As I was driving to work this morning, I saw something that saddened me. There was a Jag X-type just ahead of me, and, every time it tried to go up any kind of hill, or accelerate, or do just about anything, there was a huge cloud of black smoke thrown from the exhaust.

See, this particular Jag was a *spit* diesel *spit*. Not even the twin turbo one, but a plain old diesel. Underpowered, oil burning, lacking in any charisma, diesel.

I don’t get this. If you buy a Jaguar, you’re paying a hefty premium for a car with a motorsport heritage. You’re saying “Damn the expense, I want a car with soul“. You’re sacrificing some practicality for personality.

But if you’re buying a diesel, you’re paying more upfront to pay less at the pump, and sacrificing performance at the same time. It’s a decision that has all to do with common sense, something that should have no say in the matter if you spending Jag money on a car.

This particular car was struggling to get up the Saintfield Road. What shithead in Ford Special Vehicles thought that they should make a car like that. A car that does nothing but sell a handful of cars at the cost of the soul of the brand?

I mourn, I really do. If they keep doing things like this, Jaguar is dead. And then we’ll start seeing 2.0 diesel Aston Martins.