Online Column: If you could own one make...

what would it be?

Here's Auction Editor Andy Reid's choice:

http://classicmotorsports.net/articles/jaguar-car-all-needs/

This is an interesting topic and many makes could apply as well as Jaguar. It has me thinking along the lines of taking a major make like Ford or Pontiac or BMW and trying to fill all the needs from within that make. Then I move to the more difficult like Lancia or Citroen or Vauxhall.

Cheers Ron

Ditto.

No question. T35b.

Miata.

Old enough to have proven its chops and be considered a classic in its own right. Will outperform all of the above on the street and the track.

Much like the MGB its popularity will be a mixed blessing insofar as collector value in any foreseeable future.

Porsche

Reid's myopic. The question obviously didn't include a time-line. So, there are plenty of classic sporting Porsches from the 50s onward. 356, 356 Carerra, Speedster, 550, 904, 911S, 914-6GT and others. Certifiable supercars (930, 935, 959, CGT) in the 80s and onward. A phenomenal GT in the 928. And a sedan and SUV, with working electricals, Sat Nav, AC, blue-tooth and other amenities in the most recent history. Both of which are shockingly fast.

Regardless, they're all VWs now. YMMV

Toyota....

From good old Shel's involvement with the 2000GT, to all the rally cars of the 70s and 80s... culminating with the rwd 4TGTE powered Celicas, and the awd models that reached into the 90s.

we'll leave out the late 90s to 2004 ish as the dark days @ Toyota when they made boring uninspired transport

finally.... owning an LFA

BMW has a good variety spanning from pre-war to present that could keep me interested - between motorcycles, related aircraft. pre-war, post-war, dedicated race cars, etc. Fiat or Alfa could be entertaining too. Mercedes has the longevity, but I lose interest around the 60s-70s.

If I could only own one make, I'd choose one that includes a pick up truck or two, along with some fun things. Would you plop some rusty dripping thing you pulled out of a "pick your part" yard in the back of your Jaguar? Or your Porsche or BMW SUV?

Stu

I'd have to start with Ford. Little Deuce Coupes, GT40, Mustangs, T Bird(early), F150, Rally cars (RS200), Capri, Broncos, SHO, Farm equipment, Big trucks. Add a wing in the collection for Ford powered cars (Cobras, Panteras, NASCAR and Drag racers, Formula Ford) and you'll have something for any occasion.

Grew up in a Ford family but not a single one in my collection, yet.

mike

Good question... given the parameters, I'd lean towards Ford as well.

Ford did own Jaguar for a time...

I love the comments and think Ford is a nice choice and they do have a modern supercar in the GT but can you really say that a Lincoln is as interesting a car as a XJR or a XJ8 Vanden Plas? How about like a MK VI?

As for Porsche Kaos, if you have read me you know i love the marque, having owned more than 20 over the year ans I always have a 911 in my collection. I did consider them but they did not have a car like the Jaguar MK 6, a car that is much more like a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud series car and not a sports sedan. BMW also has never built a car in this category though they are close than Porsche. That is the toughest of the categories. Pontiac never built anything in that category, nor did they ever build a production supercar.

As for Toyota, the Lexus is good but the Jag Mk VI is very much a Rolls experience which the Lexus is not.

No Home, I was not talking about one car but one marque.

I left the truck off basically because I have only owned trucks as tools and have never derived any fun from them. The exception would be a 4X4 like a Land/Range Rover and since Rover is also owned by Tata and there is some shared technology there it fits the bill for being part of the Jaguar family.

True... Ford has sort of left Lincoln out in no-man's land as far as product goes. In some ways, a Taurus is just as luxuious. I kind wish Ford would revamp the brand to what it once was back in the pre-War days when Lincoln was on par, luxury-wise, with anything else in the world.

As much as I like Jaguar sports cars, their sedans don't do anything for me.

Fine. If Reid wants a Luxo-barge, then Mercedes is the obvious choice.

Sports cars: 300sl Sports sedans: 190e-2.5 evo (my fav) Suv: G-wagon Luxo-barge: 600 grosser Exotic: new SL.

/thread

Well I too would likely go with Porsche BUT for some reason if I had to pick one marque it would be Mazda. They don't make any high end Rolls style car or a super car but overall I like their take on things. They make a big SUV that I could use to tow the race car. An RX8 or last of the RX7's would make a nice stupid fast street car. Spec Miata modern racer, a first gen RX7 or RX3 IMSA GTU or RS car for vintage races. A Mazda 5 would make a good parts runner and Mazdaspeed Protege for our son to Autocross and track day..................basically I don't fun cars should cost huge bucks.

Of course I seriously doubt I could ever stick to one brand.

              Tom

Question on the column, is the super car the "XK220" or XJ220? I thought it was XJ...

On the topic at hand, I have thought about this at length for years, and discussed it with friends, and although hypotheticals are fun, I could never by happy with a single marque, and probably not even a single nationality. I agree with Mr. Reid that Jaguar is a great choice under such a scenario, but the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I could imagine having a beautiful stable of Jags, yet lusting after the Italians, or just wishing I coul go tear up the streets in a Mustang.

Kaos, Mercedes is a nice choice but its sporting cars, with the exception of the 300SL are more GT. Also even the 300SL is almost GT like more than sportscar like. I am a big Mercedes Benz brand fan but think that Jaguar, with cars like the XKE and XK120 are quite a bit more sporting. Also Mercedes never made anything like the Mk. II.

I just can't do it. As much as I try to justify one brand over another it will never work for me and you can't make me do it I've owned Studebaker, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Plymouth, Nissan, Mazda, Subaru, Volvo, Mercedes, Lotus, Sunbeam, Austin Healy, Morris, Alfa, Hilman, Austin, and ...

They all seemed like the right brand at the time. Each brand has it appeal for all types of people. Right now I have an F150 FX4, a Subaru Imprezza Outback, and a Lotus Elan. All different brands and each car fullfills a real need that would be hard to find in one brand.

Dodge/Chrysler... I have a couple of Fords and a Subaru, but the MOPARs ('66 Formula S Barracuda, '66 Dart 270 (A-Sedan), and '97 Jeep Cherokee 4L HO 4x4) are the ones I'd keep if I had to choose.

Dave

I have to agree with some of the other guys above. Rally Cars and the preference is Audi. Im lucky to have made that dream a reality.

it is really a tough choice, to much to pick from.

but right now i'm for Jaguar, i own a 1978 XJS Roadster V12, modified 355hp, 700R4 trans, 3.73 LSD. its light enough for quick response(3360 lbs), and power enough for street use!

it is SOOO smooth driving (V12),and ride is second to none!

been 16yrs , NOT one problem,except low battery, from lack of use,(replaced) with yellow top.

Jag is a street car,NOT a race car, if i wanted to race, i'd put time into my other car, a 1985 Buick Grand National, much modded suspension and brakes ,for autocross,and road courses, with a 2008 GM LS2,6.0L .4L80E trans,not the fastest,but damn good anyway.

bullet proof reliability,reflashed ECU, for engine and trans,raised limiter by 300rpm, and firmer shifts, runs great on regular fuel, and 20mpg.

and i could never decide which is the better car, it all depends on my MOOD for the day, like apples and oranges.

and i get good recognition, depending on the type of people!