The Jaguar B99 concept car makes me fall to my knees and rejoice. This is because this potential Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival actually looks like a proper, hard-core, Jag. Let me explain. Ten years ago, twenty-five, even forty years ago - no vehicle produced by the Coventry-based manufacturer could be mistaken for the offspring of a rival.

By contrast, whereas the current line-up is attractive, the styling fails to scream 'these are Jaguars'. It simply says, 'these are expensive'. I suspect that if the badges were removed from the latest XJ, for example, many motorists would confuse it with a Mercedes-Benz or Lexus. The same could rarely be said for old models as these have an unmistakable style.

That said, Jaguar cannot live in the past and their styling must evolve. Bring on the new B99 concept. This magnificent beast is fantastically appealing as it takes the best from historic models and injects a generous dose of twenty-first century modernism. So, the side and rear pay homage to sleek saloons from the past - yet the space-age lighting, muscular grill, and monstrous alloys bring this striking concept bang up to date. Hurray!

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