I am definitely not keen on SUVs, but I am hardly representative of
the population and the drivers market.
SUVs seem to have helped the profitability of quite a few car
makers and I am wondering if Jag has any secret plan to get onto
that market?
A heavy duty version of the XK8 maybe (hopefully with more than two
seats though)? Or more probably a muscled up X-Type Estate.
If this happened, would it dilute the Jaguar ethos a bit further
(after diesel engines and station agons…) or would this actually
help the company to get deeper into the mainstream?–
1975 XJ6C - LHD
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In reply to a message from Eric318 sent Fri 12 Nov 2004:
Hi.
A suv ? They have Land-Rover and good products in this brand. They
just have to get a better quality construction, specialy with the
Freelander that is un amazing car.(it would be the best in cat.
with more power and beter int.)
Jaguar needs a true sport car that can beat Porsches and so on and
a better design in the medium range. S types and X types are to
much ‘‘burgeois’’ cars (even if they are good ones). Or, they must
remember that MK II it was a realy sport berline in his time.
People that wants ‘‘burgois’’ cars buy Fords, not Jaguars.
In reply to a message from Eric318 sent Fri 12 Nov 2004:
As has been mentioned, it would seem silly market a Jaguar
SUV when you have Land Rover. But I was looking at one of
the UK magazines, which had a lot of speculation about the
reinvention of Jaguar, and they had a sketch of what they
think is coming. I’m guessing something along the lines of
the Chrysler Pacifica - a car-based vehicle that slots in
between a wagon and SUV.–
Chuck Renner, '61 Mk2, '86 XJ6, XJ Admin
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In reply to a message from ChuckR sent Tue 16 Nov 2004:
It is really about capturing these ever thinner segments of sub-
markets with variations of products inside on brand. For a
motorist’s and citizen’s point of view I am fiercely against the
concept of SUVs on our roads (for all the usual reasons) but as a
marketeer, I think that the Range Rover is closer to the subsegment
that Jaguar could get into. The Jaguar badge on a 4x4 would
definitely bring something new and create value. The association
with the actual wild cat bringing an interesting element that
advertisers would have a ball with !–
1975 XJ6C - LHD
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I couldn’t have put my own opinion in words better
than you have below! But then again, we’re both 1975
LHD XJ6 owners [although mine’s a sedan/saloon]…— Eric318 feron1@hotmail.com wrote:
In reply to a message from ChuckR sent Tue 16 Nov
2004:
It is really about capturing these ever thinner
segments of sub-
markets with variations of products inside on brand.
For a
motorist’s and citizen’s point of view I am fiercely
against the
concept of SUVs on our roads (for all the usual
reasons) but as a
marketeer, I think that the Range Rover is closer to
the subsegment
that Jaguar could get into. The Jaguar badge on a
4x4 would
definitely bring something new and create value. The
association
with the actual wild cat bringing an interesting
element that
advertisers would have a ball with !
1975 XJ6C - LHD
=====
Yago Carrascal
1975 Regency red
XJ6 4.2L Series II
Biscuit interior
Madrid, SPAIN
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Meet the all-new My Yahoo! - Try it today!
In reply to a message from Eric318 sent Fri 12 Nov 2004:
Personally I think the SUV’s days are numbered with increasing fuel
costs and environmental awareness - at least in Europe. And the
market is already saturated with good products. If development
money is to be spent anywhere, it should be on replacements for the
X- and S-types and perhaps some more sporting variants.
I cannot understand why there is talk of dropping the X-type when
everyone agrees that the 3-series is so important to BMW. I think
the problem is getting people to look past the ‘‘image’’ and get into
the driving seat. I have my wife to thank for that, and I haven’t
regretted trading in my 320d for a moment. Perhaps they should use
the same marketing approach Audi used to break the BMW stranglehold
on ‘‘small execs’’. (The cars, not the people!)
Mark–
The original message included these comments:
SUVs seem to have helped the profitability of quite a few car
makers and I am wondering if Jag has any secret plan to get onto
that market?
I cannot understand why there is talk of dropping the X-type when
everyone agrees that the 3-series is so important to BMW. I think
the problem is getting people to look past the ‘‘image’’ and get into
the driving seat. I have my wife to thank for that, and I haven’t
regretted trading in my 320d for a moment. Perhaps they should use
the same marketing approach Audi used to break the BMW stranglehold
on ‘‘small execs’’. (The cars, not the people!)
Mark
I think part of the problem here is pricing. I don’t know what it’s
like in other countries, but here in South Africa, a BMW 330i goes for
R330K. An X-Type 3.0 goes for R365K. Like it or not, the BMW is the
class benchmark - and having AWD is not enough of a selling point to
make that up. The X-Type needs to be cheaper than the BMW if it’s
going to make a decent dent in the market.
I cannot understand why there is talk of dropping the X-type when
everyone agrees that the 3-series is so important to BMW. I think
the problem is getting people to look past the ‘‘image’’ and get into
the driving seat. I have my wife to thank for that, and I haven’t
regretted trading in my 320d for a moment. Perhaps they should use
the same marketing approach Audi used to break the BMW stranglehold
on ‘‘small execs’’. (The cars, not the people!)
Mark
I think part of the problem here is pricing. I don’t know what it’s
like in other countries, but here in South Africa, a BMW 330i goes for
R330K. An X-Type 3.0 goes for R365K. Like it or not, the BMW is the
class benchmark - and having AWD is not enough of a selling point to
make that up. The X-Type needs to be cheaper than the BMW if it’s
going to make a decent dent in the market.
I cannot understand why there is talk of dropping the X-type when
everyone agrees that the 3-series is so important to BMW. I think
the problem is getting people to look past the ‘‘image’’ and get into
the driving seat. I have my wife to thank for that, and I haven’t
regretted trading in my 320d for a moment. Perhaps they should use
the same marketing approach Audi used to break the BMW stranglehold
on ‘‘small execs’’. (The cars, not the people!)
What was Audi’s marketing approach to break the BMW stranglehold ?
In reply to a message from John Littler sent Sun 28 Nov 2004:
There were some TV adverts running in the '80s in the ‘‘red braces’’
days implying that Audis were for a less ‘‘flash’’ type of customer.
Maybe Jaguar needs something similar to convince people to be
brave, ignore your ‘‘mates’’ and buy something different from
everything else in the executive car park. Of course, taking a
drive would certainly be a good start!
The other thing is how to convince the press - most of the road
tests say the X-type is an excellent car and it has been a group-
test winner more than once - but they seem reluctant to admit it.
Having gone from BMW to Jaguar, I certainly think that (at least
for diesels, which are the big sellers here) the BMW is no longer
the benchmark for refinement, flexibility and ride - and there is
precious little in it on build quality and handling. As for
pricing, my X-type cost 320d money but I ended up with leather,
Xenons, etc. which would have made the BMW more expensive.
Mark–
The original message included these comments:
What was Audi’s marketing approach to break the BMW stranglehold ?
In reply to a message from Mark Brock sent Sun 28 Nov 2004:
SUVs:
I am just back from a short trip to the USA and boy was I impressed
with the amazing number of SUVs on the road!! Those monsters are
here to stay, where we like them or not, they are even now driving
the development of hybrid engine technology to lower fuels costs!!!
Jaguar get in there quickly or you will become redundant (one side
of me hopes that Jaguar will simply disappear as this can only add
value to my car…).
Audi vs BMW:
Audi did not try to reinvent the market but simply followed the
margins where they were with ‘‘me-too’’ products on the back of there
advanced Quattro technology (and let us not forget how Audi
dominated the WRC fro years in the 80s, breaking loose from
their ‘‘old accountant’’ image).
BMWs are aspirational items, not bought for their technical
prowesses but as fashion and status symbols, they are bang in the
middle of their segments with an excellent array of categories that
allow their customers to grow in their brand and new ones to find
exactly what they want. Importantly, very much like Mercedes, the
resale values are high as boyracers love their versatility.
Jaguar was very late to do any of the above and now needs to get
into no-nonsense brand building on the back of they do best: luxury
is no longer the main attraction (and in fact also plays against
the growth of the brand as the image of the ‘‘retiring accountant’’
stays on, although the X type is trying to address this, but the X
Type will not do it alone). Jaguar needs to revitalise its racing
past and focus on market segments instead of trying to create new
ones. I think the XK8 should simply be dropped before it becomes a
lame duck: who else sells such an expensive 2 people only 2 door
coup�/convertible? The idea here is to move maintsream with a nifty
and real two door sport roadster (F series?) and a real 4 seater
coup� (from the XJ?). So long as the XK8 is sitting in the middle,
it captures it own market but fails to offer openings to the top
and more importantly to the bottom (I mean the sport roadster). The
most imnportant heritage that the motoring world is still in awe of
is the E-Type: the market is craving a new E-Type (not yet another
luxury XJS or XK8) that will come head on with the German
alternatives and undoubtedly beat them flat if it also enters (and
wins) some real racing. Should the XK8 remain then, bring it up to
speed with the Astons and Bentley: small volumes, on order, high
margins; but give the mainstream market what it wants: a quality
brand with heritage to grow in, to find entry level products that
get the hormones flowing instead of sedate expensive machines that
people relax in…–
1975 XJ6C - LHD
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In reply to a message from Eric318 sent Wed 1 Dec 2004:
I couldn’t agree more especially about the sports roadster. In the
days of the E-Type the sedans sold paid for the E-Type, but it was
the E-Type that sold the sedans. And we all seem to forget in these
days of $70-80k Jaguars that the E-Type sold for around 5,000.US
not a lot more than the average Ford or Chevy. Well, maybe not
average. But it was worth it, sitting still it looked as if it was
going 150.
A light, fast 6 cyl roadster would be a lot closer to the mark,
than the new XK. They also need to get back to building Jaguars. I
used to be able to spot a Jaguar a mile away…anymore they look
just like everything else on the road. I looked at a new XK awhile
back and wasn’t impressed. Also, customer service and the sales
staff could use some work.
Lee Murray '95 4.0 Convertible–
The original message included these comments:
is no longer the main attraction (and in fact also plays against
the growth of the brand as the image of the ‘‘retiring accountant’’
stays on, although the X type is trying to address this, but the X
Type will not do it alone). Jaguar needs to revitalise its racing
past and focus on market segments instead of trying to create new
and real two door sport roadster (F series?) and a real 4 seater
most imnportant heritage that the motoring world is still in awe of
is the E-Type: the market is craving a new E-Type (not yet another
In reply to a message from LeRoy Murray sent Sat 15 Jul 2006:
I saw a new XK convertible at the dealer last week and thought it
was easily the best looking car Jaguar has ever built.
Win Dooley
Fort Smith, Arkansas
2004 Xj8
1993 Xj12–
The original message included these comments:
just like everything else on the road. I looked at a new XK awhile
back and wasn’t impressed. Also, customer service and the sales
staff could use some work.