her into their country again.
I guess I am too late into the game. When I was young, the car that I fancied the most was a 300ZX. (You know it’s long ago, when you see numbers before letters)
One of the biggest disappointments of my then-young life was when I discovered a faded but straight and non-rusty XK120 coupe at a dealer, at a price that I convinced myself I could somehow afford, and discovered that at 6′ 2″ I was too tall to be able to drive the car. I could get behind the wheel but couldn’t operate the pedals without my knees hitting the steering wheel.
First sports car I ever rode in, robins egg blue, dark blue leather, cutaway doors 1953 XK-120M. First one sold in South Texas. Ruined my life. That inline six was amazing. Never got over the sound.
for about a yr, I had an 84 XJ6, Beautiful form IMHO, great engine, I prefer I 6 to V8 because I’m weird that way. But there was something just plain off in the engineering of the car. Almost perverse. I have always thought the E Jag to be ugly compared to other Jags of the era. Front end is too over hung
At first I didn’t know what to think about this podcast, but I quickly came to realize that it is one of the most brilliant and entertaining ones we’ve had. In some ways I can’t believe that you and Sasha are related (what with the Aztec and so on) and in other ways it’s all too obvious.
N85523
Point of fact: Sasha’s my step-daughter.
Could April 2nd really be the last podcast? very sad……
Ahhh, the asides, the puns, the fake not hearing correctly, don’t you know you only have ten minutes (for some arcane reason) ?