The Jaguar XF that should have been??

I have spent a fair amount of time soul searching over precisely why the new range of Jaguars just don't have that "IT" factor that a true Jag should have. Obviously the E-type was an incomparable paragon of beauty and line that Coventry never again equalled. But despite many attempts to recapture that swagger, I think even the latest family of Jags have a brutal look that isn't right for the brand.  The new XF and especially the XJ look sort of thuggish rather than lithe; more bulldog than jungle cat.  They're not bad designs per se. They just don't express the Jaguar ethos, in my opinion.

I was perusing the Tesla Motors website the other day and it hit me like a ton of bricks: The new Tesla Model S is EXACTLY what the new Jaguar XF should have looked like. It's aggressive, yet refined. It's sleek and athletic, and is just straddling the line between a GT and a sports saloon.  The grill opening recalls the E-type, but in a modern, abstracted way that feels totally fresh.  The gorgeous headlight clusters also capture the right "Jaguar gaze" utterly missing from the XF.  I think the car's design is a stellar effort, worthy of a major automaker like Jaguar. I photoshopped a jag badge bar in the photo above to help your imagination, but I think you'll agree there is just something about the Model S that hits the spot Jaguar's designers have consistently missed for all these years.

Or maybe I'm crazy...