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From The Times
June 15, 2007
Radical solutions may yet breathe new life into Jaguar
Piece by piece, Ford is selling off the family silver. First it was Aston Martin, glittering, pristine and prestigious. Now, it looks likely to be Land Rover – still shiny – and Jaguar, sadly a shade tarnished.
Of the collection of prestige marques that once comprised the immodestly named Premier Automotive Group, only Volvo, Ford’s centre of excellence for safety systems and vital software expertise, may remain.
Land Rover and Jaguar are not just ordinary car companies. They represent about 19,000 jobs and their business is central to hundreds of suppliers – from electronics to overalls – and to 2,290 dealers across the world. But they are also “emotional” brands. Ford may own them, but each has successfully retained its thoroughly British identity and has not been subsumed into the amorphous mass of a multinational with its models given the soulless stamp of ultra-high production volumes.
Ford was seen as their saviour and protector, but now they may face an uncertain future.
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Although the two companies could be separated, they are joined at the hip, sharing components, engineering processes, design and management, each manufacturer complementing the other. They might be merged even further by a joint buyer, to cut operating and production costs, improve economies of scale and reduce workforces.
The Land Rover and Jaguar names have huge commercial strength. Land Rover sells into 140 countries worldwide, with military and civilian buyers, and the Range Rover – almost a brand in itself – is synonymous with desert-crossing and mountain-climbing in air-conditioned, leather-lined luxury, or, more likely, giving the children serious street cred on the school run.
Land Rover/Range Rover should have a great future, but there is a question mark over Jaguar. Traditionally a maker of luxury sporty saloons and powerful sports cars at competitive prices, the company lost its way on the track with a disappointing foray into Formula One racing and on the road with the X-Type, a car that used components from the Ford Mondeo; somehow it was not a “proper” Jaguar. Fixated on appealing to younger buyers, Jaguar missed the point that its core owners were older, wiser – and wealthier.
But even they have tired of the traditional look. The present XJ may be an outstandingly good ride and drive, with engineering that includes a weight-saving aluminium bodyshell, but its styling similarity with the previous model has taken the shine off sales. With that message understood, Jaguar, under the guidance of Ian Callum, the director of design, opted for radical solutions. The XK pointed the way, but it is the XF saloon for 2008 that takes Jaguar forward.
The concept on which it is based was a star of the Detroit Motor Show in January. The XF holds out great commercial promise.
So although the clouds of uncertainty are massing over both companies, there is every chance that they will have a silver lining.
Land Rover is an icon. It's service is expensive and poor, the one area where they could improve, but its products are becoming much more reliable and are very desirable. Not just the Range Rover and Discovery, but the new Freelander and Defender. Here in Australia Land Rover products are very well received and the Freelander will be a big hit. The challenge for them is to produce diesel motoring with excellent mpgs..
I think Ford is making a mistake with the sale of Land Rover, because it will continue to produce good profits if it keeps up the design work on new products like Freelander, but they must improve service cost etc.
Jaguar is a different kettle of fish. Top class sports and saloons are a Jaguar speciality, but it's big challenge is BMW, Mercedes and Audi mid range saloons a la 3 series, A4 and C Class. If they can do that with a beautifully designed vehicle with good diesel motors and fuel economy they will sell more cars.
William Tuck.Sydney. Australia.
William Tuck, Sydney, NSW Australia
"Land Rover shiny, Jag tarnished"?. Consider:
Yes, Jag now sub 100K annual output and falling; X-type unlikely to be replaced, BUT, has developed and productionised lightweight bodyshell technologies, is in top 10 of build quality as per JD Power in States and is custodian of almost all Jag/LR common powerunits, except for smaller 4cyl ones from Ford themselves for Freelander and Defender.
Yes, Land Rover is knocking out currently 200K+ annual output and climbing, BUT, has 3 out of 4 of its main vehicle lines weighing well over 2 tonnes; no imminent prospect of radical weight-saving without Jaguar's/Ford's help or hybrid technology akin to Lexus's to drastically reduce its average fuel consumption. The EU wants a maximum of 160g CO2 within 5-10 years. LR currently way north of 250 haven't a hope without Ford's or similar's help in hybrid tech. Plus not forgetting LR are currently ranked flat bottom last in the JD Power fault survey in the States. Would expand if space permitted.
Paul Kelly, Birmingham, England
Never seen a 4WD Mondeo so not sure where that link comes from, very limited links to Mondeo although that doesn't stop the ignorant linking the 2. The Three series is a cramped car for it's size so I suspect that isn't an issue.
S-Type was based on Licoln & poorly built in early days, but is totally Jaguar now & has been since 2002, my diesel 2.7DSE is fantastic. Now seeing a lot of S-types around in the UK so it certainly is being bought.
Yes Jaguar were late to the diesel market & I suspect that harmed them in the UKs stupid CO2 obsessed company market.
Jim Hearnden, Chatham, Kent
"Land Rover shiny, Jag tarnished"? Consider:
Yes, Jag now sub 100K annual output and falling; X-type unlikely to be replaced, BUT, has developed and productionised lightweight bodyshell technologies, is in top 10 of build quality as per JD Power in States and is custodian of almost all Jag/LR common powerunits, except for smaller 4cyl ones from Ford themselves for Freelander and Defender.
Yes, Land Rover is knocking out currently 200K+ annual output and climbing. BUT, has 3 out of 4 of its main vehicle lines weighing well over 2 tonnes; no imminent prospect of radical weight-saving without Jaguar's/Ford's help or hybrid technology akin to Lexus's to drastically reduce its average fuel consumption. The EU wants a maximum of 160g CO2 within 5years or so. LR currently way north of 250 haven't a hope without Ford's or similar's help in hybrid tech. Plus not forgetting LR are currently ranked flat bottom last in the JD Power fault survey in the States. Would expand if space permitted.
Paul Kelly, Birmingham, Enland
i sell jaguars in cape town south africa.The xk is selling like wild fire and ive got a order list of 115 for the xf .We are
also selling many diesal x-types and the xjr.The x-type has been a great car to sell i dont care what people say not one
of the three hundred ive sold have given problems.
anthony tromp, cape town, south africa
pity about Jaguar. X and front or 4WD Mondeo based - but with less room from less wheelbase than the Mondeo - so it was a mistake and no C-class or 3 series rival. We do not see the Mondeo here.
XJ too conservative in appearance and to reduce prices at lower levels could have stayed with steel springs keeping air suspension as option on higher priced XJ's. Bad repujte from earlier generations. Styling and appearance backward compared to MB, BMW and Audi. Bad start with S, to be based on a Lincoln. Even Americans do not buy them.
Donald MacDonald , Brisbane , Australia
The thrust of Paul Kelly's comment seems to be that it's Jaguar who have the high ground and L-R needs either Jag or Ford to move forward. Hmm. Not at all sure about that. But to combine both brands in one new business with both sets of domain expertise and both sets of (still, remarkably,) loyal core customers would surely be tempting for someone?
As a past and current customer of both brands, I'd be delighted to see them safe and together. Oh, and let's thank Ford for the safe place when each needed it.
David Hoggard, York,
"Land Rover shiny, Jag tarnished". Consider:
Yes, Jag now sub 100K annual output and falling; X-type unlikely to be replaced, BUT, has developed and productionised lightweight bodyshell technologies, is in top 10 of build quality as per JD Power in States and is custodian of almost all Jag/LR common powerunits, except for smaller 4cyl ones from Ford themselves for Freelander and Defender.
Yes, Land Rover is knocking out currently 250K+ annual output and climbing, BUT, has 3 out of 4 of its main vehicle lines weighing well over 2 tonnes; no imminent prospect of radical weight-saving without Jaguar's/Ford's help or hybrid technology akin to Lexus's to drastically reduce its average fuel consumption. The EU wants a maximum of 160g CO2 within 5-10 years. LR currently way north of 250 haven't a hope without Ford's or similar's help in hybrid tech. Plus not forgetting LR are currently ranked flat bottom last in the JD Power fault survey in the States. Would expand if space permitted.
Paul Kelly, Birmingham, Ebgland