The Jaguar relaunch.

keith

Member
Messages
672
All this nonsense and having a go at Jaguar about alienating their existing customer Base is just garbage,

This is exactly what Jaguar want. The vast majority of previous customers, and I can include myself having owned six new Jaguars over a twenty year period from 1995, will not be the customers that the new model is targeting.

The whole point of the relaunch is to take the brand much further upmarket, with we are told by Autocar a starting point of 130k. How many customers driving round in XE's XF's or F-Paces will be in a position to trade their existing Jaguar for one of these new car's!

It's a bit like going into a Bentley dealer with your three year old 2.0 litre XE diesel, and saying its time to change, and I would like to try a new Continental GT. You would look a little bit daft, unless you had won the lottery, or received a massive inheritanc

Put simply the existing customer Base are not going to be able to afford to part ex their existing car's!

The problem for Jaguar is whether they can be an accepted alternative to as I say a Bentley or perhaps Aston Martin. Any accosiation with their old models and customers is the last thing they want.

If the new car, as I suspect it may well be, is the jaw dropping car that is being promised, they stand a good chance.

My late father was one of the first customers when the original XJ6 was launched in the late 60s, and I remember the impression it gave when revealed - Wow! I've got to have one these!

Whilst at a completely different price point, if the new car and range can achieve the same, then despite all the negative press of late, they could be onto a winner!

Maserati have tried the same trick by essentially doubling the price of most of their cars, and then hoping that customers will happily pay double for a car that say five years ago cost half as much. Unfortunately you need to start with something radically different!
 

urquattrogus

Member
Messages
994
I’m going to wait to weigh in until we see the car; the advert and re-brand seems a bit edgy but I’m ok with that.

If the car looks shite then that’s when I’ll start to Jib.

I’ve got three jags at the moment; Poor old John Prescott might have had a shock when he saw this re-brand!
 

keith

Member
Messages
672
From what I've seen, winning the lottery for any dealer is irrelevant, it's can you afford the monthly payments. Otherwise there's no way most of the cars around here would be on peoples drives.
Very valid.
I was staying at a Hotel in Northumberland- Matfen Hall, and McLaren were holding an event.
I was talking to one of the McLaren representatives, he was an engineer from the factory in Woking, and he was only to keen to fit me in for a drive. Unfortunately not really the car for me, too noisy crude and uncomfortable, and even when I showed him my Genesis, and I told him for me it’s all about refinement and comfort, to say nothing of the autonomous tech (obviously the work of the devil to any sports car driver), he was still keen for me to try their tame GT model.
As you say these days they just want to sell the car, by whatever means possible. Monthly payments of ‘X’ and then a balloon the size of a mortgage, but let’s not worry about that now Sir!!
 

Crazymind

Member
Messages
112
Always been a fan, had a 2.5v6 Stype, Xf1 3.0v6 d, xf20d, xf30d and I-Pace. I would definitely buy an XJ, last design.
There was no much appeal in the end. Despite the I-Pace being the most reliable car I have had. 3 year and not a single fault. They really needed a change of direction. With Xe-Xf—F-pace they have sent the brand in the coffin. The eurobox style had destroyed already all the legacy with the past.
All for good I think.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
63,197
Always been a fan, had a 2.5v6 Stype, Xf1 3.0v6 d, xf20d, xf30d and I-Pace. I would definitely buy an XJ, last design.
There was no much appeal in the end. Despite the I-Pace being the most reliable car I have had. 3 year and not a single fault. They really needed a change of direction. With Xe-Xf—F-pace they have sent the brand in the coffin. The eurobox style had destroyed already all the legacy with the past.
All for good I think.

I had an XE and it looked fantastic and when it came out was the class leader for driving dynamics. The F Type is still a fantastic looking car and with a V8 an animal. I had a 400 Sport version as a loan car from them and it was brilliant. The I-Pace started their ‘new’ journey but when I looked at one as company car the dealership put me off saying that the range was dire especially in the winter. Whatever next I hope they survive but I still think they have jumped too soon and it could be their downfall. History will tell.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
17,377
Internet says c150k sold last year...not too shanny and I guess most were their bug SUVs
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
22,681
It is very hard to transition a brand especially upmarket as you always have your past behind you but if you can potentially the rewards are there. However Jaguars have always been Grace, Pace & Space at an affordable price. The E Type & first XJ6 were both arguably the best of the bunch at the time they were launched, a sportscar as fast as a Ferrari for a quarter of the price, a saloon that was more comfortable and handled better than any Merc, Bentley or RR of the time but once again at a competitive price point.

I wish them well but I suspect we might be discussing a climb down or even worse a close down in not too many years time.
 

keith

Member
Messages
672
As my 96 XJ6 is getting closer to 30 years of age I wonder how much of the new stuff will be doing the same ?
My first Jaguar was bought new in 1995. It was an X300 XJ6 SVP (special value pack) which included from memory lattice alloy wheels and a CD changer in the boot. It was in Carnival red with Oatmeal half leather interior.
It was arguably for me the most special feeling car I have owned, particularly at the young age of 30 to own such a car!
Sitting in the cabin was truly an occasion.
The whole feel of Jaguar back then was that their cars were a cut above the usual Germans.
None of my other Jaguars after that had that uniqueness!"
 

JitFD

Member
Messages
102
The more worrying thing about that "advert" is that there isnt even a car in it. Or a reference to one. The closest thing to a car reference is what appears to be a woman (apologies if i offend anyone with my misgendering) wearing a tyre. Its diversity, equality and inclusion gone mad quite frankly.