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Editor/Photographer : Mark
Charles |
March
23 2017 Big cats
return to Silverstone Numerous
examples of the Jaguar XJ220 are to star at this year's classic event on July
28-30 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this outstanding car.
Two
of the key inspirational figures behind the sensational supercar, Jim Randle and
Keith Helfet, will be heading the 25th anniversary parade Jaguar
has extended its involvement as an Official Partner, with an even bigger presence
both on and off-track. This years event welcomes the Jaguar Classic Challenge
for the very first time on a special invitational basis. It features a mouth-watering
grid of GT, sports and saloon cars from the marques celebrated past and
is sure to be yet another crowd-pleasing addition, whilst a showcase on the infield
of Copse Corner and the return of the F-TYPE Experience which proved such
a winner with visitors last summer are further indicators of the marques
outstanding commitment. more... | January
9 2017 Jaguar
Land Rover sells record 583,313 cars in 2016 Sales
of luxury Jaguar models rose 77 percent to 148,730 units in 2016 due to strong
demand for a range of new high-end products including the F-PACE, the brand's
first off-roader which was launched last year. Europe
was the carmaker's biggest overall market, accounting for almost a quarter of
total demand. The
firm said its line-up will continue to expand but it has warned about the negative
effect any tariffs on its business imposed as part of a Brexit deal could have
if Britain were to lose unfettered access to the single market. Its
annual profit could be cut by 1 billion pounds by 2020 if Britain returned to
World Trade Organisation rules for trade with the continent, two sources told
Reuters last year. | | | September
5 2016 JAGUAR
XK120 ROADSTER COLLECTS PRESTIGIOUS JAGUAR TROPHY AT CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE 2016 120
Jaguars, old and new, entered the Jaguar Trophy 2016 at Windsor Castle ‘Best
in Show’ winner of 2016 Jaguar Trophy was a remarkable 1954 XK120 Open Top Sports
SE owned by Barrie Woolston ‘Coach Built Era Cars’ category won by a stunning
1934 SS1 Tourer owned by Colin and Ann Stewart ‘Saloons’ category won by an
immaculate pale blue Mk I owned by Michael Bing ‘Sportscars’ category won
by Series I E-type Coupe Chassis No. 5, owned by Stuart Cardwell ‘Classics
of the Future’ category won by Phillip Dyson’s 2002 XKR (Windsor,
UK – 5 September 2016) – The Jaguar Trophy returned to the Concours of Elegance
2016 at Windsor Castle on 3 September for the annual Jaguar Land Rover Saturday. The
overall winner of the Best in Show Jaguar Trophy was Barrie Woolston, owner of
a remarkable XK120 Open Top Sports SE (OTS SE). Woolston’s XK120 has been modified
for rallying with its aero screens and fluted bonnet, but also customized with
modern disc brakes – helping the car’s driveability and enjoyment in modern road
conditions, making for a non-standard car, and an unusual winner. | August
31 2016 JAGUAR
INVITES CAR BUYERS FOR COMPETITIVE GROUP TESTS AT UK SHOWROOMS Jaguar’s
XE sports saloon is pitted against its rivals across UK showrooms in the first
weekend of September Car buyers invited to test up to three competitor vehicles
at Jaguar UK showrooms and decide for themselves if the XE beats its rivals onto
their driveway Jaguar becomes the first manufacturer in the UK to offer such
a competitive comparison through its showrooms The multi-award winning Jaguar
XE is the current Auto Express Compact Executive Car of the Year and was named
‘a Game Changer’ at the 2016 Autocar Awards. Jaguar
UK makes a bold statement this summer with an open invitation for car buyers to
test the multi-award-winning XE against its rivals in the market through group
tests arranged at UK showrooms. More
than 250 examples of the three main rivals to the Jaguar XE have been brought
in for the first weekend of September and placed at key Jaguar retailers across
the UK for the magazine-style group tests to take place. | August
17 2016 JAGUAR
OWNERS INVITED TO ‘JAGUAR LAND ROVER SATURDAY’ AT THE 2016 CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE
Jaguar Land
Rover Classic hosts annual ‘Jaguar Land Rover Saturday’ event at the Concours
of Elegance, at Windsor Castle on 03 September Competition set to attract
stunning array of Concours-condition Jaguars while showcasing the brand’s rich
history Jaguar Trophy forms part of the brand’s strong overall presence at
the prestigious event including a 100-strong collection of privately owned Jaguars
in the Club Car Display Jaguar owners can register their interest by simply
e-mailing jaguartrophy@concoursofelegance.co.uk The
Jaguar Land Rover Trophy returns to the Concours of Elegance 2016 at Windsor Castle
on Saturday, 03 September and Jaguar Land Rover Classic is now welcoming entries
from Jaguar owners to participate in one of the most popular events of the weekend. As
part of Jaguar Land Rover Classic’s multi-year partnership with the Concours of
Elegance, owners will have the opportunity to enter their cherished car into the
Jaguar Land Rover Trophy in one of five categories, namely:
Pre-war Saloons Sportscars Classics of the Future (2006-2016)
Judges Choice (a special ‘wildcard’ category open to any Jaguar with a captivating
history) All successful
entries will be invited to park in specially reserved spaces along The Long Walk
at Windsor Castle on Saturday 03 September, where an expert panel of judges will
be choosing the class winners plus an overall ‘Best in Show’. The winners will
be announced at a special prize-giving ceremony at the Concours of Elegance at
15:00 on Saturday. | August
5 2016 JAGUAR
LAND ROVER ACHIEVES BEST EVER JULY SALES RESULTS Jaguar
Land Rover, the UK's leading manufacturer of premium luxury vehicles, today reported
its best ever July retail sales of 44,486 vehicles, up 34% compared to July 2015.
The month’s record performance has been driven by strong sales of the Land Rover
Discovery Sport, the Jaguar XE and the F-PACE. Jaguar Land Rover sold 336,052
vehicles in the first seven months of 2016, up 23% on the same period in the prior
year. In July,
Jaguar Land Rover has delivered a particularly solid performance in China and
North America with retail sales increasing by 64% and 51% respectively compared
to the previous year. Retail sales were up year-on-year across all other regions:
38% in the UK, 24% in Europe and 2% in other overseas markets. Commenting
on the performance, Andy Goss, Jaguar Land Rover Group Sales Operations Director
said: "This has been another record month for Jaguar Land Rover with impressive
sales across both of our brands. The Discovery Sport and the Jaguar XE have delivered
record July sales performances and the Jaguar F-PACE is in popular demand with
our customers, reflecting the global appeal of our strongest ever vehicle line
up." | July
30 2016 Jaguars
return to Silverstone This
year's Silverstone Classic brought out a variety of Jaguars and thankfully the
weather was dry. A selection of Coventry's finest was out on the famous Northamptonshire
circuit. XKs were represented by 120s and 150s, 
Series
1 E types were numerous and C and D types could be seen in fairly large numbers.
Sadly
the XJC remained in the garage and the XJS was absent.
Racing
was up to the usual highly competitive standard with some interesting battles
between E types and Ferraris. For
those wishing to buy a Jaguar the auction had a XK150 and several E types of most
series available.
more... | July
18 2016 JAGUAR
SHARPENS ITS CLAWS AT THE CLASSIC
Jaw-dropping Art of Performance Tour comes to Silverstone Go drifting in
an F-TYPE and take home film of your experience Jaguar XJ14 holds the Silverstone
Classic circuit lap record C-types, D-types and E-types all in racing action
Jaguar’s racing heritage has always been massively to the fore at the Silverstone
Classic but, for the first time, later this month the legendary British manufacturer
will be the Official Experiential Partner to the world’s biggest historic motor
racing festival. Visitors to this year’s Silverstone Classic (29-31 July)
will not only be able to see racing Jaguar C-types, D-types, E-types and Group
C prototypes in all their nostalgic glory roaring around the famous Grand Prix
circuit but they will also be given the chance to experience a state-of-the-art
F-TYPE being pushed to the limit within the event’s thrill-laden Adrenaline Zone.
| July
11 2016 Andy Wallace
returns to Le Mans Andy
Wallace, Le Mans winner outright for Jaguar in 1988, was a winner again at the
La Sarthe circuit this weekend as 65 racing Jaguars took to the track in the Le
Mans Classic round of the Jaguar Classic Challenge. Wallace,
whose '88-winning XJR-9 wowed the crowds during a 100-strong Jaguar parade lap
which preceded the race, finished third overall and won his class racing a D-type,
while Julian Thomas won the race outright in his 1962 low-drag E-type. Also
part of the 100-strong parade before the race were Jaguar's one-off Le Mans prototype,
XJ13, and a dozen examples of its latest and fastest production car, the 575PS,
200mph F-TYPE SVR created by Jaguar's Special Operations division. | July
7 2016 JAGUAR
XJ13 SET FOR LE MANS DEBUT ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY The
Jaguar XJ13 will be making its debut at the Le Mans circuit it was intended to
dominate 50 years ago The lightweight V12-powered racing car never competed,
as Le Mans regulations changed and Jaguar focused on new projects Taking part
in a parade of 100 legendary Jaguars, the XJ13’s appearance will be a highlight
in a very special weekend of Jaguar features at Le Mans Classic Motoring journalist,
broadcaster and racing driver, Chris Harris, will also pilot one of the ‘missing
six’ Jaguar Lightweight E-type chassis number 15 in it’s racing debut Record
grid of 65 pre-1966 Jaguars racing in Jaguar Classic Challenge race Le Mans
Classic takes place from 8-10 July The
unique 1966 Jaguar XJ13, conceived to continue Jaguar’s winning ways at the Le
Mans 24 Hours, will finally make its debut at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe,
50 years later. A victim of timing and changing regulations, the XJ13 never raced
in period despite its incredible pace, so the car’s entry at Le Mans Classic this
weekend marks the fitting conclusion to one of Jaguar’s greatest historic cars,
on its 50th anniversary. | July
6 2016 JAGUAR
F-PACE KNOCKS OUT THE COMPETITION TO WIN PRESTIGIOUS CAR OF THE YEAR TITLE
The Jaguar F-PACE has been named Car of the Year by the UK’s best-selling weekly
car magazine, Auto Express, as it also picked up the Compact SUV of the Year title
Anthony Joshua, recently crowned World IBF Heavyweight Champion, congratulated
Jaguar on its latest title, as he took a closer look at the F-PACE The F-PACE
is already the fastest-selling Jaguar ever
Completing a hat-trick of wins, the Jaguar XE also picked up the Compact Executive
Car of the Year title for the second year running at the Auto Express Awards
The Jaguar F-PACE is the most practical sports car on the road, combining maximum
driving exhilaration with efficiency and space, starting from £35,020
London,
Wednesday July 6, 2016: Boxing world champion, Anthony Joshua, has been spending
time with another newly-crowned British champ, the Jaguar F-PACE, after it was
named Car of the Year 2016 by Auto Express. The F-PACE was also awarded Compact
SUV of the Year by the team at Auto Express, the UK’s biggest-selling motoring
weekly magazine. Anthony
Joshua, IBF heavyweight champion, said: “I have a Jaguar XJR at the moment but
after the team showed me around the F-PACE I might make a change! I love the way
it looks but for me the additional space is the key element, especially with all
the kit I have to transport. The Activity Key wristband is a great idea, too;
I’m always switching bags and changing gear for training so being able to not
worry about where my car keys are would be so helpful. Congratulations to the
team on the Car of the Year title; I love seeing Brits taking on the world and
coming out on top.” The
Auto Express Car of the Year award is the latest major success in an incredible
launch for Jaguar’s first ever SUV, which immediately became the brand’s fastest
ever selling model. More... | July
5 2016 Jaguar
Classic confirms limited edition continuation XKSS to make world debut in North
America in 2016 Lightweight E-type chassis #15 to make racing debut at Le
Mans Classic (10-12 July 2016), driven by presenter and journalist Chris Harris Jaguar
Classic today announces that the hotly-anticipated continuation Jaguar XKSS will
receive its world debut presentation in November this year in California, North
America. The presentation will coincide with the opening of the Los Angeles Auto
Show. Production
of the ultra-exclusive continuation Jaguar XKSS will be limited to just nine examples,
hand-crafted by Jaguar Classic expert technicians and manufactured to the exact
same specification as those produced in 1957. Often
referred to as the world’s first supercar, Jaguar originally made the XKSS as
a road-going version of the Le Mans winning D-type, and cars built in ’57 were
originally earmarked for export to the U.S., but disaster struck and a number
were lost to the Browns Lane fire of the same year. Now, 59 years later, Jaguar
will build the nine ‘lost’ XKSS sports cars for a select group of established
collectors and customers. Tim
Hannig, Director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said: “The continuation XKSS reaffirms
our commitment to nurture the passion and enthusiasm for Jaguar’s illustrious
past by offering exceptional cars, services, parts and experiences.” All
nine continuation XKSS are now sold, with first deliveries to customers planned
for early 2017. More... | February
12 2016 Jaguar
Land Rover has posted lower pre-tax profits for the third quarter of 2015 than
the last three months of previous year. The
figure was down 27 per cent on 2014, standing at £499m, after the company
was hit by falling sales in China. Revenues
rose marginally year-on-year to £5.8bn, however. The decline in profits
came despite the company selling a record 137,653 vehicles in the October-December
quarter, up 23 per cent. For
the first nine months of 2015, pre-tax profit fell 55 per cent to £980m.
The company lost £275m of stock in explosions last summer in the Chinese
port of Tianjin. Indian
parent Tata Motors saw quarter three net profit fall two per cent year-on-year
to £357m. Jaguar
is the UK’s biggest automotive employer, with more than 30,000on the payroll. | July
27 2015 Jaguars
take a bath at Silverstone For
this year's Silverstone Classic a Jaguar engined boat would have been more suitable.
With non stop rain on two of the three days wet weather tyres were in demand.
The drivers' skills were tested as they fought against the elements and provided
some interesting racing. A good selection of Jaguars were on track ranging from
an XK120, through C type, D type, Knobbly Lister, XJS, E types, XJR14 and XJR16.
The
XJR14 of D'Ansembourg produced the fastest lap of race 11 and took the chequerd
flag nearly 16 seconds ahead of the Nissan of Bob Berridge.
The
auction included a V12 E type sold for £83,000, a XJS and a Lynx XKSS replica. More... |
July 15 2015 JLR's
retail sales flat in June
Jaguar Land Rover has reported June retail sales
of 39,602 vehicles, in line with prior year volume. | July
13 2015 Tata Motors'
JLR books pretax rise
Jaguar Land Rover wholesale and retail sales for
the fiscal year were 470,523 units and 462,209 units respectively worldwide (129,205
units and 124,307 units for the fourth quarter). | June
15 2015 Jaguar
XJ targets S-Class and 7 Series with new upgrades Jaguar's
XJ gets styling tweaks, efficiency improvements and new tech in a bid to tackle
luxury saloon rivals With the Mercedes S-Class shifting over 100,000 units
last year, and an all-new BMW 7 Series ready to roll, Jaguar needed to respond
to keep its XJ flagship relevant. And respond it has, with a comprehensive round
of updates for its luxury saloon, ranging from more powerful and efficient engines
to the very latest infotainment and safety tech.
Leading
the styling changes is a larger, more upright grille, while sculpted chrome blades
in the air intake give it a touch more presence. Full LED lights, and twin ‘J-Blade’
daytime running lights are also new, echoing the new ‘J-signature’ in the tail-lights.
A gloss black insert on the rear bumper with a thin chrome insert and oval exhaust
finishers complete the gentle makeover. more | June
2 2015 CHINA:
JLR appoints new sales chief
Tata Motors' luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land
Rover (JLR) has appointed a new head of sales in China where the company has seen
a slow down in sales in recent months. Mark Bishop succeeds Yi Lu, who resigned
in mid-April citing personal reasons. | March
25 2015 Tata Motors'
Jaguar Land Rover has announced plans to expand its advanced engineering and design
centre at Whitley, Coventry, doubling its footprint at the site. | February
20 2015 Jaguars
on the prowl again at Race Retro. This
year's motorsports show produced a selection of Jaguars of both race and road
variety. Lister displayed the first of their continuation models of a Knobbly
Lister Jaguar. The
polished aluminium contrasted well with the black paintwork. The racing theme
continued with a C type replica in white. Over
the years Jaguars have been found on the race tracks of the world. Apart for the
C and D types the most prevalent is probably the E type which has been campaigned
in most levels of racing for over fifty years. more... | October
31 2014 Jaguar
Land Rover opens engine production centre Jaguar Land Rover brings engine
manufacturing in-house. With the new GBP500m Engine Manufacturing Centre Jaguar
Land Rover claims it is the UK's leading automotive investor. Facility supports
regional economic regeneration with 1,400 jobs created.
Some
1,400 new jobs are being created by JLR's new engine manufacturing facility. Tata
owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has officially opened its new "Engine Manufacturing
Centre" in the English West Midlands. The £500m facility, announced
in September 2011, represents a significant step in JLR's strategic investment
programme and will see engines being produced in-house for the first time in a
generation. Located near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, the Engine Manufacturing
Centre is home to the Ingenium engine family which will power a new generation
of Jaguar Land Rover products designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK.
This starts with the 2.0-litre diesel, which rolls off the production line early
next year, destined for the new Jaguar XE. Commenting
on the opening Dr. Ralf Speth said: "The Engine Manufacturing Centre represents
all that is great about British engineering. "Jaguar
Land Rover is a business driven by design, technology and innovation and this
investment and level of job creation is yet further evidence of our commitment
to advancing the capability of the UK automotive sector and its supply chain."
JLR says it is drawing
on the expertise of 2,000 powertrain engineers who have been inspired by the company's
70-year heritage in the design and development of iconic engines. These engineers,
together with the new 1,400 strong team at the Engine Manufacturing Centre, will
deliver the "next generation of highly efficient, ultra-low emission 4-cylinder
petrol and diesel engines". The
100,000 square metre facility, houses an engine-testing centre alongside manufacturing
and assembly halls. The facility is also home to the largest rooftop solar panel
installation in the UK, comprising some 21,000 individual panels. JLR estimates
that the panels will generate more than 30% of the plant's energy requirements
- providing the same amount of energy required to power 1,600 homes. Commenting
on the importance of the Engine Manufacturing Centre, Trevor Leeks, Operations
Director at the site said: "Our new Engine Manufacturing Centre is an important
step in advancing the competitiveness and capability of the UK automotive sector.
The production of in-house engines will support the expansion of the UK supply
chain providing critical mass for inward investment." | September
24 2014 Tata's
JLR hires 283 new graduates
Tata
Motors' Jaguar Land Rover has taken on 283 new graduates for 2014. The
latest recruits start their career as both Jaguar [XE] and Land Rover [Discovery
Sport] prepare to launch important new models - the automaker's capital and product
launch budget this year is over GBP3.5bn (US$5.72bn). CEO
Ralf Speth said: "We are... employing and developing the people that will
help ensure our continued success." The
graduates began their two-year programme with a formal induction week, during
which they met Speth and other members of the board, familiarised themselves with
the latest vehicle line and had a glimpse at some future products. JLR
is the highest-ranking automotive manufacturer in The Times' Top 100 List of Graduate
Employers, moving up to 16th position in 2014/15. Group
marketing director, Phil Popham, originally began with JLR as a new graduate and
is now a board member. He said: "The graduate scheme provides an excellent
start to a career at Jaguar Land Rover and we very much hope that our latest recruits
will become the company's future business leaders." The
majority of the new graduate roles are in manufacturing, programmes and engineering,
with some 200 of the latest intake working in those areas. Roles are also being
filled in commercial areas such as finance, HR, IT, marketing, sales, property,
logistics and PR. A similar split between engineering/manufacturing and non-engineering
departments is expected for the 2015 intake. The
graduate programme is designed to provide a blend of personal and professional
development, along with opportunities to network with other graduates and build
relationships across the entire business. Graduates joining JLR are allocated
a 'home' department based on their specialism and will, over the course of the
two-year programme, have an opportunity to gain varied experience within that
area. Over the past
four years, JLR has recruited around 1,200 young people onto its graduate programme.
It also offers a number of paid work placements for undergraduates. | August
15 2014 JLR reveals
special operations site
Jaguar
Land Rover says it has chosen Prologis Park, Ryton, near Coventry in the UK, for
the company's investment in its Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre. The
facility will be JLR's global centre of excellence for the creation of bespoke
commissions and extreme performance vehicles. With
operations due to begin towards the end of the year, a team of 150 Jaguar Land
Rover specialists will be based at Ryton. Some
100 of those engineering and technician jobs will be new, while GBP20m (US$33.4m)
will be invested in installing specialist equipment and a customer commissioning
suite. The Technical
Centre will be part of the company's Special Operations, created in June. Facilities
will feature a VIP customer commissioning suite for bespoke services and premium
vehicle personalisation, as well as what the company describes as "Formula
1-inspired flexible workshops" and a specialist paint studio. We
will be creating iconic vehicles that reinforce the global reputation of both
Jaguar and Land Rover brands as we expand our product portfolio and fulfil our
plans," said JLR special operations managing director, John Edwards. | July
28 2014 Cats on
the prowl again. A
great selection of Jaguars were to be seen at the Silverstone Classic meeting.
From a child's E type in the auction to virtually every model in the club displays
or on the track, there was a variety from different decades. There
was a hard fought battle in the tourist Trophy race for pre 66 GT cars between
the E type driven by Cottingham brothers and the Ferrari driven by Oliver and
Pearson. The Ferrari started on pole with the Jaguar on row 2 on the other side
of the track. Swopping the lead several times and always on each other's bumper
the race provided some nail biting thrills. The E type led in the early stages
but the Ferrari had the edge in the last five laps. Eventually Oliver and Pearson
winning by just twenty seconds.
more... | April
30 2014 The cats
prowl again at Silverstone Classic This
year's Silverstone Classic has all the makings of a great event. Races for supercars
and Group C will see XJ220s, XJRs and Lister Storms take to the track. The group
C cars will race on Saturday evening and again on the Sunday.
C
types, D types and E types will be seen on track as usual. With
all the Jaguar clubs attending there will probably be several hundred Jaguars
at Silverstone this year. With
over 20 races and over 1000 cars competing the racing action will be non stop. Other
features include 50 years of the Ford Mustang, Maserati track parade celebrating
100 years, World record parade of GP cars to be led by Sir Stirling Moss OBE and
a large grid of F3 cars. Not forgetting a celebration for John Surtees. more... | April
28 2014 Defects
prompt Jaguar recalls Four
defects have resulted in four separate recalls of Jaguar Land Rover models sold
in the US, the NHTSA said in emailed bulletins. The number of vehicles per recall
ranges from two to just over 5,200. JLR
is recalling 1,589 2013 and 2014 Jaguar XF two-litre GTDi models also made between
May and October 2013 to check for a loose charge air cooler (intercooler) hose
that may be out of position and loose, allowing it to detach. Dealers will check
the hose and clamp. The
automaker is also recalling 297 2013-2014 XJ, XF and XK because the toe links,
used to control the alignment of the rear wheels, can separate from the rear subframe.
Dealers will replace a nut and washer assembly. | April
2 2014 Jaguar
F-TYPE R Coupé
Measuring
33,000Nm/degree, this is the most torsionally rigid car yet from Jaguar, and the
550PS 5.0-litre V8 is unique to the hatchback body style. Glenn Brooks reports
on these and other high tech features of the new Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupé. When
setting out to develop the F-TYPE, JLR engineers knew that both open-topped and
fixed-roof bodystyles would be needed. Convertibles sell well in just a handful
of countries but a couple of these are large markets, namely England and certain
parts of the US. It
made sense to launch the model first as a roadster, with relatively high prices,
and then wait almost a year before adding a more practical and cheaper hatchback.
The same pricing strategy has worked well for Porsche, with the Cayman positioned
above the Boxster. Jaguar’s strategic planners were clever enough not to confuse
buyers with two model names - let’s not forget that outside the UK, this brand
is at worst dormant in target buyers’ minds and at best, cool and exclusive. Possibly
too exclusive. Jaguar
sales across the globe continue to improve, thanks partly to the advertising campaigns
which are ongoing (including this new ad which follows on from the Super Bowl
one), and of course due to the arrival of new or refreshed models. Additional
features such as AWD and four-cylinder engines for cars such as the XF and XJ
has also helped in the US and China, and to a lesser extent, India. more... | March
21 2014 Will Jaguar
avoid the GT-R factor?
As
Jaguar ramps up F-TYPE production and marketing activity surrounding the car and
the additional coupe body style, can it avoid the fate that has befallen other
supercars? After
two days' driving Jaguar's monstrously fast new F-TYPE, F-TYPE S and F-TYPE R
Coupes this week, there is no doubt in my mind that the car is more than good
enough to be compared to Porsche's Cayman and 911. That it is priced betwixt these
two shows both how cheeky and brave JLR is. But the big question remains: will
it succeed? I've
been trying to find global volumes for another stupendously fast Porsche challenger;
alas Nissan doesn't break out a number for the GT-R from total model sales data.
Happily, the *US importer does, and 1,236 units of this US$100,000+ model were
retailed in 2013. Not bad for a car that's now in its seventh year of production
but let's be honest, the GT-R hasn't exactly changed the image of Nissan, nor
has it ever sold anywhere near the levels of the 911. Over the years, the price
has crept up and up, so while the GT-R might not at first glance seem to be a
competitor for the new Jag, its size, performance and target buyers are similar.
more... | March
20 2014 Jaguar
sees 90% conquest sales for F-TYPE Coupé
Speaking at the media launch
of the new F-TYPE Coupé in Barcelona and Lleida, Jaguar's global brand
director Steven de Ploey says he wants 90 percent of sales to be conquests. "Seventy
five percent of people who've bought the F-TYPE [Convertible] have been new to
Jaguar. For the Coupé, we have to lift this percentage to ninety,"
de Ploey stated, adding that he expects the Convertible/Coupé sales mix
to settle at a ratio of 40/60. Production
of the additional bodystyle has just begun at JLR's Castle Bromwich plant in the
English Midlands. F-TYPE build should be able to rise substantially later in 2014,
following the cessation of XK production this summer. All four cars - F-TYPE and
XK in Coupé and Convertible forms, come down the same line. Series production
of the F-TYPE Convertible started in May 2013. The
F-TYPE uses a shorter, narrower variation of the XJ and XK's aluminium platform
and the new body style brings with it an additional engine for the model, a 550PS
supercharged 5.0-litre V8. For the moment, this will only be available in the
Coupé. The other two engines, which are shared with the convertible, are
340PS and 380PS versions of a supercharged 3.0-litre V6. Convertible buyers do
have the option of a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 but in 500PS form only, while this
lower powered V8 is not available in the hatchback. Ian
Hoban, the new car's Vehicle Line Director (i.e. chief engineer) told just-auto.com
that his team has created "the stiffest Jaguar ever". This is thanks
to "a single piece aluminium body side, which is a pressing that has never
been done before in the industry". Exceptionally
deep-draw aluminium pressings eliminate the requirement for joints in the panel
surface. The body side panel is fabricated from high-strength and formable AC600
aluminium, which has also been used for structural reinforcement – both engineering
firsts for Jaguar. Hoban
further notes that "extruded hydroformed beams have allowed us to deliver
such a low roof line". Meanwhile, one of the few criticisms leveled at the
convertible has been its tight boot space but this has been addressed in the new
hatchback, with what is claimed to be "407 litres of useable trunk space". The
550PS engine might be the most powerful yet seen in the F-TYPE but the brand has
a history of adding extreme RS derivatives to certain models. When asked by just-auto.com
what engine could power a future F-TYPE RS, chief designer Al Whelan grinned and
answered, "We've got a few ideas about that". Prices
for the new Coupé are as follows: 340PS
F-TYPE (340PS 3.0) £ 51,235 380PS F-TYPE S (380PS 3.0) - £ 60,235 550PS
F-TYPE R (550PS 5.0) - £ 85,000 | March
11 2014 Jaguar
to end XK production this year
Jaguar will cease production of the XK before
the end of 2014 to concentrate on the F-Type line and the recently announced XE
small saloon. | March
7 2014 Jaguar
recruits footballer Beckham as China brand ambassador
Beckham has been
named a brand ambassador for Jaguar China Former
international footballer David Beckham has joined Tata Motors' luxury car unit
Jaguar as a 'brand ambassador' to "support significant forthcoming product
launches in China". "British
sporting icon Beckham will feature in above-the-line marketing campaigns for the
brand in one of its most significant international markets," Jaguar said. JLR
China managing director Bob Grace said: "We are absolutely thrilled that
David will be an ambassador for Jaguar in China. Beckham is a Briton whose achievements
mean he has global popularity and he is someone who embodies contemporary British
style and sophistication. He is a truly modern, British individual with a genuine
passion for design, innovation, performance and driving." As
part of a long-term partnership, Beckham will star in a series of print adverts
and TV commercials exclusively in China. His
role will initially see him feature alongside the new F-Type Coupé. He
will also feature in brand and product communication campaigns in coming years,
including those for the XJ large luxury saloon which is likely eventually to be
fully manufactured in China at a joint venture plant currently under construction
with local partner Chery. Beckham said: "I’ve always been an admirer of
Jaguar – from the styling and design to the feel and roar of the engine, every
element feels uniquely British. It’s an honour to support a brand with such an
amazing heritage and I look forward to being part of Jaguar’s exciting future
in China." Jaguar
has revealed print materials to be used in the new marketing campaign. Fashion
photographer and filmmaker Peter Lindbergh was commissioned to produce exclusive
campaign images. He has worked with Beckham in the past and their involvement
in the Jaguar campaign will see the two figures continue their collaborative relationship. The
F-Type Coupé will be a prominent feature of the first phase of the campaign.
The XF and XJ saloons will also feature in the new Beckham campaign to present
the brand's full range to Chinese consumers. The
print campaign will appear in magazines and on billboards across China with TV
advertising starting later this year. | March
4 2014 Jaguar
names 'small' saloon XE Jaguar's new 'small' saloon will be called the
XE and be the first aluminium monocoque product in the segment, the Tata Motors
luxury car unit announced at the Geneva show today. | March
3 2014 Jaguar
Land Rover's lightweight future Tata's
UK-based Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit has grown volume and profit in recent years,
underpinned by successful model range additions and sales expansion around the
world. Ian Adcock lifts the lid on the increasing importance of aluminium in JLR's
future product strategy. Having
recently posted pre-tax profits of GBP1,675m, up 11% over last year, and announced
an investment programme of GBP2.75bn with a view to introducing eight new or refreshed
products this year alone, it’s challenging to recall this is the same business
that went cap in hand, unsuccessfully, to the Blair government for a loan to bail
it out during the height of the global financial crisis in 2009. More
recently, every press release that Jaguar Land Rover issues seems only to trumpet
yet another success or expansion. Last year it announced plans for manufacturing
in China and Brazil, and is constructing a GBP500m engine plant in the UK. The
plant in Brazil will have the capacity to build 24,000 vehicles annually for the
Brazilian market, with the first vehicles (model not yet specified) off the line
in 2016. It has also announced that its range-topping Jaguar XJ saloon will be
built for the Indian market at JLR’s plant in Chakan, near Pune.
more... | January
13 2014 Tata's
Jaguar Land Rover boosts 2013 sales 19% to record 425,006
Global sales
up 19% to 425,006 Jaguar volume up 42% to 76,668 Land Rover up 15% to 348,338 Jaguar
Land Rover, the UK-based premium luxury unit of Tata Motors, sold a record 425,006
vehicles in 2013, up 19% year on year, with strong growth in all major regions
and new records set in 38 markets. Asia
Pacific and China region sales rose 30%, North America was up 21%, the UK up 14%,
Europe up 6%, and other export markets up 23%. EO
Ralf Speth said: "Our unrelenting focus on design, technology, innovation
and quality has seen Jaguar Land Rover reach global consumers in more markets
than ever before thanks to its most desirable product line-up." Jaguar
booked a 42% rise, selling 76,668 vehicles in 2013 - its strongest full year sales
performance since 2005 with new records set in 17 markets including Brazil, India,
Russia and China. Jaguar
delivered year on year increases in every major region with North America now
the brand's top selling region. Land Rover set a new full year sales record with
348,338 vehicles in 2013, up 15%. Sales
were up in every major region with annual sales records set in 42 markets, including
the UK, USA, Brazil and India. | January
9 2014 Tata Jaguar
Land Rover creates new engine centre
Jaguar Land Rover is investing more
than GBP500m (US$821m) in a new engine manufacturing centre at Wolverhampton in
the UK Midlands to bring power plant supply back to its production doorstep. he
centre will support the manufacture of JLR's new family of high technology, low
emission engines, responsible for the assembly of engine components, operation
of the plant's manufacturing equipment, supporting tool changes and material line
feed. Trevor Leeks,
the centre's operations director said, he is now looking to recruit some 600 people
over the next four years. JLR has worked with local government authorities to
create a tailored training programme for local unemployed people to develop the
skills required at the plant. The
six-week training programme will cover enhanced literacy & numeracy skills,
how to approach competency based interviews, team exercises and interview preparation. The
engine manufacturing centre's team currently stands at around 100 people including
18 apprentices and 6 graduates. In addition to the manufacturing roles at the
plant, there are also additional opportunities available in a range of engineering
and supervisory roles. | December
13 2013 Tata Jaguar
Land Rover CEO hails company transformation to 'global business'
Dr Ralf
Speth, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) CEO, has told journalists that after a record breaking
2013, the company is looking forward to further volume expansion and gaining a
global operational footprint. "What
a year we have had," said Dr Speth. "It has been phenomenal for growth
and the progression of our business. We now want to transform our business from
a UK-centric one to a global business with a new operational footprint,"
he said. His remarks
come hot on the heels of the announcement of a new JLR plant for Brazil. Turning
to 2014, Speth highlighted the company's planned manufacturing presence there. "We
are on track in China. We are deeply impressed with the speed with which you can
do something in China. The first vehicles will come off the production line [in
China] next year." Jaguar
Land Rover has established a joint venture company with Chery Automobile Company
Ltd representing an investment of RMB 10.9bn (circa GBP1bn). The JV, which will
be operational in 2014, is based at Changshu, in the Jiangshu Province. JLR
recently told the Chinese government that it aims to sell 100,000 vehicles in
China in 2014, compared with around 80,000 this year. Mike
Wright, Executive Director at JLR, also told just-auto that the next phase in
JLR's development is to evolve from being a UK-based business that exports to
the rest of the world (around 85% of the company's revenue comes from overseas
sales). "In the next phase, we become a global business that is also based
in the UK," he said. "These are exciting times for us." He
also said that the company is experiencing little adverse impact from the official
clampdown on corruption and 'bling' that has hit demand for some luxury products
in China. "We are working carefully to be positioned with the right brand
image and the right infrastructure to sell in China where our products are in
demand," he said. "And they clearly are." Wright
put down the continuing business success of JLR to three factors. "Firstly,
there is a trend around the world that favours premium and that has undeniably
helped us. We also have products that allow our customers to express their individuality
and that has been key. "Secondly,
we have exploited the trend of globalisation and been able to exploit rapidly
rising demand in emerging markets as well as the established developed markets. "Thirdly,
we have continued to invest heavily in new product. In this industry you have
to invest in new product to succeed. Look at the young and vibrant model ranges
we have - both Jaguar and Land Rover - and we are also fortunate to have a parent
company that recognises the importance of maintaining the pace of this investment." | December
5 2013 Tata Jaguar
Land Rover announces plant for Brazil
As expected, Tata subsidiary Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has today announced plans for a manufacturing facility in Brazil. JLR's
planned expansion into Brazil is described by the company as "the next major
step in the company's strategy to increase its global manufacturing footprint
and create additional capacity". Construction
of the manufacturing facility will commence in mid-2014. It is anticipated that
the first vehicles will come off the assembly line in 2016, subject to the final
approval of the plans from the Brazilian Federal Government under its Inovar-auto
Programme. The new plant will have a capacity to build 24,000 vehicles annually
for the Brazilian market. Initially,
the plant will employ almost 400 people. This number is expected to almost double
by the end of the decade. This new manufacturing facility will also create additional
jobs across the local supply chain network. Dr
Ralf Speth, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said, "Brazil and the surrounding regions
are very important. Customers there have an increasing appetite for highly capable
premium products. "This
new programme will enable us to bring exciting new vehicles to them, with outstanding
British design and engineering, creating a world-class Jaguar Land Rover facility
incorporating leading premium manufacturing technologies. "We
have established excellent working relationships with the State of Rio de Janeiro,
the City of Itatiaia & the Rio de Janeiro State Industrial Development Company
and we look forward to attracting new customers to our business in this important
market." Phil
Popham, JLR's marketing chief, recently told just-auto that the company has formed
a new Global Business Expansion team that it is looking at production opportunities
around the world. These include Brazil where there is a very strong market for
Land Rover products. "Brazil
is by far the biggest market in quite a volatile region in terms of sales and
currencies but we are looking at the long term potential,” Popham said. | December
3 2013 Tata Jaguar
Land Rover opens technical academy
UK prime minister David Cameron is
leading a big delegation of over 100 British business leaders to China; JLR is
playing a prominent role as a representative of the UK auto industry Tata
Motor subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has opened a technical academy in Beijing
at a ceremony attended by UK Prime Minister David Cameron. The
ceremony took place during a UK trade delegation visit to the country. Jaguar
Land Rover CEO, Dr. Ralf Speth joined the Prime Minister and a delegation of UK
ministers and business leaders on a four day trade mission as a leading representative
of the UK's automotive industry. Dr
Speth said that China is a key territory for Jaguar Land Rover. "Our Chinese
National Sales Company (NSC) was established in 2010 and since that time we have
seen the expansion of our dealer network... it is therefore vital that we invest
in the skills and training necessary to support our two great premium brands and
provide our discerning Chinese customers with unrivalled quality and customer
experiences." The
Training Academy in Beijing is the second such JLR facility to open in China and
will shortly be complemented by a new Academy in Guangzhou. JLR says these centres
will see more than 10,500 technicians, sales consultants and service representatives
trained to work across its 223 authorised dealers in more than 90 cities across
China. To further
support its Chinese consumer base, Jaguar Land Rover has established a joint venture
company with Chery Automobile Company Ltd representing an investment of RMB 10.9bn
(circa GBP1bn). The JV, which will be operational in 2014, is based at Changshu,
in the Jiangshu Province and will harness the expertise of the respective companies
to produce bespoke vehicles tailored specifically for the Chinese market, JLR
says. The British
premier also used the trip to call for closer trade ties between China and the
EU. | October
10 2013 JLR sales
up 16% in 2013
Tata Motors' luxury vehicle division, Jaguar Land Rover,
boosted September sales 17% year on year to 43,181 units. Year to date sales rose
16% to 312,834. The
company reported rises last month in in all major regions: China up 46%, Asia
Pacific up 29%, UK up 11%, Europe up 8%, North America up 6% and other overseas
markets up 15%. YTD sales were also up in all major regions with Asia Pacific
up 29%, China up 24%, North America up 17%, UK up 15%, Europe up 5% and other
overseas markets up 19%. Jaguar
sold 8,462 vehicles, up 35%, last month as F-type deliveries kicked in. China
Region sales rose 218% thanks to new models developed specifically for that market. Jaguar
YTD volume was up 38% to 57,660 vehicles with a 122% increase in China. | October
2, 2013 JLR appoints
John Edwards as MD of new division JAGUAR
Land Rover has appointed John Edwards into the role of managing director of the
newly created Individual Products Division with immediate effect. The
new division will be responsible for designing and creating a portfolio of ‘brand
extending products’, said a press release, ranging from high value halo vehicles
to lifestyle merchandise products. The
firm says Edwards will be responsible for the company’s ‘Engineered To Order’
division, accessories, licensing and merchandise activities, vehicle operations
and heritage vehicles across both brands. JLR’s
chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said: ‘The introduction of the Individual Products
Division is an exciting new opportunity for Jaguar Land Rover and is designed
to sharpen our relentless focus on delivering outstanding products for our customers
– past, present and future. ‘John
brings a wealth of experience to the role which will be integral to supporting
our future growth strategy.’ Edwards
joined Jaguar Land Rover as a graduate and has held a number of senior management
positions, most recently Land Rover global brand director. Commenting
on his new role, Edwards said: ‘This is a great opportunity to establish a new
business within a business. ‘Both
Jaguar and Land Rover are world renowned brands that evoke strong emotional connections
with customers the world over. We intend to ensure that our product offering constantly
evolves to further enhance the experience of owning one of our products. ‘This
new division aims to develop that additional dimension.’ | September
24 2013 Jaguar
Land Rover unveils future R&D plans with new technology centre
Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has revealed details of the near GBP100m National Automotive
Innovation Campus (NAIC) at the UK University of Warwick, scheduled to open in
2016 to provide advanced technology and research. | September
19 2013 Jaguar
temporarily halts XJ production Jaguar has temporarily suspended production
of its XJ model at the UK Castle Bromwich plant due to an unspecified supply chain
issue. The automaker
is declining to reveal what the nature of the supply difficulty is, but some component
manufacture has stopped today with production due to restart by the end of next
week. "It
is four days in total," a Jaguar spokesman told just-auto. "We won't
be building XJs for just under a week. "There
are around 500 people working on XJ production and during this period, they will
be redeployed to other areas of the plant, on maintenance or supporting production
on other lines." | August
16 2013 Jaguar
recalls 2,929 XF and XK convertible models
Tata Motors' Jaguar is recalling
940 of the four-cylinder XF two litre petrol models introduced in the US for the
2013 model year. Affected
cars were made from July 2012 to May 2013 and need the clamp for the charge air
cooler hose checked for position and tightness. "If
the CAC hose detaches, the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally,
steering and brake assistance may be lost further increasing the risk," the
NHTSA said in a recall notice. In
the recall starting 27 September, dealers will inspect the CAC hose and clamp
and make any needed repairs, at no charge. Jaguar
is also calling back 1,989 2011-2014 XK convertible vehicles made from 1 October,
2010 to 1 August, 2013 to check the switch in the overhead roof console that also
activates the power operated windows when the convertible roof is opening or closing.
Because the switch does not move downward to close the windows the vehicles don't
meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 118. NHTSA
said the windows may inadvertently be activated and pinch or injure an arm or
finger. Dealers will
replace the overhead roof console, also free of charge. |
August 7 2013 Jaguar
Q1 pretax up 25% Retail
sales up 10% to 94,719 Revenue up 13% to GBP4,097m Pretax profit up 25%
to GBP415m Tata
Group's Jaguar Land Rover reported pretax profits up 25% to GBP415m for the first
fiscal quarter of 2013/14. Retail
sales of 94,719 vehicles contributed to revenues of GBP4,097m, up 13% year on
year. Asia Pacific
sales rose 37%, the UK was up 13%, China up 11%, North America up 10%, Europe
up 3%, and other overseas markets up 11%. | July
31 2013 Jaguar
XKR-S GT set for the UK JAGUAR
has announced limited UK sales of its extreme record-breaking XKR-S GT. 10
examples of the track-prepared XKR-S GT will come road-ready for UK customers
at a price of £135,000 with first deliveries planned for October 2013. Since
its launch at the New York International Auto Show, a prototype version of the
Jaguar XKR-S GT has been undertaking numerous test programmes both and off the
track, in Germany and the UK.
The
prototype showcased its supercar-rivalling capabilities during its recent run
on the Nurburgring, where it completed one lap in an outstanding 7 minutes and
40 seconds – making it the fastest ever road-legal Jaguar at the Nordschleife
circuit. Previously,
sales of the XKR-S have been limited to 30 units in the US and Canada, but interest
has continued to flourish. The
XKR-S more recently made its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with
six-time Olympic Champion, Sir Chris Hoy behind the wheel. Powered
by Jaguar’s proven 542bhp, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine, which is mated to
a six-speed automatic transmission and active electronic differential, the XKR-S
GT can catapult from 0-60mph in just 3.9 seconds and has a limited top speed of
186mph. To ensure the
XKR-S will slow down, it uses a new carbon ceramic brake system – a first for
a production Jaguar. It
also features a new development of front and rear suspension, which includes a
wider front track, increased camber and revised bushings. It also has a new steering
system and faster steering ratio, all of which was developed and derived from
the new F-Type two-seater sports car. | July
28 2013 Silverstone
delivers, yet again The
2013 edition of the Silverstone Classic produced a great variety of Jaguars as
usual. From the SS100 and the XJR15 on on
the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club stand to
a selection of racing cars - C type, D type, E type, XK120and a couple of XJRs,
more.... | July
23 2013 New small
Jaguars by 2015 says report Tata
Motors' Jaguar will launch new affordable models from 2015 in a bid to emulate
the success of lower cost luxury vehicles made by its sister company Land Rover,
Reuters reported, citing two sources close to the company. The
new cars will include a compact saloon and crossover SUV - currently the fastest-growing
models in terms of global sales - and be available in the second half of 2015.
Jaguar said last year a smaller model and an SUV were among a number of possibilities
being looked at by the brand. Such vehicles will provide direct competition to
similar cars from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The
Range Rover Evoque small SUV and Land Rover Freelander are currently among JLR's
top selling models. JLR
sales rose 14% in the first half of this year to 210,190 cars, helped by fast-growing
China – although Jaguar models accounted for less than 20% of the total. Since
being acquired by Tata from Ford, JLR has gone from strength to strength helped
by the growing demand for luxury cars in emerging markets. With Land Rover sales
in particular booming, Tata bosses are keen to bring Jaguar up to speed. Reuters’
sources said a new family of more affordable Jaguars will be built on production
lines previously used to make Land Rover vehicles. The new range is likely to
be all-aluminium, as used for the recent Jaguar XJ. JLR last year signed a deal
with a Saudi Arabian firm to buy aluminium from one of the world's largest smelters
in the kingdom. JLR
said earlier this year it planned to invest GBP2.7bn (US$4.2bn) each year for
the next four years on new products and production facilities. |
May 30 2013 JLR
boosts Tata to estimate-beating Q4 results A rise in profits at British
luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover was not enough to offset an overall fall
in fourth fiscal quarter after tax earnings at parent Tata Motors. Nonetheless,
results were ahead of analysts' estimates. Net
profit for the January-March 2013 quarter fell 36.7% year on year to INR39.45bn
(GBP466.4m) on revenue up 10% to INR560bn. A
one-off tax gain had contributed to a significantly higher net Q4 profit the year
before. Analysts had on average expected a profit of INR28.86bn on revenues of
INR518.51bn, according to Thomson Reuters Starmine. Tata
said the results were achieved "despite a weak operating environment in the
standalone business which was more than offset by strong demand, growth in volumes,
favourable market mix and favourable operating foreign exchange at Jaguar Land
Rover (JLR)". Unit
sales (including exports) of commercial and passenger vehicles for the quarter
fell 31.1% to 197,056. "Weak
macro-economic environment and competitive pressures on pricing, continued to
impact the operations during the quarter," Tata said. Operating
margin was 3.6% versus 9.5% a year ago. Full
year revenue slipped to INR44.8bn compared with INR54.3bn the previous year. Operating
margin was 4.8%. Net profit was INR3.02bn compared to INR12.4bn. JLR
sales for the fourth quarter rose 18.7% to a record 116,340 units with Jaguar
up almost 50% to 21,163 and Land Rover 13.4% to 95,177 thanks to new model derivatives
and engines. Revenue
grew 21.9% to GBP5.05m, operating profit (EBITDA) was up 41.5% to GBP856m and
net profit was downt to GBP378m from GBP696m. Reuters
reported that JLR's profit margin rose to 16.9% in the fourth quarter and 15.2%
for the full fiscal year. The margin was expected to remain in the range of 14-15%
this financial year | May
29 2013 Tata's
Jaguar Land Rover books 11% profit boost
Tata Motors' UK luxury car unit
Jaguar Land Rover booked record sales, revenues and pre-tax profit for the full
fiscal year to 31 March, 2013. Retail
sales rose 22% to 374,636 units for revenue up 17% to GBP15.8bn and pre-tax profit
was up 11% to GBP1,675m. Fiscal year new product launches included the redesigned
Range Rover, Jaguar XF Sportbrake [wagon] plus AWD and new market-specific engines
for the Jaguar XF and XJ. China
unit sales rose 48%, Asia Pacific 27%, UK 20%, Europe 18%, North America 9% and
other export markets 19%. CEO Ralf Speth said the automaker would spend about
GBP2.75bn on new product, staff and infrastructure in the current fiscal year. JLR
is building an engine plant in Wolverhampton, set to open in 2015, which will
reduce its dependence on engines from former owner Ford and that automaker's JVs. | May
15 2013 Jaguar
Land Rover April sales rise 15%
Tata Motors said Jaguar Land Rover sales
in April 2013 rose 15% year on year to 28,874 units - 5,334 Jaguar and 23,540
Land Rover. Including
these, The Tata Motors Group global sales last month reached 81,241. Commercial
vehicle volume rose 6% to 39,969. | May
13 2013 JLR opens
new engineering test centre in Dubai
Tata Group's Jaguar Land Rover has
expanded its Middle East test programme with a new engineering test centre in
Dubai, UAE, to conduct extreme hot weather vehicle research, development and testing. With
temperatures in the desert typically reaching 48 to 50 degrees Celsius in the
summer months, the new 11,120 sq ft facility in the Al Barsha area of Dubai will
offer a comprehensive range of tests including durability, calibration and hot
weather testing for heat and humidity. The engineering team at the new centre,
which replaces a smaller facility also in Dubai, will also test powertrains, chassis
and heat and ventilation systems, as well as off-road and sand driving capability. Jaguar
Land Rover has five global test facilities: Nurburgring, Germany; Arjeplog, Sweden;
Phoenix and International Falls, US, and Dubai. Director
of engineering technical services Martyn Hollingsworth said: "Jaguar Land
Rover has ambitious plans for growth, and since 2008 we have been investing to
enhance our engineering capability to help us deliver an unprecedented number
of new and refreshed models. "Our
new facility in Dubai is four times the size of the previous test centre and will
enable us to enhance our testing of future products and technologies. The engineering
team is focused on the quality and durability of our products and an important
part of this is rigorous environmental testing of our vehicles to ensure they
can withstand even the harshest conditions." Robin
Colgan, managing director for Middle East and North Africa added: "We are
delighted at the expansion of Jaguar Land Rover's test facilities in the Middle
East. Dubai offers some unique and very challenging environmental conditions,
so if a vehicle passes our tests here we know it will perform in any hot weather
environment. The new facility will be crucial to the company's continued success
as every model for the European and MENA markets will be certified here in Dubai
following thorough testing before going into global production." | May
10 2013 Local
suppliers get over half of Jaguar F-Type contracts
Tata Motors' Jaguar
Land Rover has awarded contracts worth GBP2.8bn (US$4.3bn) to companies worldwide
to supply parts for the new F-Type, with over GBP1.5bn ($US2.3bn) placed with
suppliers here in the UK. | April
29 2013 E type
prices still rising Those
that thought the prices of E types had levelled off after the fiftieth anniversary
were in for a surprise at Bonhams auction today. A "barn find" roadster
sold for £109k.Requiring total restoraration which will probably cost at
least £50k this shows that E type prices are still on the up. more... | 12
December 2012
Jaguar Land Rover suspends plans for C-X75 hybrid supercar
Jaguar Land
Rover (JLR) has suspended plans for production of the Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar,
due to what it says is the current tough economic environment. |
December 11 2012
Tata's Jaguar Land Rover eyes Saudi vehicle build, local alloy parts Tata
Motors' UK-based luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) could soon be building
vehicles in Saudi Arabia, possibly using locally-sourced aluminium components.The
automaker has signed a letter of intent with the kingdom's National Industrial
Clusters Development Programme (NICDP) and a feasibility study is now under way
to decide if full vehicle manufacture there is viable. UK reports suggested the
company may start with assembly from kits shipped from England, a method used
to build Land Rover models overseas for decades, with more complex manufacture
to follow once local workers have gained experience. JLR
recently announced a joint venture with Chery Automobile to build, rather than
just assemble, Jaguar and Land Rover models in China. Parent Tata assembles Freelanders
at a recently expanded plant in Pune. The
automaker said Saudi Prince Faisal Bin Turki bin Abdul Azi Al Saud and his government
want to develop an automotive industry. JLR CEO Ralf Speth said: “We are committed
to further international partnerships to meet record demand for our highly sought
after vehicles. [Saudi Arabia] is an attractive potential development option,
complementing our existing advanced facilities in Britain and recent manufacturing
plans to expand in other countries including India and China.” Discussions
are at a preliminary stage and include local aluminium parts production – JLR
is well experienced with building alloy vehicles. The
world’s largest integrated aluminium complex, a joint venture between Saudi Arabian
Mining Company and Alcoa, is due to begin production in 2014 in Ras Al Khair creating
potential opportunities for the automotive sector. JLR
sales in emerging markets are rising - global sales rose 32% year on year to 324,184
vehicles in the 11 months to 30 November. Middle East and North Africa volume
was up about 9% to 11,418 units. JLR
hopes to announce further plans in 2013. "Issues
such as level of investment, potential capacity and job creation have not yet
been discussed in detail between the parties," it said in a statement. “This
is an exciting project that could enable Jaguar Land Rover to establish a JV partnership
in a part of the world where luxury vehicle sales are expected to rise.” added
Speth. “If we proceed,
it will complement our existing expansion in the UK and elsewhere.” | 10
December 2012
Lear opening seat plant to supply Jaguar Lear Corporation will open a
new just-in-time factory in England's West Midlands, adding 60 jobs to supply
F-type seats to Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover. The
Jaguar F-type is scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2013. "I'm
pleased to announce our new site that will open in the first quarter of 2013 at
Lear's new location 1.5 miles north of Coventry city centre," said Lear's
Europe and Africa seating chief Gideon Jewel. Other
Lear UK facilities are a technical centre and offices in Coventry and a vehicle
foam manufacturing plant near Nissan's car plant in Sunderland, northeast England. |
December 7 2012 Jaguar
rediscovers all wheel drive Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover's late but welcome
spread out into niches already well tapped by German rivals Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz
attracted considerable reader interest here at just-auto this week. As
we noted: "[New Jaguar and Land Rover variants] ...open up market segments
around the world JLR has been locked out of because it did not have a relevant
model. New all-wheel-drive versions of the Jaguar XF and XJ mean that the brand
can compete in the snow belt regions of the United States where 80% of premium
saloon car sales have four wheel drive." As
Audi and BMW, in particular, already know. And - yeah, I know it's a different
place in the market - does Subaru which seems to have the New England market for
affordable 4WD cars and crossovers well cornered. To
be fair, we have been offered all wheel drive Jaguars before - hands up if you
recall the often unfairly maligned X-type. Yes, it had a few bugs, yes you could
dismiss it as a gussied-up Mondeo (Ford being JLR's owner at the time) but ever
asked anyone who owned one? Certainly my unscientific polls of UK owners have
attracted more praise and claims of lengthy ownership than complaints. The
new AWD Jaguar models are produced with left hand drive only and will also be
available in alpine regions of Europe and in China but not sold here in the UK
home market. | November
23 2012 Tata's
JLR names Indonesian Land Rover importer Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover
has added the Land Rover franchise to the Jaguar concession already held by its
importer in Indonesia. PT
Grandauto Dinamika (PT GAD) takes charge of the additional brand in January 2013. The
joint venture between Wearnes Automotive group and Hadi Widjaja Tanaga has been
the official importer for Jaguar in Indonesia since 2000. It will rebranding and
renovate of its current Jaguar facility to add Land Rover and will build three
new facilities across Jakarta to service and support for the brands. Wearnes
Automotive has been the Land Rover importer in Singapore since 2009. | November
9 2012 Jaguar
recalls 4,000 XFs over fuel leaks
Jaguar is recalling 4,195 units of model
year 2010-2012 XF vehicles equipped with a five-litre engine sold in the US. The
affected vehicles may have a fuel tank fuel outlet flange that may crack. The
cracked flange may result in fuel leakage onto the ground which could lead to
a fire. Jaguar
dealers will replace the flange. | August
14 2012 Jaguar
reveals the engine line-up for its new two-seater sports car The
launch of the F-Type Roadster at the Paris Motor Show is creeping ever closer,
and Jaguar is building the buzz with a host of new details on the two-seater sports
car, shown here in our artist's impression. Most
significant is confirmation of the three-strong engine line-up, which will include
335bhp and 375bhp versions of Jaguar's new 3.0-litre supercharged V6, as well
as a "new derivative" of the existing 5.0-litre supercharged V8. No
power output has been confirmed for the V8, but expect it to be in a milder state
of tune than the XFR, with around 450bhp. Jaguar
has also revealed that every model will be rear-wheel drive and use an eight-speed
automatic gearbox. Stop-start will be standard, too, while the chassis and body
will be constructed entirely from aluminium to keep weight down and performance
up. Adrian Hallmark,
Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars, said: “As its sporting forebears did in their
era, the F-Type will break new ground by delivering stunning sports car performance
while vividly demonstrating Jaguar’s cutting-edge engineering technologies and
world-class design excellence. The next step in Jaguar’s sporting bloodline is
about to become reality.” We'll
have full details and first official pictures of the Jaguar F-Type when it's revealed
on 26 September at the Paris Motor Show. | August
10 2012 PARIS
PREVIEW: Jaguar confirms production F-type debut Jaguar has shown disguised
prototypes publicly but latest teaser photo is the only image released so far
ahead of Paris debut next month. Tata
Motors' UK luxury car unit, Jaguar, on Friday confirmed the F-type, its completely
new aluminium two-seater sports car, will make its global debut in production
form at the Paris show on 27 September. The
much-teased roadster has already had considerable attention from enthusiast media
while driveable prototypes have been shown to the public and journalists. Jaguar
Cars' global brand director, Adrian Hallmark, said: “The unveiling in Paris will
be a truly significant day in Jaguar’s history as it will mark the company’s return
to the sports car market, a market it originally helped to create. “As
its sporting forebears [XK-series, D- racer and E-type roadster/coupe] did in
their era, the F-type will break new ground by delivering stunning sports car
performance while vividly demonstrating [our] cutting-edge engineering technologies
and world-class design excellence. The next step in Jaguar’s sporting bloodline
is about to become reality.” The
model line will be launched as a convertible with a choice of three petrol engines:
340PS and 380PS versions of Jaguar’s new three-litre supercharged V6, and a new
derivative of its existing supercharged five-litre V8. All will drive the rear
wheels through an eight-speed transmission and will have stop/start. Prototype
testing Following
the F-TYPE’s ‘camouflaged’ public drive at the Goodwood Festival of Speed here
in England last June, testing of the final verification prototypes has continued
in some of the harshest environments in the world. Jaguar
said the test programme is designed to verify the "staggering" amount
of design work that was carried out by Jaguar’s engineers in its in-house ‘virtual
world’, a process in which the automaker claims industry leadership. Over
0.5m separate design analyses were carried out comprising 10m CPU hours of processing,
creating more than 300TB of data. Had that same amount of initial design analysis
been completed on physical cars, in the pre-computer design era, the number of
prototype built would have been in the thousands - impractical. Engineers
are currently concentrating on honing the performance of the physical verification
prototypes to ensure the production car meets expectations. Vehicle
line director Iand Hoban said: “We’re really pleased how the attributes have translated
from the virtual simulation work we’ve done into the physical world. “Now,
we’re refining and adding those last few percentage points... which will turn
a great sports car into an exceptional one.” Tweets
such as this from a British Car? magazine - "Jaguar confirms the F-type for
Paris, which raises the excitement levels in the What Car? office" - suggest
the queue to test that claim is already forming. | July
25 2012 Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) is to create more than 1,100 jobs, it has been announced. The
expansion of the workforce at its Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands will
support the launch of new Jaguar models, including the XF Sportbrake. Business
Secretary Vince Cable hailed the expansion as "fantastic news for Castle
Bromwich", while JLR said this was "a very exciting time for Jaguar".
The XF, XK and XJ Jaguar models are made at Castle Bromwich, with around 80% of
production exported to more than 100 markets worldwide. Mr Cable said: "This
is fantastic news for Castle Bromwich that JLR is creating more than 1,000 jobs
to support the production of new models at the plant. This expansion is a clear
demonstration of JLR's continuing commitment and investment in the UK." JLR
chief executive Dr Ralf Speth said: "Innovation in design, engineering and
technology is at the core of our business and for the UK this means we will continue
to invest in new products, develop new technologies and enhance the skills of
our employees. "The
launch of our latest Jaguar models, including the new XF Sportbrake later this
year, means it is a very exciting time for Jaguar. These new models will attract
new customers to the brand as we look to expand our global reach and further enhance
our position in the market." Jaguar
has sold more than 29,000 vehicles globally in the first six months of this year
- a 19% increase on the same period last year. | July
22 2012 Cats purr
at Silverstone Once
again a plethora of Jaguars could be seen in action and at rest in the paddocks
at the Silverstone Classic meeting. Following the success of last year's fiftieth
anniversary race a large number of E types took to the track this year.
In
addition to numerous E types on the track there were C types, D types, XKs, XJC,
XJS and specials such as Lister and Cooper Jaguars. more | June
8 2012 JLR names
Jaguar UK marketing director
Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Motors' luxury car
unit, has named Ken Forbes marketing director of Jaguar Cars UK, starting on 11
June. |
May 31 2012 Jaguar
displaces Lexus in JD Power survey Tata Motors' Jaguar has beaten Toyota's
Lexus to the top spot in the UK JD Power and Associates/What Car? UK Vehicle Ownership
Satisfaction Study (VOSS). Lexus dropped to joint second place with Skoda after
topping the results for the past 11 years. | May
7 2012 £200m
Castle Bromwich investment at risk as Jaguar workers reject new practices A
£200 million investment to secure the future of Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich
plant is in the balance after workers rejected new practices. Manufacturing
staff at the ageing plant threw out a string of new measures demanded by owners
Tata to improve productivity and potentially create hundreds of new jobs. The
plans, including compulsory Saturday working, a new drugs and alcohol testing
policy, moves to reduce short-term absence and a reduction in annual manpower
labour costs, were rejected by 1,153 against to 756 votes in favour. The
Unite union issued a statement expressing “disappointment”, and said a new round
of discussions would be held with management. Des Quinn, Unite regional official,
said: “Both Unite and the company are disappointed with the result and will continue
discussions to see how we can move Castle Bromwich forward in order to secure
its long-term future and the jobs of our members.” Jaguar’s Nick O’Donnell said:
“The trade union representatives and the Castle Bromwich management team will
continue discussions on these proposals.” But
a Jaguar worker, who asked not to be named, said: “A lot of people here are happy
that this has been rejected. We were fearing the worst because we thought a lot
of temps would vote for it. We are not sure where we will now go with this. It’s
right back to the drawing board.” The
ballot rejection leaves Tata’s commitment to a £200 million investment,
including a new body shop, model replacements and new jobs, in the melting pot.
The joint union and
management blueprint for the efficiency drive, called New Product Proposal, had
warned: “We share the view that investment and increased volume is required for
the long-term sustainability of the plant.” Jaguar
and Land Rover enjoyed a good April in the UK, with Jaguar selling 805 cars, 56
per cent up over April 2011 and Land Rover 2,925, 46 per cent up. | April
24 2012 JLR's
1,000 openings draw 35,000 applicants Reflecting the current state of
the UK job market, over 35,000 candidates have applied for 1,000 new jobs at Tata
Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover's Halewood factory, near Liverpool in the UK. | April
24 2012 Jaguar
downsizes engines
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar seems to be taking a leaf out
of former owner Ford's book by replacing V8 and V6 engines with a supercharged
three-litre V6 and a turbocharged two-litre I4. | April
23 2012 Chinese
JLR assembly some years off
China will be a new home from home for Jaguar
Land Rover once the company's joint venture with Chinese partner Chery Automobile
gets under way though that's several years off. |
March 14 2012 Jaguar
assembly likely in 3-5 years Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover will
consider assembling Jaguars in India in the next three-five years, a top executive
said. "We are looking
at it, but volumes in India are very small now. As we go forward, we will surely
consider this," Jaguar global brand director Adrian Hallmark told Press Trust
of India (PTI). Kit
assembly of Land Rover's Freelander began at Tata Motors' Pune plant in India
last May. When
asked for a timeline for Jaguar assembly, Hallmark said: "We have not planned
anything right now, but in the next 3-5 years, we can imagine this happening in
India." During
the 2010-11 fiscal year, combined JLR sales in India rose to 891 units from 242
the previous year. JLR
is planning an engine factory in India to meet demand, PTI noted. | March
13 2012 Jaguars
all set to roar once again at Silverstone The
2012 Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July) will host two rounds of
the Jaguar E-type Challenge, it was confirmed today (Monday 12 March). The news
completes a massive 24-race programme featuring the world’s largest collection
of classic racing machinery. Once again the full line-up will total in excess
of 1000 entries spanning more than eight decades of motor sport history and includes
the finest Formula One, GT, saloon and Le Mans cars from past generations. Created
last year to salute the 50th birthday of Britain’s favourite sportscar, the unique
Jaguar E-type Challenge – run exclusively for packed grids of E-types – was one
of the star attractions at the 2011 Silverstone Classic… an event chosen by Jaguar
clubs from around the world to mark the iconic Coventry Cat’s golden anniversary. “With
grids of more than 50 competition-prepared E-types, the two Jaguar races were
among last summer’s highlights – that’s why we are so delighted to welcome back
the Jaguar E-type Challenge to the Silverstone Classic in July,” enthused Nick
Wigley, Event Organiser. “We will be staging two rounds of the series with races
on both Saturday and Sunday, thus providing fans with a double dose of high quality
and truly evocative action. The fast nature of the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit
certainly suits the E-type and I’m sure all those who enjoyed last year’s races
will be thrilled by the promise of a repeat while those who missed last year’s
Classic will have another chance to see what all the excitement was about.” Just
five circuits will be hosting the Jaguar E-type Challenge in 2012 with races in
France and Germany in addition to those in the UK. As last year, the Silverstone
Classic with its licence to start up to 58 cars is likely to witness the biggest
grid of the season. A
Guinness World Record-breaking track parade of 767 racing and road going E-types
was another of last year’s celebrations. Emulating that memorable achievement,
this July’s three-day festival will honour a host of equally evocative anniversaries.
These include 50th birthday homages for the AC Cobra, Lotus Elan, MGB and Triumph
Spitfire plus the UK’s first BMW Z-Fest to mark 60 years of the BMW Car Club GB.
Another highlight will be the largest ever gathering of Ferrari F40s (an unprecedented
54 are registered to date) as the much-admired Italian supercar reaches its 25th
birthday. |
December 23 2011 Work
on new Jaguar Land Rover engine site could start in January Work on Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR)'s new engine manufacturing site in the UK town of Wolverhampton
could start as early as January next year. Councillors
on the South Staffordshire authority gave the go-ahead this week for the GBP350m
(US$548m) plant that could create 750 direct jobs - and potentially fuel many
more down the supply chain. Plans were submitted to the council this October after
JLR's initial public announcement they hoped to move to the i54 site in the UK.
Jaguar Land Rover will now join international aviation design and manufacturing
company, Moog, which has already started construction of a unit at the site while
a second, Eurofins Scientific, has announced it will locate there too. It is thought
that work to prepare the site could start as early as January. "A
huge effort has gone into getting this application through," said South Staffordshire
council regulatory committee chairman Brian Cox. "It
is a very important project and one which will benefit the entire region for years
to come. We just had to make sure we got it right." The bid to attract
JLR to the site was jointly made by South Staffordshire Council, Staffordshire
County Council and Wolverhampton City Council. Staffordshire
County Council and Wolverhampton City Council will now embark on a new project
to construct a new slip road off the M54 motorway at Junction 2 which will serve
the i54 site. Both councils
are investing around GBP20m into the scheme which they have said is essential
to the site and which was a big selling point in their bid to attract global investors
such as JLR to i54. | November
30 2011 Jaguar
confirms XF wagon for Geneva Jaguar
has confirmed it will launch its new XF wagon at the Geneva motor show next year. "The
spokesman added the new car would be rear wheel drive with no plans for a four
wheel drive version. The X-type, axed a couple of years ago, was offered with
both"... front wheel drive and four wheel drive. | November
14 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover posts 30% rise in revenue to US$4.6bn Jaguar Land Rover has
posted a 30.3% rise in revenue to GBP2.92bn (US$4.6bn) for the latest quarter,
with operating profit of GBP437m, up 17.2%. | November
10 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover recruiting over 1,000 new workers Tata Motors-owned Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR), which claims to be the UK's largest automotive design, engineering
and manufacturing employer is adding 1,000 jobs at its factory in Solihull, near
Birmingham in what it called its "most ambitious growth plan in recent history". | November
8 2011 Jaguar
ships first diesel to US
Jaguar has shipped its new XF 2.2-litre diesel
to the US but there's only one and it's right hand drive. | October
10 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover triples graduate intake as demand booms
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
says it has recruited three times more graduates this year as it continues to
ramp up production in the face of strong global demand. | October
10 2011 Chery,
Jaguar Land Rover, reportedly seek JV approval Chery
Automobile and Tata Motors-owned Jaguar and Land Rover are seeking regulatory
approval to set up a joint venture in China, the China Business News said on Monday. |
October 7 2011
Jaguar Land Rover lauds robust industrial relations in engine deal Jaguar
Land Rover's announcement it will build a new engine production plant in the UK
is evidence of healthy industrial relations, said the automaker. Those
relations came under considerable strain recently with the accidental death of
one of its employees at the Halewood Land Rover plant but majority labour union
Unite rallied in support of the manufacturer praising its detailed attention to
health and safety. "Our
CEO [Ralf Speth] would say safety is our number one priority," a JLR spokesman
told just-auto. "There is another report to come from the police and then
it will be handled by the Health and Safety Executive." The
spokesman noted strong industrial relations had been a feature of the booming
manufacturer's success in recent years, hailing their robustness as part of the
reason behind the decision to locate the US$554m engine plant in the UK. "Obviously
our employees have been very supportive during the last few years and we signed
a landmark agreement with the unions which was about flexibility," he said.
"The announcement
[for] Wolverhampton is testament to that relationship we have with the unions." Unite
is the largest union at the Halewood plant in north west England that builds the
Freelander and Evoque models and has come out four square behind JLR as it investigates
the tragedy. "The
car industry is exceptionally health and safety conscious and Jaguar Land Rover
in particular," said Unite national officer Roger Maddison. | September
4 2011 Chelsea
Autolegends features 50 years of the E type Several
events this year have focussed on the 50th anniversary of the E type and Autolegends
is probably the final event of the year to do so. The selection included the Lindner/Nocker
lightweight, several series 1s, and a series 3 convertible.
The
rarely seen Group 44 XJS racecar, a TWR XJS racecar, a C type and an XJ13 replica
were some of the rarer Jaguars on display. The fifties and sixties were represented
by a number of XKs - 120s, 140s and 150s - and Mark 2 and S type saloons. The
S type being an ex police car. Additionally
a fine selection of Astons, Ferraris and Porsches make this one of the few events
held in Central London to be added to your diary for next year. more | July
29 2011 E types
take over Goodwood This
year's Goodwood Festival of Speed was a feast for Jaguar enthusiasts. The sculpture
in front of the house was an E type coupe made of steel from Tata the owners of
Jaguar Cars Ltd.

A
varied selection of Jaguars took to the hill from Lightweight E type, XJ13, XJR5
and the new XKR-S. more... | July
28 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover sells 18,508 vehicles in H1 2011 Jaguar Land Rover sold 18,508 vehicles
in China in the first half of 2011, up 48% year on year. Land
Rover sold 16,322 vehicles and Jaguar 2,186. Sales by both brands rose around
50%. Bob Grace, director
of operations, said he was confident about the future and expects China to become
JLR's second largest market. |
July 25 2011 Jaguar's
dimming daylight runners
Kudos to Jaguar and its 2012 XF range headlight
unit supplier for coming up with a solution to a problem currently being mentioned
on some auto consumer forums - the new European Union-mandated daylight running
lamps (DRLs), the bright LED versions in particular, can make flashing direction
indicators in the same cluster harder to see under some conditions. | July
24 2011 E types
take over Silverstone This
year's Silverstone Classic was a feast for Jaguar enthusiasts. Chosen by the Jaguar
clubs as their venue to celebrate 50 years of the E-type, perfectly timed as the
first customer cars were delivered in the UK in July 1961. The response from E-type
owners from all over the world was fantastic, with hundreds descending on Silverstone,
not only from the UK but also Monaco, Norway, Switzerland and the USA. Everything
from Lightweight to white-wall tyred, concours to well-used, Low-Drag to roadster…
E-types as far as the eye could see. On Saturday they gathered, row upon row upon
row, and at lunchtime the invasion started. More than 1000 were on site with over
800 E-types taking to the track, filling the 3.6-mile circuit, horns blasting,
flags waving and lights blazing. This wonderful cavalcade was led by the legendary
Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis driving a series 1 drophead. more...
| June
24 2011 A successful
Salon Privé at a new venue. This
year Salon Privé moved to the beautiful surroundings of Syon Park with
Syon House as the backdrop. With more space than the Hurlingham Club it gives
the event room to grow. Not to be outshone by the gardens the cars on display
glimmered in all their glory. The
star of the Jaguars was probably the Eagle Speedster, virtually handbuilt with
a price tag of £500k. The more affordable Jaguars included a very early
E type roadster, a commerative V12 roadster and a Mark 2 carrying the registration
number BUY 1 made famous by John Coombs.
more
| May
27 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover books GBP1.04bn fiscal year profit Champagne corks should be
popping just about now at Jaguar Land Rover HQ after Tata Motors' annual results
for fiscal 2010-11 included, to quote the statement: "strong profitability,
with healthy volumes..., net revenue of GBP9,906m ($US16,169m) and a profit after
tax of GBP1,043m ($1,702m)". | May
6 2011 Tata's
£5bn for JLR includes hybrid supercar
Jaguar on Friday said it would
build the C-X75 hybrid combining internal combustion power with electric motors
"to achieve supercar performance" while emitting less than 99g/km of
CO2 as part of a GBP5bn investment in Jaguar Land Rover by Indian owner Tata Motors. The
four wheel drive model would accelerate from rest to 60mph in less than three
seconds, on to 100mph in under six seconds and have a top speed beyong 200mph.
Plus an all-electric running range of about 30 miles (50km). The
lightweight model on an all carbon-fibre chassis will be built in the UK in association
with the Williams F1 team in what Jaguar described as "irect technology transfer
from top-level motorsport". The
car will be priced from GBP700,000 and only 250 will be built. Adrian
Hallmark, Jaguar brand director, said: “The C-X75 received an incredible reception
as a concept car. We’ve been building on that momentum and there is a clear business
case for this exclusive halo model. No other vehicle will better signify Jaguar’s
renewed confidence and excellence in technological innovation than this.” Williams
will provide expertise in aerodynamics, carbon composite manufacture and hybrid
technologies. Production of the new car is expected to create about 100 "highly-skilled"
jobs in the UK. The
car's launch is part of a GBP5bn investment plan, announced by Jaguar Land Rover
(JLR) in March at the Geneva motor show, to launch 40 "significant new products"
over the next five years. John
Leech, partner at KPMG’s automotive practice said: “Tata’s announced GBP5bn investment
in JLR is very pleasing news for the motor industry, manufacturing in general
and the UK economy. This is a 'full' investment that will set JLR up for years
to come. It shows that Tata has faith that JLR can be a leading global carmaker
and underscores that with the right product and right brand, the UK is a successful
location for manufacturing." “Although
the prospects are for low growth in the western car markets, Asian car markets
will continue to see double digit growth for years to come and it is this opportunity
that Tata has its eye on. Credit must go to JLR’s management team which has done
a great job of turning itself around during the recession.” | April
21 2011 Porsche
GB chief jumps Atlantic to JLR North America Former
Porsche Great Britain chief executive Andy Goss will be president of Jaguar Land
Rover North America (JLRNA) from 1 May. Goss, 53, will run the 'national sales
company' for both Tata Motors-owned brands in the United States and Canada. He
replaces Gary Temple who retires later this year. | April
20 2011 JLR extends
its commercial network in China. Jaguar Land Rover (Tata Motors) plans
to bring the number of its dealers in China to 100 by two years, against 59 now.
Note that Jaguar Land Rover plans to sell 40,000 vehicles on the Chinese market
in 2011 (+54%), including 36,000 of the Land Rover brand. | April
19 2011 JLR ‘talking
to Chinese partners' Tata Motors owned Jaguar Land Rover is talking to
a number of Chinese companies about a possible manufacturing joint venture, said
CEO Ralf Speth. "We
had a long list of companies, now its shorter," he said. He
admitted JLR was late into China, only launching its own sales and distribution
company in the middle of last year. Sales first started in 2003 through a number
of local distributors. The
company now had a "once in a century" opportunity to establish itself
globally, and Speth was determined to seize it. Bruce
Robertson, head of sales and service for JLR China, said the company had gone
from having 37 dealers in the middle of 2010 to 60 by the end of 2010 and would
have 100 by the end of this year. Land
Rover sales grew 103% year on year to 26,000 in 2010 and will reach 40,000 this
year; Jaguar sales increased some 90% to 2,700 units and will hit 5,500 this year.
If these predictions prove right, China will be the second largest global market
for Land Rover and the third for Jaguar behind the UK and USA. Robertson
said current Jaguar specification "isn't right for China" where customers
want big cars with smaller engines. JLR has also moved an engineering team to
Shanghai and established a government liaison office in Beijing. A
new three-litre V6 engine for the XJ was unveiled at the show as part of Jaguar's
push to get the right spec cars into the market. Land
Rover also launched the limited edition Autobiography Ultimate Edition whiuch
costs CNY3m, the equivalent of GBP300,000. The vehicle is already on sale in the
UK at GBP125,000. "We
had planned just 100," said global brand director John Edwards, but demand
has been healthier enough, especially from markets like Russia and the Middle
East, to increase that to 500. The model features iPads built into the rear headrests
and seats four rather five. |
April 13 2011 JLR
and Bentley see share of UK government funding Jaguar Land Rover has
announced approval of its application to the UK Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has
been confirmed. Part
of a GBP450m (US$732m) regional investment programme, it aims to create more than
6,000 jobs and almost 35,000 indirect jobs in the West Midlands area, according
to the British Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The
RGF is a GBP1.4bn fund designed to encourage enterprise and create new jobs within
the private and public sector. “JLR
directly employs more than 17,000 people in the UK and supports up to 130,000
jobs in total through the supply chain, dealer network and wider economy,” said
Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth. “We
have recently confirmed 1,500 new production jobs at our Halewood plant and have
begun recruiting more than 1,000 additional engineers.” | February
22 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover achieves strong sales in 2010
Jaguar
Land Rover achieved a strong global sales performance for 2010 with retail sales
up 19% collectively thanks to strong performances in the UK, United States and
China. Sales were up for every quarter versus 2009 thanks to new model introductions
and updates. | February
21 2011 Jaguar
Land Rover talking with Great Wall
Jaguar
Land Rover is talking with Great Wall Motor about a potential Chinese joint venture,
two executives have said. | February
16th, 2011 Sales
of JLR up 25%
TATA
Motors Group – including Jaguar Land Rover – have announced their global wholesale
figures for January 2011. The
group sold 98,998 vehicles in January 2011 - a growth of 16 per cent over January
2010, while cumulative sales for between April 2010 and January 2011 were 868,583
– and increase of 27 per cent compared to the same period in 2009-10. Global
sales of all commercial vehicles were up 14 per cent, and global sales of all
passenger vehicles were 53,183 in January 2011, higher by 17 per cent. However
the biggest winner was Jaguar Land Rover whose sales rose by 25 per cent with
20,377 vehicles were sold. When broken down, it is revealed that 3,056 Jaguars
and 17,321 Land Rover were sold representing a rise of 3 per cent and 30 per cent
respectively. Cumulative
sales of Jaguar Land Rover between April and January were 195,819 – higher by
28 per cent with sales of Jaguars totaling 46,008 and 149,811 Land Rover,s up
by 17 per cent and 32 per cent respectively. | October
19 2010 JLR board
changes announced; Hallmark joins from Saab Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has announced four senior executive appointments into new board-level
roles in a restructured global marketing and sales division. Included in the changes
is the recruitment of Saab's sales chief Adrian Hallmark. | October
15 2010 Jaguar
Land Rover unions agree 'landmark' pay deal, two plants safe
Tata
Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Friday announced "a landmark pay
and conditions settlement" with unions that has secured the future of the
Castle Bromwich Jaguar and Solihull Land Rover plants, one which had been likely
to have been closed in 2014. | October
11 2010 Jaguar's
O'Driscoll to retire in '11
Mike
O'Driscoll, Managing Director Jaguar Cars, has announced his intention to retire
from day-to-day operations at Jaguar Land Rover at the end of March 2011.
O'Driscoll
moved to the UK from the US in 2007 to take up the position of Managing Director,
following Ford's announcement of its plan to sell Jaguar and Land Rover. He led
the Jaguar brand through the sale process to Tata. He
said in a statement: "Being part of the team that rebuilt this great brand
has been a huge privilege and a gratifying way to sign off my long career with
Jaguar. The resurgence is symbolised by the wonderful reaction to our new products
and to the stunning C-X75 supercar concept we showed at the recent Paris auto
show." Dr
Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover said: "I would like
to express my gratitude to Mike for his commitment and dedication to Jaguar Cars.
His passionate leadership has been vital to Jaguar during this time in its history.
He will return to his home in the U.S., and we wish him all the very best for
the future." O'Driscoll
will continue as Chairman of Jaguar Heritage and will advise on related matters.
Jaguar Heritage is an independent trust that manages Jaguar’s museum, archives
and extensive car collection globally. |
August 4 2010 JLR
names new China chief
Bob Grace, previously Jaguar Land Rover overseas
operations director, has been appointed to the newly created position of president,
Jaguar Land Rover China where hewill oversee the company’s rapidly expanding operations
in China and focus on managing sales growth of the two brands. Grace joined the
company in 1985 and has held a variety of managerial roles. Last
month Jaguar Land Rover revealed its operations in China will in future run as
a wholly-owned national sales company (NSC). The announcement coincided with the
opening of a new training academy which will offer sales, technical and management
training to approximately 3,000 company delegates per year. Grace
will be supported in his new role by Chris Brown who will move from his current
role as JLR China managing director to a newly created position, executive vice
president, corporate affairs. Brown will establish Jaguar Land Rover’s national
presence in Beijing, where the company will build a new team to engage with national
government, automotive industry groups and the media. Brown has headed the Chinese
unit since 2005. | July
23 2010 Jaguars
return to Silverstone Once
again the Northamptonshire countryside echoed to the sound of the six cylinder
XK engine as virtually every model of Jaguar took to the track.
With
XK120s, Mark 1 and 2, Mark 7, C type, D type, E type, S type, Lister Jaguars and
XJS on the track there was a model for everybody's taste. The fire marshall's
car was also a Jaguar - an XF. Jaguars
were competing in several of the 23 races making one think that they had taken
a step back in time to the fifties or sixties. Off
the track the was numerous Jaguars on display including the stunning XJ13, virtually
every model made could be seen on the club displays and the Ecurie Ecoss transporter
now owned by Dick Skipworth which he uses to transport his collection of racing
Jaguars. more... | July
5 2010 JLR joins
EUCAR R&D org The European Council for Automotive R&D (EUCAR),
which represents the major European automobile manufacturers in their common research
activities, has confirmed Jaguar Land Rover as a new member. “We
welcome Jaguar Land Rover and are convinced that their expertise and commitment
in research and development will make a valuable contribution to the work of our
association,” said Marc Duval-Destin, Chairman of EUCAR and Vice President of
Research and Advanced Engineering at PSA Peugeot Citroën. “We
are looking forward to working in close partnership with the European automobile
manufacturers on common research activities,” said Tony Harper, Head of Research
& Advanced System Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover. “As
the UK's largest automotive employer and one of its largest investors in R&D,
joining EUCAR was an important step.” EUCAR’s
members participate in common research activities in the areas of fuels and powertrain,
materials and manufacturing, mobility and transport and integrated safety. Their
activities include the determination of the common challenges in research, communication
of these challenges to EU institutions and other stakeholders and participation
in collaborative projects. In particular EUCAR’s members participate in projects
funded by the EU’s Research Framework Programmes, which bring together manufacturers,
suppliers, SMEs and research institutions from many member states to work on collaborative
automotive research. |
5 July 2010 JLR
strengthen sales operations in China Tata Motor’s Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
unit is strengthening its position in China with the establishment of a wholly-owned
national sales company that will also be responsible for importing vehicles into
the country. So
far, Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles have been made available in this market mainly
by independent authorised importers and dealers. Jaguar Land Rover China will
now adopt a more central, hands-on role in these operations. This will help it
get closer to its customers and also help it project a stronger brand image. Jaguar
Land Rover China also inaugurated a new CNY10m centre in Shanghai dedicated to
training up to 3,000 technical and managerial staff per year employed across its
dealer network. Two new centres will be set up in the next year, one in Beijing
and one in the south of the country. The
company is studying the potential for local production in China. | June
4 2010 JAG MARKS
75TH ANNIVERSARY WITH LE MANS RETURN XKR GT2 brings road car technology to
the race track XKR
racer is a joint UK/US effort
A
stunning XKR GT2 sports racing car will be lining up alongside the world's leading
endurance racers for the classic 24-hour event next week, giving British race-goers
another reason to 'fly the flag'. In
fact the XKR GT2 racer competing at Le Mans is being run by US-based team JaguarRSR
but we're prepared to overlook that little incongruity as the car was jointly
developed by Jaguar's in-house engineering and design groups and the RSR team.
The racer features the road car's lightweight aluminium body structure and a tuned
version of its 5.0-litre supercharged AJ133 V8 engine developing in excess of
500hp. Drivers
Marc Goossens, Ryan Dalziel and Paul Gentilozzi will be piloting the car during
the punishing 24-hour race, having gained initial experience with the vehicle
during the American Le Mans Series events earlier during 2010. Belgian
driver Goossens has competed at Le Mans on nine previous occasions, while his
teammate Dalziel, born in Scotland, brings extensive experience in single-seaters
and sportscars, but is racing at Le Mans for the first time. "It
has always been my dream to compete at Le Mans, and, as a British driver, to be
at the wheel of a Jaguar makes it even more special," he says. "It will
be without doubt the highlight of my racing career." The
trio of drivers is completed by the American Paul Gentilozzi, one of the principal
partners of the JaguarRSR team, who is making his third appearance at Le Mans
in the GT2 class. We're
looking forward to a good result for the team next weekend, but meanwhile Jaguar
has sent us this potted history of its Le Mans heritage. Anyway, good luck chaps,
and the best of British! (Er, and best of American!) more... | May
19 2010 JLR Browns
Lane facility 'to be sold' Remaining
jobs at Jaguar's 'Veneer Manufacturing Centre' (VMC) at Browns Lane could be saved
in a new deal with Lawrence Automotive Interiors, reports say. Media
reports in Britain say that Lawrence Automotive Interiors Ltd, which is based
in Nottingham, has been named as the preferred bidder and will work through final
due diligence. If
a sale goes ahead, the firm has reportedly vowed to maintain the VMC for at least
five years. All
390 workers currently working at the VMC will have the option of remaining with
JLR or transferring to the new owner, according to reports. Lawrence
has its head office in the UK, with a manufacturing plant in China and regional
offices in France and America. It supplies trim components to the car industry
around the world. Browns
Lane was formerly a Jaguar car assembly site, but car assembly ended when the
firm was owned by Ford. However, the VMC was created from the production staff
who remained making wood interior trim. | April
30 2010 JAGUAR
CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY WITH IMPRESSIVE 2010 MILLE MIGLIA ENTRY Jaguar
is continuing the celebration of its 75th anniversary with a strong entry at the
2010 Mille Miglia revival event. The company is represented by a total of 27 vehicles
from around the world, including an impressive ‘works team’ of classic XK120,
C-type and D-type models supported by Jaguar Cars and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. Jaguar’s
strong representation at the 2010 Mille Miglia builds on a long connection with
the race. Back in 1950, the company fielded a four-strong team of XK120s, and
a young Stirling Moss took the wheel of a works car the following year. “The
Mille Miglia is one of the world's premier driving events, and one where Jaguar
has always felt very much at home,” said Mike O’Driscoll, Managing Director of
Jaguar Cars, who will be piloting one of the famous C-type racers in this year’s
competition. “Our
association stretches back to the 1950s, when XK120 and XK140s were a regular
sight and C-types and even a D-type also competed. This year I am proud to see
another very strong contingent of classic Jaguars.” he added. The
2010 Mille Miglia takes place over a 1000-mile course starting from Brescia in
northern Italy, mirroring the classic event which became synonymous with legendary
displays of driving skill and bravery between 1927 and 1957. The
current retrospective format offers an ideal opportunity to showcase some of Jaguar’s
most famous vehicles where they really belong: competing with other classic sports
cars on the open road. This year’s full representation also provides a fitting
way to celebrate an important milestone for the marque. Furthermore, Jaguar is
proud to be a joint sponsor of the Mille Miglia 2010 with heritage vehicle displays
along the route. “2010
marks the 75th anniversary of the Jaguar name, and 75 years of looking forward,
designing and building cars that represent the very best of technical innovation,
design leadership and sporting success,” explained O’Driscoll. “Since
our earliest days, we have been inspired to design and develop beautiful fast
cars; cars that stand out and stand apart. I can think of nowhere better to continue
our 75 year celebrations than at the legendary Mille Miglia, and I look forward
to experiencing the unrivalled glamour, passion and motoring heritage that the
event is certain to offer all competitors and spectators again this year.” Famous
Jaguars Competing in the 2010 Event Among
the six vehicles entered as the Jaguar Cars ‘works team’ are three particularly
noteworthy historic cars from the Jaguar Heritage collection: 1950
JAGUAR XK120 OPEN TWO-SEATER (Registration NUB 120) NUB
120 was by far the most successful of the competition XK120s which, more than
any other model, was the car that established Jaguar’s motor sport credentials.
The vehicle was privately owned and campaigned by Ian Appleyard, with his wife
Patricia (Sir William Lyons’ daughter) acting as navigator. After narrowly coming
second in the first event he entered, the 1950 Tulip Rally in Holland, Appleyard
then strung together an impressive run of victories including the Alpine Rally
in 1950 and 1951, the 1951 RAC Rally, and the 1951 Tulip Rally. Despite failing
to win the Alpine Rally outright in 1952, the third consecutive run without incurring
a single penalty point earned the first ever Gold Cup for the car! 1953
JAGUAR C-TYPE (Registration NDU 289) With
its handsome wind-cheating aluminium body, the C-type brought Jaguar its first
victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race in 1951. Two years later, the three factory
cars finished first, second and fourth, with the winning vehicle driven by Rolt
and Hamilton being the first ever to average over 100mph. One of 43 C-types sold
to private owners, NDU 289 was a production car built in 1953. It competed in
the 1953 Mille Miglia driven by its owner, the Italian driver Tadini, but retired
during the race. 1956
JAGUAR D-TYPE 'LONG NOSE' (Registration 393 RW) This
vehicle was the penultimate D-type produced by Jaguar, built in March 1956 for
the works racing team. That year, it won the Reims 12-hour race, driven by Duncan
Hamilton and Ivor Bueb, before encountering technical problems during the 24-hour
race at Le Mans, where it ultimately finished sixth (behind the winners Flockhart
and Sanderson in another D-type entered by Ecurie Ecosse). Although Jaguar withdrew
from racing later that year, the vehicle lived on in America with the Cunningham/Momo
team, and finished third in the 12-hour race at Sebring in 1957. This vehicle
remains one of the most original D-types in preservation, and still has the 1956
Le Mans windscreen, passenger seat and door, and even sports the original trade
plate registration 393 RW. | February
26 2010 Tata says
JLR has turned profitable
Tata
Motors has reported its consolidated Q3 financial results (for the quarter ended
December 31) and revealed that its Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit turned profitable
in the quarter. Losses
at JLR had previously tipped Tata Motors into loss and provoked a cost-cutting
drive at the UK-based premium brands' operations last year. Tata
Motors said that JLR's net profit in the quarter was supported by a 'better market
environment and sustained cost reduction efforts'. “The
big turnaround has happened,” said Ravi Kant, Tata Motors’ vice chairman, at a
press conference in Mumbai. “Demand
has picked up in the US and Europe. We hope to continue on this path for the future.” The
quarterly profit was the first for JLR since Tata bought the unit from Ford for
USD2.5bn in 2008. For
the fiscal Q3, JLR posted net profit after tax of Rs. 416.95 crores (GBP59.3m).
JLR's Q3 (for the quarter ended Dec 31 – Q3 of the fiscal year) wholesale volumes
grew 28% with quarter-on-quarter volume improvement coming from North America,
Europe and China. Land
Rover grew 34% 'aided by continued strong market reception to the 2010 model year
vehicles launched earlier during the year'. Jaguar volumes grew 11.5% led by strong
growth of XF, Tata said. Tata
Motors recently announced that group global sales almost doubled in January, growing
93% over year-ago levels to 85,714 units. This growth has taken fiscal year-to-date
(April 2009–January 2010) sales to 681,480, up 13% year on year. Those figures
include Jaguar Land Rover whose global sales grew by 195% to 16,269 units. Jaguar
sales for the month were 2,974, up 122%, while Land Rover sales were 13,295, up
219%. |
February 25 2010 EIB
loan for JLR secured
Tata
Motors has announced the completion of a GBP340m loan from the European Investment
Bank (EIB) to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The
facility is an eight year amortising loan to finance development of micro and
full hybrid drive trains and research into more energy efficient car bodies for
the premium car segment by JLR. Tata
said that these activities will contribute to lower CO2 emissions and the loan
was granted under the European Clean Transport Facility. The loan is structured
with guarantee support from banks, with Credit Suisse 'working in the lead' with
Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Motors in arranging the structure. State Bank of India
played a key role in the facility, providing a guarantee along with Bank of India
and Bank of Baroda. Credit Suisse, Standard Chartered Bank, Deutsche Bank and
JP Morgan are providing additional guarantees to meet EIB credit requirements.
Mr. Ravi Kant, Vice Chairman of Tata Motors, said: “We are very happy with
the support extended to us by the European Investment Bank, State Bank of India,
Credit Suisse, and other banks. This will support the progress of turnaround in
Jaguar Land Rover's business in challenging market conditions, alongside cost
cutting measures, increase of volumes and the improved margins strategy currently
being implemented by Jaguar Land Rover. We view Jaguar Land Rover as a key part
of Tata Motors and we feel confident about its outlook for the future.” Mr.
Simon Brooks, European Investment Bank Vice President responsible for lending
operations in the United Kingdom, said: “The EIB is pleased to be able to work
closely with Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover to make a lasting contribution
to automotive research that will enable the production of more environmentally
friendly and energy efficient vehicles at a time of significant challenges for
the European car industry.” The EIB loan completes the last major element
of the funding plan for JLR. In 2009, the company secured over GBP500m of funding,
including facilities from State Bank of India, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of
Baroda, ABC International bank, GE Capital, and Burdale Financial Limited, a subsidiary
of the Bank of Ireland. Tata Motors said that despite the 'very difficult
financial environment since June 2008' when JLR was acquired, Tata Motors had,
by October 2009, completely repaid the USD3bn bridge finance facility for the
acquisition, through a combination of Rights Issue in 2008, issue of long maturity
Non-convertible Rupee Debentures, internal cash flows, sale of investments, and
issue of Global Depository Shares and Convertible Notes in October 2009. Commenting
on the overall financing efforts being made by Tata Motors, Mr. C. Ramakrishnan,
Chief Financial Officer of the company, said: “We have taken significant steps
to meet our financing requirements and strengthen our balance sheet over a short
timeframe in challenging and adverse market conditions. We are thankful to have
received the support of Tata Sons, all investors and relationship banks. The business
performance of our Indian and international operations have improved significantly
and we feel comfortably positioned for the future.” |
February 18 2010 JLR
appoints new CEO Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has named former BMW and Ford executive Ralf Speth CEO with overall
responsibility for its operations. He
will report to Carl-Peter Forster, recently appointed group CEO of parent Tata
Motors. Speth's
predecessor in the JLR CEO role was David Smith, who left the company abruptly
in January amid stalled negotiations with labour unions over pay and conditions. Only
on Monday, Tata Motors Motors had told just-auto any decision to replace Smith
was "still open." Speth,
54, has over 22 years experience in the European auto industry, most of which
was at BMW where he also worked when it owned Land Rover. Later
he was production, quality and product planning director at Ford's Premier Automotive
Group (PAG) which encompassed the blue oval's then-premium brands Lincoln, Jaguar,
Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo. After that, Speth was with Germany's Linde
group where he was head of global operations. Linde's current president and CEO
is Wolfgang Reitzle, a former chairman and CEO of PAG and top BMW executive and
board member, who was recently elected supervisory board chairman of tyre and
component maker Continental. Tata
Motors vice chairman Ravi Kant said: "The introduction of Dr Ralf Speth into
Jaguar Land Rover under the guidance of Carl-Peter Forster will considerably strengthen
the management of the company and enhance the position and reputation of the two
iconic brands in line with the long term strategy of the company." | February
1 2010 Jaguar
XJ prices Jaguar
has announced prices for its stunning XJ flagship saloon – the Big Cat that promises
to take a bite out of Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series sales. The
XJ will be available in April, starting at £53,775 for the 3.0 Diesel in
Luxury trim – yes, even the base model is luxurious! Prices for oilburning models
rise to £64,275 for the top-spec Portfolio edition, with just under three
grand more for the long-wheelbase version (£67,185). Owners
who plump for an XJ with the 5.0-litre V8 powerplant can expect to fork out £64,355
for the Premium Luxury, or £71,355 for the Portfolio (add £3,000 for
the stretched LWB). At the top of the tree is the supercharged 5.0 Supersport,
weighing at a whopping £87,455, or £90,455 for the longer version. Jaguar’s
engineers have promised that the new car will be packed with all the latest developments
to enhance the driving experience – and that of its back-seat passengers. For
example, the XJ will take advantage of some of the latest advances in the aerospace
industry, with a lightweight aluminium body, 50% of which is recycled. On the
road, features such as a new adaptive damper system also mean that the XJ’s occupants
should waft around in complete comfort. The
XJ will also be whisper-quiet inside – at least until the specially developed
1,200-watt, 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system kicks in to
keep the lucky execs entertained. |
January 25 2010 JLR
CEO leaving; Forster in frame
Jaguar
Land Rover is parting company with its chief executive, David Smith, potentially
clearing the way for former Opel and BMW boss Carl-Peter Forster to take control.
Forster has been linked with a senior role at JLR for some months and Tata Motors
executives were rumoured to have been taking soundings on whether Forster was
the right man for job. There’s
no official word from Jaguar on the replacement for Smith except a statement saying
“a replacement will be announced in due course”. In the meantime Tata Motors boss
Ravi Kant will oversee JLR in conjunction with Jag MD Mike O’Driscoll and Land
Rover MD Phil Popham. Smith
was JLR’s finance director and came to be highly regarded by Tata Motors during
the Ford sell-off. He was the only candidate for the CEO job once Tata took control.
However, unlike many car company CEOs, he lacked wider experience in production,
engineering and marketing. Separately,
a JLR spokeswoman declined to elaborate to just-auto on the reasons for Smith's
departure, which came just days after the manufacturer announced former Toyota
head of financial services David Betteley, as its new director of financial services.
“I believe he [Smith] has gone today,” the spokeswoman told just-auto. "All
of the arrangements are confidential – there won't be any further details today.” |
January 19 2010 JLR
names new finance services director
Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has named David Betteley as director, financial services. Betteley
joined JLR from Toyota where he was head of financial services in the UK, Europe
and Africa. Betteley,
current chairman of the UK's Finance and Leasing Association, now heads global
Jaguar and Land Rover financial services. "Offering
financial services opportunities has never been more important, particularly in
the premium vehicle segments," said Betteley, who reports to JLR customer
services director Mike Wright. JLR
finance partners include Fiat Credit Agricole in Europe, Chase Manhattan in the
US and Wesbank in South Africa. These
replace the Ford Credit links in place when Ford owned JLR. | December
9 2009 Jaguar
again tops JD Power satisfaction survey
Jaguar
has ranked top of the latest JD Power sales satisfaction index survey among luxury
brands while Land Rover scored fifth. US
import unit Jaguar Land Rover North America (JLRNA) said Jaguar was the highest
scoring brand in the study for the second consecutive year, and the recipient
of the inaugural luxury brand award. The
study surveyed 48,000 owners and lessees of new vehicles registered in May and
June this year. Overall customer satisfaction was measured on five factors: dealership
facility; salesperson; paperwork/finance process; delivery process and vehicle
price. "Jaguar
and Land Rover dealers deserve individual and collective praise for delivering
such a superb shopping and buying process for our customers," said JLRNA
president Gary Temple. "These high rankings out of 37 brands in the industry
coupled with recent dependability and customer service accolades show all of our
efforts towards these goals are paying off." | October
7 2009 Jaguar
Land Rover secures further finance
Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has secured further funding worth GBP175m in the form of a loan
from the State Bank of India. The loss-making car company, owned by Tata, is being
squeezed by falling sales and cost pressures. It announced last month that it
will close a plant by the middle of the next decade. Funding
to get the firm through the industry's downturn has been a controversial area
with the UK government and Tata at odds over the conditions that would apply to
UK government assistance. However,
JLR has now secured GBP500m of new funding this year from a number of different
sources, including Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of Boroda, and Burdale Financial
Limited - a subsidiary of the Bank of Ireland. "We
are pleased our funding plans are progressing and appreciate the confidence shown
by our banking partners," said Jaguar's chief finance officer Kenneth Gregor.
| September
24 2009 Union
claims JLR reneged on pension deal
The
key union representing Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) workers has accused the Tata Motors-owned
automaker of not upholding an earlier agreement over the final salary pension
scheme in its new business plan announced on Thursday and blamed management for
the company's present financial state. JLR
said it had taken "aggressive actions over the past year" including
reducing production by over 100,000 units, employment by 2,500 workers plus freezing
pay and cancelling bonuses. It
will merge its two West Midlands assembly plants into one by 2014 and further
reduce costs through pension restructuring, lower employment costs for new recruits
and a focus on IT and business simplification. Unite
union national secretary for the automotive sector, Dave Osborne said: "Earlier
this year, this company and our union agreed a framework agreement intended to
support JLR through this tough economic period. Our members said then that JLR
could not be trusted to uphold that agreement. Today this has proven to be true.
"While Unite welcomes
moves to 'green' the JLR product range, [the union] is deeply concerned that an
agreement struck barely six months ago will not now be upheld and that the company
is seeking to close the final salary pension scheme." Osborne
added: "In April our members agreed to changes to terms and conditions of
their employment in order to give the company financial security but, like Oliver
Twist, they are coming back for more. It appears that the company is making our
members pay for their failure to secure government funding. "We
recognise the difficult trading environment for JLR, which is why Unite and its
members have done more to help JLR during this recession than we have with any
other company. But while the company may say that the business cannot sustain
further liabilities, the truth is by far the biggest liability is the company's
leadership team. "Some
of the problems the company faces today exist as a result of past management failures.
These failures were at the hands of the same team who today want our members to
lose their pensions. Well, Unite's members will not be paying for management's
incompetence and we will not stand by while those responsible continue to wreck
havoc on this business." JLR
said its new plan was designed to increase its global competitiveness significantly,
drive growth and sustained profitability, and respond to the challenges of climate
change. "The plan
includes decisive actions to see through the next 12-18 months as markets recover
and positions the company to grow and prosper in the future. It includes a new
and expanded range of products and environmental technology, delivered through
streamlined and competitive costs and a new manufacturing strategy," the
firm said in a statement. Tata
chairman Ratan Tata hired KPMG International and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
to advise on cost-cutting and last month said JLR needed "major cost reductions"
after the luxury car and SUV maker's losses dragged parent Tata Motors' into loss
this year. However,
it added that was "not enough to offset the full magnitude of the downturn
and the company swung from profit in 2007 to significant losses over the past
12 months". Unite
said it would meet with "colleague unions" as soon as possible to consider
the Jaguar proposals in more detail. | September
1 2009 Tata to
raise cash for JLR unit
Tata
Motors plans to raise at least GBP100m (US$162m) for its UK car-makers Jaguar
and Land Rover, according to the Financial Times, citing Tata vice-chairman Ravi
Kant. Tata Motors
posted a consolidated loss for its fiscal first quarter but said it remained confident
about the prospects of the loss-making JLR unit, whose sales fell by about 52%
in the quarter from a year ago Kant
told the FT: "When volumes are down so much, it is a challenge. We need a
little bit of support from the market." | September
1 2009 JLR sales
slump drags Tata to loss
Slumping
sales of Jaguars and Land Rovers saw owner Tata Motors post a INR3.3bn (US$68.4m)
consolidated loss for the June quarter against year-ago profits of INR7.2bn. Year-ago
numbers don't include JLR which Tata bought from Ford in June last year. Tata
revealed that the number of JLR cars sold to dealerships worldwide in the three
months to the end of June had fallen to 35,900, from 69,000 last year. In
the UK, sales slid 23% in the three months to the end of June to 10,700 cars. Chairman
Ratan Tata has hired KPMG International and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants
to advise on cost-cutting and said last month that JLR needs "major cost
reductions". JLR has cut 2,200 British jobs since September, reducing the
workforce to 14,500. But
Tata said in August that JLR won't need a bailout from the UK government as it
completed funding arrangements with commercial lenders and the European Investment
Bank. The company successfully concluded talks with banks for a GBP340m loan ($554m)
from the EIB, it said. | August
11 2009 Government
'welcomes' Tata's JLR funding solution
The UK Government today welcomed
news that Tata has secured private sector funding for Jaguar Land Rover's (JLR's)
short term financial needs and that UK Government support for the car manufacturer
is not now needed. Tata
Motors has reportedly managed to secure a debt facility of GBP175m for its JLR
operations, by mortgaging the stock and receivables of Land Rover. A three-year
loan has reportedly been extended by Burdale Financial, a member of the Bank of
Ireland Group. The Jaguar
and Land Rover brands have been struggling to meet working capital requirements
as falling demand for luxury cars due to global economic slowdown has hit sales.
JLR had reported a loss of GBP281m in the ten months ending March 2009. Tata
and the British Government had been locked in negotiations on financial support
for JLR, with Tata reportedly unhappy with British Government conditions that
would be attached to any UK Government funding or guaranteeing of loans. But
it would appear that financially hard pressed Tata has opted to go down the private
sector route to secure immediate financial support for JLR. UK
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said: "The fact that the banks and commercial
capital markets are meeting JLR's funding is a clear sign of confidence in the
company, its products and the automotive sector. "This additional funding
will allow JLR to invest in future models and successfully launch the new XJ saloon
on schedule and updated Land Rover models later this year. "The
Government had offered bridging finance from the Automotive Assistance Programme
if necessary. We understand the Tata group will now be successful in resolving
longer term financial needs but we are willing to help again if necessary. "This
is a good and encouraging outcome for JLR, its workforce and its supply chain." The
UK Government's Automotive Assistance Programme has met widespread criticism for
delays in the flow of funds to companies. Tata
Motors said in a statement that it and JLR also expect that the long-term loan
from the European Investment Bank (EIB) of GBP340m, sanctioned to Jaguar Land
Rover, can also be successfully secured in the coming weeks 'through appropriate
commercial arrangements'. | July
28 2009 Tata appoints
JLR consultants
Concerned
at the performance of the loss-making unit acquired last year, Tata Motors has
appointed two consultants to advise Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on cost cuts, set
targets for breaking even and using cash flow effectively. | July
20 2009 Accept
terms or else government tells JLR owner Lord
Mandelson, the UK's business secretary, has warned the Indian owner of Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) to accept a revised proposal to guarantee hundreds of millions
of pounds in short-term funding or risk seeing it taken off the table, a newspaper
report on Monday said. | July
15 2009 Jaguar
to end X-Type production this year
Jaguar has announced that production
of the X-Type car at the Halewood factory will cease before the end of 2009 with
the loss of up to 300 jobs. Manufacture
of Land-Rover Freelander models will continue at the Halewood site. Jaguar
Land Rover - owned by the Tata Group - said it would be seeking voluntary redundancies
at Halewood. Jaguar
Land Rover Chief Executive David Smith said: "Our industry has been especially
badly hit by the recession and the premium sector more than others." He
went on: "Jaguar Land Rover's retail sales fell by 28 in the past 10 months.
We have taken unprecedented actions to cut costs including reduced production
volumes, significant cuts to investment plans and some 2,200 job losses. "Ceasing
production of the X-Type early, with further redundancies and temporary shut-downs
at Halewood is necessary to protect our other investment plans." Mr
Smith added that further actions will be determined by the state of the market. The
X-Type was a controversial car, conceived at the beginning of the decade when
JLR was owned by Ford and part of a platform-sharing industrial strategy for Ford's
European premium brands. However, the Mondeo platform-based car never achieved
ambitious sales targets. | July
7 2009 Andy Green
OBE in the fastest Jaguar ever Wing
Commander Andy Green OBE - the fastest man on earth and the World Land Speed Record
Holder drove up Goodwood's famous hill yesterday in Jaguar's fastest car
ever, the XFR Prototype* that recorded 225.675mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats
towards the end of last year.
Andy
Green was the first person to break the sound barrier on land when he recorded
763.035mph in the Thrust SSC** in 1997. He said: "It is always a thrill to
drive at the Festival of Speed and all the more so in a proper race
car. I hugely enjoyed the Bonneville Jaguar, and the crowd loved it too
this is the sort of car that they come to watch. Now I want to go and drive it
at Bonneville!" more... | June
25 2009 Over 100
Jaguars journey to France For
the fifteenth time over one hundred Jaguars of all ages gathered at Dover for
the annual Jaguar World Entente Cordiale run to France. Each year a different
area is chosen and the Jaguar owners have enjoyed the delights of vineyards, chateaux,
cheese factories and motor museums from the Loire to the Vosges mountains..
This
year Strasbourg was the destination with an overnight stop at Sedan on the outward
and return journeys. Virtually every model of Jaguar was represented from a 1929
Austin Seven Swallow to a new XF. For the first time there was an excursion into
Germany to visit the Black Forest and Baden-Baden where participants experienced
torrential rain but for the rest of the week fine weather was the order of the
day. more... | June
19 2009 New XJ
spotted One
of the test cars of the new model was spotted by our intrepid photographer at
Dover docks on its way to the Nurburgring circuit. more....
| March
5 2009 JLR unions
approve hours cut and pay freeze to save jobs
Union
workers at Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have voted "overwhelmingly"
to back short-time and pay freeze proposals their unions believe will help retain
jobs at the automaker. The
workers employed at JLR's Gaydon, Whitley, Castle Bromwich, Halewood, Solihull
and Browns Lane sites voted by 70% to back proposals recommended by their unions,
Unite and the GMB, which would see their working week reduced to four days and
pay frozen for one year in order to ensure continued production and avoid compulsory
redundancies. In
a joint statement the unions said: "We did not want our members in JLR to
be faced with the same fate as the thousands of others who have been dismissed
in other companies. The management agreed with our view that, when this unprecedented
recession ends, that the retention of a skilled and loyal workforce is an integral
part to the ongoing success of this business. "The
union and our members were faced with a difficult choice, but no less difficult
than the choices we have had to make in recent times. When the business was sold
to Tata we faced up to that challenge together and delivered the best possible
agreement which safeguarded our plants and our members' jobs. We did not work
hard for that to see wholesale redundancies less than 12 months later. "The
choice for our members was clear - further mass redundancies or what is undoubtedly
some short-term pain in order to secure the future for our members and their families." | February
27 2009 JLR signs
MoU for big Chinese order
Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to supply one
of its Chinese importers with 13,000 vehicles over three years. Jaguar said it
was 'a very significant' order, and was particularly welcome 'at this challenging
time'. The order is for both Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles. China was the company's
fifth-largest market last year when it sold 1,350 Jaguars and almost 12,000 Land
Rovers there. The MoU for the deal was signed as Business Secretary Lord
Mandelson met China's commerce minister, Chen Deming, in London. |
February 23 2009 JLR
wants pay freeze
It
is reported that staff at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) are to be given a vote vote
on a one-year pay freeze and a four-day week, in return for no compulsory job
losses for two years. The
BBC reported that the deal has been agreed between the firm and union leaders,
and workers are due to decide within the coming weeks. The
report said the deal aims to help JLR save up to GBP70m a year. "We
have had a number of constructive meetings with the unions to reach this agreement,"
said a company spokesman. "The
unions recognise the severity of the situation and the need to take action to
achieve further cost reductions while avoiding further redundancies." | January
27 2009 JLR wins
expert praise TRAINING schemes escaping recession-hit cutbacks have led experts
to praise Jaguar Land Rover. The
company may have issued redundancies but has also invested big in a high
tech new training academy, just opened by TV star Kate Humble. This
move has been praised by online training company, theTrainingpod.com. Mark
Wright director of JLR customer services said: Jaguar Land Rover is passionate
about delivering an outstanding customer experience. The academy is an example
of how we are ensuring we deliver that in all our markets. It
ensures a throughflow of high quality staff, meaning customer service levels can
be maintained. Over
1000 young people in the last decade have participated in Jaguar Land Rovers
advanced apprenticeship programme. In
May 2008, Warwick academy was awarded training quality standard certification
by the Learning and Skills Council. The
move by Jaguar Land Rover have drawn further praise from Unite union leader Tony
Woodley, too. He said economic difficulties are short term. Go too far in its
cutbacks, and Jaguar Land Rover would be unable to meet demands when the
market improves. It
is hoped comments such as this will help reverse the perception that training
is an expensive burden. To aid uptake, theTrainingpod online network has been
launched. This matches
companies to training providers and trainers that meet requirements for
free. It allows companies to compare trainer prices, reducing costs in time spent
searching for professional trainers. |
January 19 2009 Jaguar
plant stopped for two weeks Jaguar
Land Rover on Monday confirmed local media reports it had halted production at
its main car plant in Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, for two weeks. A spokesman
said the move had been announced to workers last week and had been "circulated
externally" by mid-week. The latest shut down which follows Hondas
announcement last week that it will shut its plant for four months comes
days after JLR workers returned from a three-week halt. | January
14 2009 Jaguar
Land Rover to axe 450 more jobs
Jaguar
Land Rover is to axe 450 jobs due to what a statement from the company has called
a "severe" reduction in demand for new cars. On top of the cuts it was
also revealed that managers from the group will not receive any bonuses in 2009. The
UK-based carmaker, which is owned by the Indian group Tata, said the job losses
will be spread between management roles and salaried agency staff. In
all 300 management roles will go and 150 agency staff. Furthermore, any remaining
management pay increases have been deferred to the beginning of October this year
at the earliest. Jaguar
Land Rover's CEO David Smith said: "It is only right and proper that our
response to the unavoidable impact of the credit crunch and a severe reduction
in demand includes actions across all grades and functions in the company. We
don't expect sales conditions to return to normal levels for some time." Jaguar
Land Rover was bought by Tata from Ford for GBP1.7bn last year. In
December last year, it was reported that Tata had agreed to inject "10s of
millions" of pounds into Jaguar Land Rover to prevent an immediate cash flow
crisis while the UK government continued to consider the case for a taxpayer-funded
bailout. Last November,
the firm sacked 850 agency IT and engineering staff. | January
12 2009 NEW SUPERCHARGED
XF IS OFFICIALLY THE FASTEST JAGUAR EVER AT 225MPH
Jaguar
today announces that during a secret speed trial at the legendary Bonneville Salt
Flats in Utah, an XFR prototype recorded a stunning top speed of 225.675mph (363.188km/h),
making it the fastest Jaguar ever. The
car - powered by the all-new AJ-V8 Gen III engine - beat Jaguar's previous speed
record of 217.1mph (349.4 km/h) set in the XJ220 in 1992.* Paul Gentilozzi
the owner of Rocketsports Racing who successfully led the Jaguar XKR to five series
victories between 2001 and 2006 in the Trans Am series in the USA - drove the
car on the record-breaking run. Running
with minor aerodynamic and safety modifications to meet the requirements for a
Bonneville run, the 225mph top speed was achieved with additional horsepower liberated
by a remapped ECU, a modified air intake and exhaust system and revised supercharger
settings. No internal engine components were changed and the six-speed automatic
transmission was standard, including the gear ratios. more... | January
11 2009 Government-JLR
aid talks restart TALKS
will resume this week between Tata and the UK government, over state aid for Jaguar
Land Rover. The
Indian car maker has recruited American bank CitiGroup to advise it, reported
The Sunday Times. Tata
is seeking a short-term bridging loan from the government. This will help it with
cashflow problems caused by a collapse in new car sales. Insiders at the company
say the government is close to approving a £500 million bridging
loan. However, government insiders disagree, saying the company does not urgently
need cash. Experts
say a solution will not be found quickly despite Tatas recruitment
of Citigroup. However, the chief of Tata says the government should provide support,
like other European governments have done. The
German government has pledged a loan of £1.6 billion to Opel (Vauxhall in
the UK), and is considering a similar loan to Ford. The Swedish government is
considering aid to Saab and Volvo, too. In
separate news, business secretary Lord Mandleson could commit to an extension
of the pre-budget reports special liquidity scheme this week. He will address
a motor industry summit in Brussels on Friday, where an announcement is expected.
It will give car makers
access to finance, helping them fund loans for new car buyers. A
further announcement could come on Wednesday. The Sunday Times reports that Mandleson
will give evidence to the Commons business committee, on the state of the car
industry. | January
9 2009 Loans,
not bailout, for JLR JAGUAR Land Rover is not after a bailout from the taxpayer,
but loans - to help it get through the credit crunch.
Jaguar MD David Smith said the company is struggling simply through the shortage
of short-term finance. He
therefore wants the Government to provide short-term loans or loan guarantees.
This will give it the cash required to progress through the current economic downturn. Such
loans have already been discussed, it is said. Jaguar Land Rover could receive
£1 billion in commercial loans or Government loan guarantees. It
is the collapse in financial and consumer confidence that is the root cause of
the current recession, says Smith. The paper says he pinpoints Lehman Brothers
going under as the tipping point. We,
our suppliers and our dealers are all suffering from cash problems, he said,
essentially because the banks arent lending properly to the sector.
So, we have said
either we need to find ways to free up commercial lending, or the state may have
to put loan guarantees in place to allow some of that lending to flow. Significantly,
dealers would benefit. JLR had asked for car dealers to be included in any package.
These funds would be used to help potential customers raise the money needed to
buy a new car. Again,
that is something we have seen in other countries, but which the UK Government
hasnt so far done. Smith
revealed that JLR had quickly cut production. By the end of 2008, factories were
running at half the level they were at the start. That
will continue probably through Easter, as we adjust inventories to demand.
But dealers can expect
more economical cars in the future. Smith said that Jaguar turns over £7
billion. This is a bit less than Marks & Spencers but JLR is
spending 4 times what M&S does on environmental innovation. | January
8 2009 Jaguar
sales UP in 2008 JAGUAR dealers received a welcome boost during 2008, by recording
increased UK sales of over 8 per cent. The
brand sold over 65,000 cars, making it one of just 4 representative car makers
to end the year with a positive sales increase. It
was the XF that helped drive this sales boost. It has attracted a huge number
of new customers to Jaguar, said company MD Mike ODriscoll. This
has been enhanced for 2009, too, with the introduction of the 3.0-litre, high-power
XF S diesel. Weve started 2009 with
a new diesel for the XF that offers
a marked improvement in CO2 and fuel economy performance, said ODriscoll. The
MD also underlined the £400 million Jaguar Land Rover invests in research
and development. This will help bring greener cars to market in the future, helping
Jaguar dealers meet the changing needs of customers. Export
sales are also aiding the Jaguar brands revenue streams. Our cars
are sold in more than 60 countries around the world and were proud of our
success as a major exporter our sales were up by more than 50% in Russia,
35% higher in the Middle East, and 25% better in China.. Theres
no doubt that 2009 will be challenging for the entire automotive industry, but
we believe the new generation of intelligently designed, technically advanced
Jaguars represent the very best sporting cars on the road today. | January
7 2009 JAGUAR RECORDS ANNUAL SALES BOOST IN 2008 Jaguar finished 2008 with
sales of more than 65,000 cars an increase of 8% over 2007 and one of only
a handful of automotive brands to report a year-on-year sales increase. Commenting
on the company's performance, Mike O'Driscoll, Jaguar's Managing Director, said:
"Despite the challenging economic conditions, Jaguar made great progress
last year. We introduced the all-new, award-winning Jaguar XF voted 'Car
of the Year' by two major UK magazines, and winner of more than 30 commendations
around the world which has attracted a huge number of new customers to
Jaguar. "The
XF underlines the progress we've made in developing exciting sporting cars that
capture the hearts of driving enthusiasts the world over. Our cars are sold in
more than 60 countries around the world and we're proud of our success as a major
exporter our sales were up by more than 50% in Russia, 35% higher in the
Middle East, and 25% better in China. "We've
started 2009 with the introduction of advanced new generation petrol and diesel
engines that set new benchmarks in terms of power, economy and efficiency, including
a new diesel for the XF that offers a marked improvement in CO2 and fuel economy
performance. Our cars meet the challenges of the modern world and the needs of
today's consumers and they're also true to the Jaguar philosophy of creating
beautiful fast cars. "Together
with Land Rover, Jaguar invests more than £400m on research and development.
At a corporate level, we've committed more than £800m specifically to the
research and development of new environmental technologies. Our investment in
recent years has helped us bring cars to market that are bucking the downward
trend." Mike
O'Driscoll concluded: "There's no doubt that 2009 will be challenging for
the entire automotive industry, but we believe the new generation of intelligently
designed, technically advanced Jaguars represent the very best sporting cars on
the road today." | December
29 2008 THE NEW JAGUAR XF DIESEL S
 The
new XF V6 Diesel S combining superb performance and excellent fuel economy
- sets the pace with acceleration from 0-60mph in 5.9 seconds, a maximum speed
of 155mph, yet delivers an average fuel consumption of 42mpg and CO2 emissions
of 179g/km: Truly the best of both worlds! Mike ODriscoll, Managing
Director, Jaguar Cars THE
NEW XF DIESEL S In Brief The most advanced, powerful and efficient
Jaguar diesel ever New 275PS high-performance XF Diesel S featuring
Jaguars new AJ-V6D Gen III S 3.0-litre diesel engine delivers a massive
600Nm of torque 0-60mph in just 5.9 seconds, 50-70mph in just 3.2 seconds,
a maximum speed of 155mph and yet combined fuel economy of just 42.0mpg
12 percent better than the acclaimed 2.7-litre V6 diesel engine Emits
just 179g/km a 10 percent reduction in CO2. Conforms to EU5 emission regulations
using conventional exhaust after-treatment 33 percent more powerful
and 61 percent more torque from 1500rpm than the 2.7-litre V6 diesel With
CO2 emissions of 179g/km, 42mpg average fuel economy and 0-60mph acceleration
in 5.9 seconds, this is another great example of Jaguar delivering unrivalled
performance while at the same time taking the level of refinement in diesel engines
to a whole new level. Mick Mohan, Jaguar Programmes Director When
it was introduced last year, the XF was recognised as a dramatic expression of
a bold new Jaguar design language. It also soon became apparent that here was
a car where the driving experience exceeded the expectations created by the striking
appearance. Now, the new XF Diesel S takes this driving experience to new levels,
shifting the balance even further towards dynamic performance while still retaining
the XFs core values as a refined and luxurious sports saloon. more... | December
18 2008 Tata cash
injection gives JLR 'breathing space'
Tata
has agreed to inject "tens of millions" of pounds into Jaguar Land Rover
to prevent an immediate cash flow crisis while the UK government continues to
consider the case for a taxpayer-funded bailout. | December
18 2008 Officials
tight-lipped on JLR bailout talks Tata
Group's Jaguar Land Rover and the UK's Department for Business, Enterprise and
Regulatory Reform have refused to comment on media reports they are in secret
talks over a GBP1bn (about US$1.5bn) bailout. | December
16 2008 Jaguar
will break with tradition next year when it launches its first diesel sports car.
Its
only a couple of years since the Midlands firm introduced its first oil-burner,
but so far theyve been reserved for its saloons and estates. Not any more.
The rejigged XK range,
due to be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in January, will be spearheaded by
a new diesel model.
Its
a prescient move; even buyers spending £60k on a sports car arent
immune from the ravages of the economic downfall and swingeing attacks on high-CO2
vehicles. Visual changes
to the XK will be minor enough. Theres not much you can do to improve on
Jags coupé and convertible, after all. Expect some tidying-up of
the styling, with design flourishes borrowed from the XKR-S special edition.
Bigger news lies under
the bonnet, where the old 4.2 V8 is finally pensioned off. In
its place comes a new 5.0-litre V8, complete with direct injection for greater
power and greener consumption. But the big news is the arrival of a 3.0-litre
V6 turbo-diesel. The
3.0 TD is an evolution of the 2.7 derv from todays XJ and XF. The increase
in cubic capacity should give the sports cars a real boost in performance
while trimming CO2 emissions to less than 200g/km. Impressive for a top-end sports
car. If the diesels not for you, dont worry the 5.0 V8 will
develop 400bhp or, with the R-spec supercharger, 500bhp for red-hot performance. | November
27 2008 JLR cuts
850 agency workers
Around
850 agency workers are to lose their jobs at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The
workers - IT and engineering staff - have been told their jobs will go by the
end of the year. The
firm said global car market conditions were severe and "it had to take responsible
and rapid action for the challenging environment it faces". It
has previously announced that 600 jobs would go in a voluntary redundancy scheme
and is said to be lobbying the UK government for a large bridging loan to help
it through a tough period. | November
25 2008 Jags
XF Coupé gets ready to roar This
is Jaguars new super coupé a two-door sports car poised to
take the Big Cat into uncharted territory by locking horns with the Audi A5 and
BMW 3-Series Coupé. Expanding
the highly successful XF range, the new coupé will combine striking looks
with real driver appeal by adding a dramatic body to the saloons sporty
underpinnings.
The
XF Coupé is a key part of a new model strategy by Jaguars parent
company, Tata. The raft of sporty machines will include the model you see here,
as well as a drop-top Roadster version and a two-seater rival to the Porsche Boxster.
While the two-seater
is still some way from showrooms, both the Coupé and Roadster go on sale
here in 2010 and they promise to give other prestige firms some tough competition.
As you can see
the head-turning XF Coupé could do for Jaguar what the TT did for Audi.
Taking much of its inspiration from design boss Ian Callums original C-XF
concept car, it boasts a bold metal grille, piercing LED headlights and raised
bonnet bulge, which hints at the power that lies beneath. more... | November
24 2008 Jaguar
#1 in sales process survey
Jaguar
North America has voiced delight that it has achieved a number one ranking in
the JD Power and Associates 2008 Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study. "I
am delighted that Jaguar has reclaimed the number one ranking in the JD Power
and Associates 2008 Sales Satisfaction Index Study," said Mike O'Driscoll,
managing director of Jaguar Cars. "Our
simultaneous number one ranking in J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction
Index and Sales Satisfaction Index studies reflects the dedication that everyone
at Jaguar shares in delivering outstanding customer service." "To
set the benchmark for four of the past five years in the J.D. Power and Associates
Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study(SM) and to rank number one for two consecutive
years in the J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index (CSI) Study(SM)
reaffirms the passion of our employees and reflects the tremendous standards that
our dealers consistently achieve," comments Gary Temple, president Jaguar
Land Rover North America, LLC. The
Study, now in its 22nd year, is a comprehensive analysis of the new-vehicle purchase
experience and is based on responses from 35,805 new-vehicle buyers who registered
their vehicles in May 2008. Overall customer satisfaction is measured based on
five factors: dealership facility, salesperson, paperwork/finance process, delivery
process and vehicle price. | November
24 2008 JLR seeks
big government loan
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is reportedly pressing the
UK government for a GBP1bn loan to help it through the industry downturn.
The Tata-owned company wants to borrow the cash for two years, according to
reports in the British media. While the company's latest model, the Jaguar
XF, has been favourably received, the company is facing cash-flow problems as
a result of declining markets. Production schedules have already been scaled back
as a result. Access to finance is emerging as a growing issue for firms
in Britain as result of the problems still impacting the financial sector and
the banks' general reluctance to offer credit to businesses. JLR's parent
borrowed heavily to finance the JLR purchase and is likely to favour JLR trying
for low-cost finance from the British government. Last week, the UK auto
industry trade association SMMT, called on the British government to help the
auto industry with a number of measures. | November
20 2008 Jaguars
green light for XF roadster This
is how the big cats new litter will shape up, starting with a two-door cabriolet
version of the hugely successful XF saloon.
The
XF Roadster will employ a folding fabric roof, along with a slightly shortened
wheelbase to improve structural rigidity, while maintaining the saloons
handsome profile. Bosses will ensure there is a significant cost differential,
so that the new model doesnt poach sales from the XK Cabriolet. As a result,
prices are set to start at around the £35,000 mark. But
thats not the only XF variant which has been earmarked for production: a
two-door Coupé is also on the way. Designed to lock horns with Audis
curvy A5, it will add even more style to the XFs taut bodyshape with a tapered
roof and high waistline. This, too, will be pitched below the XK in the £30,000
bracket. Both models are expected to borrow engines from the XF saloon. more... |
November 10 2008 JLR
cuts to the Chase for US finance Jaguar
Land Rover has selected Chase as its exclusive auto finance provider in the US,
offering a full range of financial services to vehicle buyers and dealers. The
agreement with Chase, part of JPMorgan Chase & Co, will replace the arrangement
with Ford, whose financial arm provided support during the US automaker's ownership
of Jaguar Land Rover. Chase
will take on all Jaguar Land Rover's consumer financing activities in the US from
1 January 2009. Chase
was chosen because of its long established presence in the market and its relationship
with the Jaguar and Land Rover networks, JLR said. The
identification and confirmation of a set of new financial partners were key elements
of JLR's sale earlier this year to Tata Motors. The
process was completed in Europe earlier this year with the appointment of Fiat
Group Automobiles Financial Services (FGAFS), a 50%-50% joint venture between
the bank, Crédit Agricole Group and Fiat Group Automobiles. | November
5 2008 More to
leave as JLR readies for "tough year" Jaguar
Land Rover (JLR) has called for a further 300-400 voluntary redundancies across
its UK manufacturing sites as it looks ahead to a "very tough" 2009. | September
26 2008 Jaguar
to halt production for a week Production
at Jaguar's Halewood plant on Merseyside is to cease for a week at the end of
October on gloomier demand prospects. Falling
demand for new vehicles has already led to a recent series of non-production days
at Halewood and at the company's West Midlands plants of Castle Bromwich and Solihull
(Land Rover). Workers won't lose pay and will be given other tasks to perform. A
Jaguar spokesman told just-auto: "The halt in production is to try to match
production to demand." | August
27 2008 Jaguar
success at Moscow show As
automotive boom time continues, Russia becomes the land of milk and honey for
car salesmen. Many earned huge bonuses as they raked up record sales in the last
year or so. Among
them are Jaguar dealers who are presently clocking up bumper business. They sold
1,000 new luxury cars in 2007 and that has already doubled in 2008 as interest
in the brand increases. Already
the Big Cat has reported that over 500 of its latest XF have been snapped up. | August
12 2008 Guy Salmon
adds Jags Guy
Salmon Prestige Rental has added three new Jaguar models to its fleet. The XF,
XJ and X-Type are aimed at business users wanting to travel in style. | July
28 2008 Daimler
could be revived as stand-alone brand
Jaguar
and Land Rover's new Indian owner has told investors he is considering reviving
the famous Daimler brand once favoured by Britain's royal family. Daimler
was once synonymous with bespoke luxury limousines that conveyed royalty and prime
ministers but, since the 1960s, the brand has largely been used for rebadged or
more luxurious versions of Jaguar models. The
Times newspaper reported that Tata conglomerate head Ratan Tata said GBP1bn had
earmarked been to develop new models for the British-based automakers it bought
recently from Ford for $US2.3bn and "it is suggested that the company wants
to transform Daimler into a super-luxury marque to compete directly with Bentley
and Rolls-Royce". The target market is wealthy buyers in Britain (where many
wealthy foreign business people have homes), Asia, Russia and the Middle East.
more... | June
13 2008 Jaguar
Land Rover joins ACEA The
general assembly of ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association,
has accepted the application of Jaguar Land_Rover - newly bought by Tata Motors
- to become a member from July 2008. "We
welcome Jaguar Land Rover in our midst and are convinced the company will make
a valuable contribution to the work of our association", said Ivan Hodac,
secretary general of ACEA. "We
are looking forward to working in close partnership with the European automobile
manufacturers concerning regulatory and other issues confronting our industry",
said David Smith, the newly-appointed CEO of Jaguar Land Rover. "As the UK's
largest automotive employer, joining the European automotive association was an
important step." | June
2 2008 Jaguar
Land Rover names new CEO as deal completes
Tata
Motors has completed its US$2.3bn purchase of Jaguar Land Rover [JLR] from Ford
in an all-cash transaction, contributing about $600m to the JLR pension plans,
and named a new CEO for the unit. Current
acting CEO David Smith has been confirmed in the role and replaces Australian
Geoff Polites who died recently. Smith has 25 years of experience with JLR (most
recently as CFO) and Ford. Before his recent return, he was director of finance
and business strategy for PAG and Ford of Europe. Smith
said: "We are very pleased with the association with Tata Motors. We look
forward to a sustained bright future for the company and its stakeholders."
more... | May
28 2008 Tata plans
rights issue to fund Jaguar buy
Tata
Motors has said it would raise up to US$1.7bn through three simultaneous rights
issues of various securities to help fund its purchase of the Jaguar and Land_Rover
brands, which it expects to close by June. According
to Reuters, Tata said it would then raise $500-$600 million by way of issuing
securities in foreign markets, as previously planned, and was considering various
options including the Tokyo Exchange. The
funds would be mainly used for the $2.3 billion purchase of the Jaguar and Land
Rover brands from Ford, which is being done through a wholly owned UK subsidiary,
the report added. more... | May
22 2008 1960 Jaguar
'E2A' to Star in Bonhams & Butterfields' Quail Lodge Sale in August The
legendary sports-racing prototype that shaped Jaguar's future The
unique and celebrated prototype Jaguar 'E2A,' as driven by no fewer than four
of the world's greatest racing drivers, is to be offered for the first time at
auction, headlining Bonhams & Butterfields' annual Quail Lodge sale, in California,
on 15 August 2008. Presented
in wonderfully original and unspoiled ex-works condition, this unique and immensely
important British sports-racing legend has been lovingly preserved in just one
family's ownership for over 40-years and - extraordinarily - it is in effect a
one-owner car ex-works. more... | May
15 2008 Jaguar
F-Type - British firm set to build cut-price Ferrari California. It
seems Ferrari isnt going to have it all its own way, as Jaguar is also getting
ready to launch a stunning GT. Called
the F-Type, the stylish Brit is set to offer a similar driving experience to the
California, but at a much lower price. When it arrives in showrooms in 2012, it
will sit at the top of the brands sports car range and be the first
big cat in many years to get close to capturing the spirit of the E-Type from
the Sixties. The
newcomer takes much of its styling inspiration from the XF, the car which debuted
Jaguar chief stylist Ian Callums view for the future of the brand. Its
based on a shortened version of the lightweight aluminium chassis from the new
XJ, which arrives in 2010. The F-Type will target Porsches 911, Aston Martins
V8 Vantage, Audi's R8 and Ferrari's new California. more... | March
28 2008 Jaguar
aims for 100,000 under Tata management Jaguar's
near-term production future is forecast to climb back towards 100,000 cars under
Tata Motors' management, adding a gloss to the Indian company's take-over announced
earlier this week. Last
year Jag production dipped to a low of 54,000, partly because of the change-over
from S-type to XF, but also because of the continuing slow-selling X-type. In
2006, it made 70,000 cars. Forecasts
compiled by just-auto map out Jag's production future for its four main models
- the X-type, XF, XK and XJ - and foresee volume rising to a more sustainable
number closer to the magical 100,000 mark. Possible
new models in the Jag product plan, which await the green light from Tata, could
further lift this figure towards 150,000 by 2012/2013. more.... | February
26 2008 Jaguar
and Land Rover sale due next week
The
sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Indian vehicle manufacturer Tata is now expected
to be completed next week. Reuters is reporting sources close to the talks
as saying an announcement may come on March 5 or 6. Ford has not confirmed the
claim. Tata met
with bosses of trade union Unite last week, which has 12,000 members in the Jaguar
and Land Rover plants. | February
6 2008 Jaguar
may widen XF diesel line
Continuing
green pressure and rising fuel prices could force Jaguar into introducing a small-capacity
diesel engine in the new XF saloon in coming years. The
bulk of sales of Jag's competitors in the UK, the BMW 5-series and Audi A6, are
concentrated on two-litre diesels but Jag doesn't have an alternative to these
low-C02 models at launch. It
does offer circa-two-litre turbodiesels from a JV with parent Ford and PSA in
its smaller X-type line. "We
will just have to keep an eye on where the market is going and if customers start
demanding it, we will have to respond," said Jag product development chief
Mick Mohan. The
decision will also depend on how Jaguar sees its future brand image. It may prefer
to limit sales and concentrate on higher-output engines. more... | February
5 2008 Jaguar
runs model plans past Tata
Jaguar
is eyeing a significant expansion of its model range with at least three new models,
after its sell-off by Ford, most likely to Tata Motors of India. Executives
and engineers are eyeing a new GBP40,000 two-seat sports car, a two- door coupe
version of the XF saloon and most radically, a four-door version of the XK luxury
coupe. None of
the three models are officially signed off, but all three have been presented
to Tata Motors' management and will be key new programmes for the Indian automaker
to evaluate and decide whether to invest. Privately,
insiders favour the two-seat sports car, dubbed the F-type, as the highest priority.
It would be pitched against the BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Porsche Boxster.
more... | January
31 2008 Ford may
not keep J-LR stake A
Ford agreement with Tata Motors to buy Jaguar and Land Rover could be announced
as early as next week and the US automaker may not keep a stake in the two British
firms, according to recent reports. | January
18 2008 NEW JAGUAR
XF WINS 'CAR OF THE YEAR' AT WHAT CAR? AWARDS 2008
Jaguar's
new XF has claimed top prize the highly respected 'Car of the Year' award
at the 2008 What Car? awards in London last night. The XF also took top
place in the 'Best Executive Car' category, ahead of the BMW 5 Series and the
Mercedes CLS. Steve
Fowler, group editor of What Car?, said: "For us, the XF goes straight in
there with the very best cars from Jaguar's past. And given that the car market
today is more competitive than it's ever been, it's fair to say the XF is the
best car Jaguar has ever built. "The
XF really does have it all a sensational exterior and dramatic interior
combined with a drive that will delight and pamper in equal measure. On top of
that, it stacks up as a sensible buying and owning proposition, too." Mike
O'Driscoll, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars, said: "All of us at Jaguar
are delighted that we've taken the top spot at these awards, and that What Car?
has named the new XF Car of the Year. It's especially gratifying as What Car?
has such a great reputation for representing the British consumer. Jaguar is creating
a new generation of cars that started with the XK, and now continues with the
all-new XF a four door, five passenger car that has the heart of a sports
car and the looks of a grand tourer. Like the XK, XF is visually striking and
thrilling to drive. "We're
very pleased with the reaction the car has received, and our customer order bank
is growing fast. We're grateful to What Car? for this wonderful award." more... | January
15 2008 Jaguar
has 7,000 XF orders Jaguar
has had 7,000 orders for the new XF which it started to ship to its global dealer
network last week. | January
14 2008 Jaguar-Land
Rover in profit The
new owners of Jaguar-Land Rover will take control of a business that's turned
its balance sheet around by USD1bn in the last twelve months. | January
3 2008 Tata preferred
bidder for Jaguar/Land Rover
Ford
has finally confirmed that Tata Motors is lead bidder for Jaguar and Land_Rover. Following
an announcement to employees this morning, the automaker on Thursday afternoon
said in a statement: "Ford is committed to focused negotiations at a more
detailed level with Tata Motors concerning the potential sale of the combined
Jaguar Land Rover business." The
statement from Lewis Booth, who heads both Ford of Europe and the Premier Automotive
Group and chairs Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Ford of Europe, added: "There
is still a considerable amount of work to do, and while no final decision has
been made, we will proceed with further substantive discussions with Tata Motors
over the forthcoming weeks with a view to securing an agreement that is in the
best interests of all parties concerned." "We're
not going into any other detail on the process at all," Ford spokesman John
Gardiner in London said in response to a question on bid values. more... | December
14 2007 XF - First
impressions The
adoration bestowed on Fiat's new 500 proves that retro design can work, but it
hasn't done any favours for Jaguar in recent years as the sales figures will testify.
But expect that to change because the XF appears to have more in common with the
XK coupe than the S-Type. Out goes the retro styling, in comes a very modern take
on a Jaguar saloon from Ian Callum, the man behind the Jaguar XK and Aston DB7.
But the Jaguar cues are still there. There are echoes of the original 1968 XJ
in the grille and of the current XK around the headlights. In
fact it does share its suspension and paddle-shift operated automatic gearbox
with the XK and the more powerful versions share engines too. There are three
trim levels available: Luxury, Premium Luxury and SV8 and as before there's a
choice of petrol and diesel engines. Prices stretch from £33,900 to £54,900
making the XF more expensive than the S-Type but it is far better equipped. As
with the S-Type, only one body style is available: a four-door saloon. Although
estate versions of BMW's 5-Series and Mercedes' E-Class are popular in Europe
they don't sell well in the US where most XFs are bound. more... | December
12 2007 Jaguar
Land Rover plans new virtual reality centre Jaguar and Land_Rover plans
a new design facility with advanced audio visual technologies with the projection
power of eight cinemas to significantly speed up product development. About
$4m is to be invested in a so-called virtual reality centre which will allow engineers
and designers to see in life-size three-dimension models of vehicles and components,
reducing the need for physical prototypes. The
four-walled 'cave' will provide a virtual reality environment simulating vehicle
exteriors and interiors that is capable of making bodywork appear transparent. According
to the brands' product development chief Al Kammerer, the project will allow faster
development of new vehicles and quicker response to customer trends. Eight
Sony high resolution projectors will provide a visual quality claimed to outstrip
existing industry virtual reality caves by producing photo realistic images. The
user wears 3D glasses to view ultra-high resolution images. Midlands-based
HoloVis International is leading the project with Sony, Sun Microsystems and ICIDO. It
will be in use at Jaguar and Land Rover's Gaydon engineering centre by spring
2008. | 10
December 2007 Brits
place 3,000 Jag XF orders
Jaguar's
S-type-replacing Jaguar XF has already drawn about 3,000 orders in Britain. "The
fact that there is a buzz being generated around the XF is good and the translation
of that into pre-orders has exceeded expectations," Richard Parry-Jones,
chief technical officer of Jaguar's parent, Ford, said, adding that the Jaguar
company is feeling confident as opposed to complacent. "Without
doubt. If it sells as expected, and all the early indications say that it will,
it will be profitable for Jaguar and a very important stepping stone in the road
for recovery for Jaguar profitability." The
new model, he said, is a key element in the Jaguar building process. "There
is increasing confidence and momentum at Jaguar. People know where they are going,
know how they are going to get there and have the clear sense of confidence and
direction." more... | December
4 2007 Ford CEO
Alan Mulally has said the Ford could announce the sale of its Jaguar and Land_Rover
brands by the end of the year. Reuters
reported that he said yesterday: "We will probably have something to announce
by the end of this year, toward the first part of next year." Mulally
was speaking at a ceremony marking the formal signing of the four-year labor contract
reached last month with the United Auto Workers union. Ford
has narrowed the auction of Jaguar and Land Rover to three bids, the report said.
The remaining bidders include Tata Motors and rival Mahindra & Mahindra which
has teamed up with buyout firm Apollo. One Equity is the other bidder. Mulally
also said the automaker has made a 'significant improvement' in the competitive
gap with Asian automakers with the new labour contract. Ford Chairman Bill Ford
reportedly said the company will respond to new fuel economy standards passed
last week by the US Congress. "We
have to do it," Bill Ford reportedly said, but added that meeting the goal
would be a stretch. | November
12 2007 Jaguar
C-XF named concept car of the year
The Jaguar C-XF has been
named 'Concept Car of the Year' by leading Japanese design magazine CAR STYLING.
Established 30 years ago, CAR STYLING is read all over the world and is the only
design magazine published in both Japanese and English. Jaguar's
Design Director, Ian Callum said: "It is a great honour for Jaguar to receive
this award from such a reputable journal like CAR STYLING - a magazine that all
designers have grown up with for the last 30 years. My colleague Julian Thomson
and I both believe it has always demonstrated the very best in our profession,
so it makes us particularly proud to receive this recognition for the C-XF." The
C-XF first received recognition in January of this year when it was voted 'Star
of the Show' by Autoweek magazine at the Detroit Auto Show. more... | October
11 2007 JAGUAR
REVEALS THE NEW GENERATION X-TYPE
The
Jaguar X-TYPE gets a fresh look for 2008, along with a host of new features inside
and outside the vehicle and a new automatic transmission in the acclaimed 2.2
diesel. With significant revisions including nearly 500 new components, the new
generation X-TYPE retains all the original cars strengths, and adds some
new ones of its own. "The
new X-TYPE stands for accessibility, versatility, luxury and choice within the
Jaguar range", explained CJ O'Donnell, Global Marketing Director, Jaguar
Cars. "The package of revisions particularly the automatic transmission
in the 2.2 diesel presents our established dealers and the key emerging
markets with an excellent opportunity to reach new customers and retain existing
owners." The
new X-TYPE's exterior styling is significantly refreshed - with changes that reflect
some of Jaguars new saloon car design language - with subtle interior revisions
and greater choice of trim and equipment, further emphasising the X-TYPE's premium
car credentials.more... | October
10 2007 Jaguar/Land
Rover bidders need more time Bids
for Jaguar and Land_Rover are expected to be finalised by the beginning of November.
According to a Reuters report today, potential bidders need more time to complete
due diligence. With
no set deadline for the bids, the timing could slip further. Earlier this year
Lewis Booth, executive vice president of Ford's European units, said that a decision
would probably not be made until late this year or early 2008. Private
equity companies reportedly in the bidding are One Equity Partners, Ripplewood,
Terra Firma, TPG (Texas Pacific Group), and despite its recent acquisition of
Chrysler, Cerberus. more... | September
20 2007 Spied:
Jaguar XF-R
Don't be fooled by the S-Type bodywork - under the disguise
lurks what appears to be a hot XF-R version of Jaguar's exciting new saloon. The
XF was one of the most talked about cars at last week's Frankfurt show and many
are pinning hopes of Jaguar's survival on it. Will it succeed? Time will tell
but this hot version can't do any harm. more... | August
29 2007 'Jaguar'
badge for the chop - designer The
word 'Jaguar' will start to be ditched from the back of production cars within
two or three years, the Ford-owned luxury car maker's design boss has confirmed.
more.... |
August 28, 2007 REVEALED
- THE ALL-NEW 2009 JAGUAR XF
Contemporary design in an all-new Jaguar sedan
Jaguar
is proud to announce the all-new 2009 XF - a stunning four-door Jaguar that combines
the style and performance of a sports car with the refinement, space and sophistication
of a luxury sedan. Scheduled
to make its world debut at the 2007 Frankfurt International Motor Show in September,
the new Jaguar XF is a reflection of the bold new design language that Jaguar
will be using both now and in the future. "As
one of the most visually striking, technically sophisticated and driver-oriented
sedan cars that Jaguar has ever produced, the XF clearly demonstrates the forward-looking
focus that now defines the Jaguar brand," said Wayne Burgess, XF Senior Design
Manager. "With its dramatic styling, powerful flowing lines and a distinctive
front, the new XF looks like no other Jaguar . Yet it defines the new design language
the company will be adopting for all future models." The
first impression of the new XF is its visual strength. It firmly emphasizes contemporary
automotive style whilst maintaining Jaguar's core values. The new XF is sporty,
muscular and dynamic -- made evident in its sweeping silhouette that was inspired
by the new Jaguar XK sports car. There is a powerful grille, dramatic side window
graphics and, of course, strong Jaguar rear haunches. The stance of the XF gives
the car a 'ready to pounce' look that suggests latent power and energy. more...
Full
report |
August 2 2007 ODriscoll
replaces Boerio as Jaguar MD Up-for-sale
and under pressure Jaguar has announced that Mike O'Driscoll is to become the
new Managing Director of Jaguar Cars. O'Driscoll, currently President of Jaguar
Land Rover North America, will replace Bibiana Boerio, who is to retire by the
end of the year after eight years with Jaguar and over thirty in total with Ford
Motor Company. O'Driscoll
has almost thirty years experience with Jaguar and Land_Rover and has a wealth
of sales and marketing expertise gained both in the UK and United States. Welcoming
O'Driscoll to his new role, Jaguar and Land Rover CEO Geoff Polites said: "Mike
has proven in-depth experience and understanding of how to sell premium cars in
the marketplace and how best to support our dealers. This experience will serve
Jaguar well as we launch some very exciting new products in the years ahead. "Mike
has worked closely with Bibie Boerio over the past three years, as we have put
in place the strategy and actions to rebuild Jaguar. He has a strong understanding
of the brand and the marketplace and will lead Jaguar into the next phase."
more... |
July 23 2007 Jaguar
collects customer service plaudits. Jaguar
has commended dealers world-wide for dedication to customer satisfaction with
a number of notable awards in key markets, including the US, the UK and Germany.
Managing director
Bibiana Boerio said: "The fantastic results from JD_Power in the US and Motor
Trader in the UK are further evidence of Jaguar's passion to deliver a first-class
sales and ownership experience." In
the US, Jaguar ranked number one in the 2007 JD Power and Associates Customer
Service Index (CSI) study with the highest score in the history of the survey,
displacing Lexus. In
first place with a score of 925 points out of 1,000, Jaguar was 13 points above
the top CSI performer in 2006. more... |
July 19, 2007 JAGUAR
TAKES THE NUMBER ONE POSITION IN THE 2007 J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES CUSTOMER SERVICE
INDEX (CSI) STUDY Gary
Temple, executive vice president of Jaguar Land Rover operations, accepts the
first place award for Jaguar in the 2007 JD Power and Associates Customer Service
Index (CSI) study from Loretta Seymour of JD Power. Jaguar
ranks number one in the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates Customer Service Index
(CSI) study. Jaguar ranked first, with the highest ever score in the study, of
925 points on a 1,000-point scale13 points above the top CSI performer in
2006. "This
outstanding result in the JD Power and Associates CSI study reflects the tremendous
progress that has been made at Jaguar these last few years. To rank number one
in customer service, following our # 1 ranking in each of the last three years
in the Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) study is a tribute to the dedication and
passion of all our Jaguar dealers in the United States" said Mike O'Driscoll,
president, Jaguar Land Rover North America. more.... |
June 27 2007 Ford
readies Jaguar and Ford for sale Ford
has hired business consultants KPMG to go over Land_Rover and Jaguar books in
preparation for the companies' sale later this year. The
Sunday Times reported that KPMG has been given the task of separating out the
companies' accounts from Ford, which has owned Jaguar and Land Rover since 1989
and 2000 respectively. "They
need to sort out things like the real cost of the parts that Ford supplies to
the two companies. It's the extrication of the parent company from the figures
that is the difficult part of the job," said one senior industry source,
quoted by the Sunday Times. more... |
June 20, 2007 ROGER
PUTNAM RECEIVES CBE IN QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST
Roger Putnam's services to the automotive industry have been recognised with the
award of a CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list 2007. Chairman of Ford of
Britain from 2002-2005, Roger Putnam was also President of the automotive industry
body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Roger Putnam's illustrious
career in the motor industry spanned more than 40 years. He began his career at
Lotus in 1966 in sales before moving to public relations then marketing, before
being appointed director sales and marketing, a global role, in 1976. In
1982 he joined Jaguar as director, marketing and UK sales operations, before being
appointed to the board in 1986 as director, sales and marketing. At that time
he was also appointed to the boards of Jaguar subsidiary companies in Europe and
Japan. While
at Jaguar Roger totally restructured both the UK and international dealer and
distributor networks, moving the brand into new markets as well as playing a key
role in the team that launched some of Jaguar's most important recent models,
including the XJ8, XK8 and the current S-TYPE and X-TYPE.
more... |
June 12, 2007 2007
JAGUAR XK WINS AUTONERVE MAGAZINE BEST CONVERTIBLE AWARD Jaguar
Canada recently accepted a National Readers Choice Award naming the Jaguar XK
as the AutoNerve Magazine Best Convertible of 2007. The
Jaguar XK has been engineered above and beyond the high expectations that customers
rightly have for a Jaguar sports car, a fact made possible because everything
from its advanced aluminum chassis to its sophisticated transmission and exquisite
interior has been designed in pursuit of a luxurious, advanced and stunning new
Jaguar. The 2007
Jaguar XK allowed Jaguar to emerge as a world leader in Lightweight Vehicle Technology
while retaining its reputation for beautifully designed and crafted cars. more... |
June 12, 2007 JAGUAR
X-TYPE NAMED TOP ASPIRATIONAL LUXURY CAR The
Jaguar X-TYPE received top honors in the 2007 Aspirational Luxury Car category
of AutoPacific's annual Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA) a study that measures
satisfaction among vehicle owners. The
X-TYPE fits perfectly into the Aspirational Luxury Car section as it plays the
key role of providing buyers with entry into the Jaguar brand. Competitively priced
with an MSRP starting at $34,995, X-TYPE
offers all the luxury, performance and prestige associated with the marque at
a fraction of the price. The entry-level luxury sedan combines athletic performance
with a smooth ride and is the only compact sedan in its class to offer standard
traction-enhanced all-wheel drive. more... |
June 4, 2007 JAGUAR
XKR CONVERTIBLE TOPS 2007 BEST ROAD TRIP CAR LIST Jaguars
supercharged XKR Convertible voted the #1 car Americans want to drive on a summer
road trip Jaguars
supercharged 420-horsepower XKR Convertible was voted number one in Kelley Blue
Book's list of cars best-suited for road trips. Compiled by the road test
editors of Kelley Blue Book, the XKR Convertible was short-listed against 10 other
new vehicles and then surveyed by shoppers on which vehicle they would most like
to take on the road this summer. Top of the list was Jaguars XKR Convertible,
ahead of BMWs 3-Series Convertible and the Chevrolet Suburban. more...
|
May 31, 2007 JAGUAR
XJ NAMED ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS
Forbes.com recently released its list of the top 20 safest cars for 2007 and included
on the list was Jaguars flagship sedan, the XJ. To compile the list,
Forbes referenced numerous outside sources, including Consumer Reports, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute of Highway Safety and
Highway Loss Data Institute. The
Jaguar XJ was included on the list due to its perfect rating in accident-avoidance
capabilities by Consumer Reports and substantially better-than-average frequency
of insurance injury-claim filings, according to HLDI. more... |
May 23, 2007 ROBERT
MOTORS CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF SUCCESS Robert
Motors Jaguar together with Jaguar Canada recently celebrated the 25 th anniversary
for the Toronto retailer. Robert
Motors, a family-owned and operated business, has been under the leadership of
dealer principal, Tony Scott Fisher since the day the doors opened to the store.
"Our success and
longevity is due to our commitment to providing the highest, time-honored standards
for service, for selection, and customer satisfaction," said Scott Fisher.
"We want to keep our customers for a long time so we always aim to exceed
their expectations." more...
|
January 4 2007 THE
ALL-NEW JAGUAR C-XF "Great
Jaguars turn heads in the street. They make people stop and pay attention. They
evoke instant desire. Thats what the C-XF does and thats what the
next generation of Jaguars will do. Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar
Cars
The C-XF
concept car signals the onset of a new era for Jaguar. A stunning, four-door sports
saloon which blends design purity with unmistakable dynamism, the C-XF is a clear
indication of the design direction that the next generations of Jaguar saloons
will take. Designed
by the same teams that produced the award-winning Jaguar XK sports GT range in
2005 headed by Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum and Head of Advanced
Design Julian Thomson the C-XF concept is a precursor to cars that will
become recognised for their ground-breaking exterior looks and innovative interiors.
As a striking
interpretation of the design values that are the bedrock of every great Jaguar,
the C-XF is wholly contemporary yet succeeds in paying homage to its renowned
predecessors. The
C-XF and the future generations of sports saloons it signals reaffirms
the direction Jaguar is taking, says Bibiana Boerio, Managing Director of
Jaguar Cars. When we launched the new XK sports car series, we talked about
a product-led transformation of the company. We promised that new Jaguars would
be beautiful, fast, glamorous and evocative. The new XK delivered on that promise
and the C-XF proves that these same values and more are coming in Jaguar saloon
cars. more... |
January 3 2007 THE
ALL-NEW JAGUAR C-XF REVEALED All-New
Jaguar Concept Car Reveals Dramatic New Design Direction for Future Sport Sedans
The all-new Jaguar
C-XF concept car, a stunning four-door sedan that blends dynamic, modern features
with classic, heritage cues, will make its debut at the 2007 North American International
Auto Show in Detroit, Mich. This concept, which boasts a 4.2-liter supercharged
V8 engine, signifies a new era for the company and is a clear indication of the
design direction for the companys next-generation of sport sedans. Headed
by Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum and Head of Advanced Design Julian Thomson,
the concept was designed by the same team that produced the award-winning 2007
Jaguar XK Coupe and Convertible. The team looked to create a vehicle that presents
a confident statement of design purity. In doing so, the C-XF possesses a sense
of latent power through a look that is dynamic and athletic. The
Jaguar C-XF concept is the most dynamic and modern four-door car that Jaguar has
ever created, a design showcase heralding the next generations of our sports saloon
models, says Ian Callum. It signals a future for Jaguar that is as
exciting as the C-XF itself. more... |
December 15 2006 S
TYPE REVISED Jaguar
has revised the S-type for 2008 model year versions. All cars now get mesh
grilles and bumpers from the S-type R, as well as upgraded alloys and seats throughout
much of the range. The
Sport model is deleted, with trims now Spirit, XS, SE and R. |
December 14 2006 Top
Gear crowns Jaguar XK 'Car of the year 2006 The
Jaguar XK has been crowned 'Car of the Year' and 'GT of the Year' at the 2006
Top Gear Awards. This is the first time Jaguar has received this prestigious accolade
from the UK's biggest selling motoring publication. The awards were held in London
on Thursday 7th December and were presented by BBC Top Gear TV's Jeremy Clarkson.
Editor of Top
Gear magazine Michael Harvey said: 'We feel justified in handing OUR BIG ONE to
the fabulous XK, a car everyone now recognises as magnificently beautiful, that
reclaims the lost role of the Grand Tourer and, we suspect, might reclaim the
art of ride/handling compromise in the portfolio of skills any purveyor of so-called
luxury cars must possess.' Top
Gear editorial contributor in the US, Jamie Kitman said: 'This is not only the
best Jaguar in 40 years, it is a real Jaguar; one knows it in seconds. Jaguar
has thoroughly demonstrated with the XK that it is an utterly serious modern engineering
entity with a priceless institutional memory of that which made Jaguars great.'
more... |
November 28 2006 JAGUAR
CARS ANNOUNCES THE NEW JAGUAR XF Jaguar
Cars today announces that a new sports saloon, the Jaguar XF, will make its public
debut next autumn. Positioned in the luxury mid-size segment, the new Jaguar
XF will replace the S-TYPE saloon in the Jaguar model line-up. Designed
and developed at Jaguar's Product Development Centre at Whitley in Coventry, UK,
the new Jaguar XF will be built at Jaguar's Advanced Manufacturing Centre
at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, UK. "The Jaguar XF is a new sports
saloon that will challenge people to think again about Jaguar as daring and different,"
commented Bibiana Boerio, Managing Director of Jaguar Cars. "Our new
XK sports car has been very well-received and is enjoying great success. We
are now moving on to the next stage of Jaguar's exciting new design era - and
if you like the new XK, just wait until you see the new Jaguar XF!"
Customer deliveries of the new Jaguar XF will commence in spring 2008, dependent
on market. The
Jaguar S-TYPE, which is replaced by the new Jaguar XF, made its public debut in
1998 prior to going on sale in 1999. Since launch, globally circa 270,000 S-TYPEs
have been sold. |
August 18 2006 JAGUAR
CANADA ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW 2007 XKR COUPE AND CONVERTIBLE PRICING AND OPTION PACKAGES
Jaguar
Canada today announced Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) and option
packages for the supercharged 2007 XKR Coupe and Convertible.
Taking
its performance to a new level, Jaguar has engineered the stunning 2007 XKR to
exceed the high demands that consumers rightly expect from a supercharged Jaguar
sports car complete with advanced aluminum chassis, sophisticated transmission
and enhanced sporting exterior and interior styling cues the all-new 2007
XKR Coupe will be priced from $117,000 (CAD) and the 2007 XK Convertible will
be offered from $127,000 (CAD). (Prices do not include $995 destination and delivery
charge.) "The
2007 XKR Coupe and Convertible define the ultimate in sports cars," says
Gary Moyer, president of Jaguar Land Rover Canada. "With a 420bhp supercharged
AJ-V8 engine under the hood, the 2007 XKR provides those who want power and luxury,
the combination of exhilaration and status." An
available Luxury Package offers soft-grain leather, leather-trimmed instrument
panel and 16-way power seats with adjustable bolsters. A Premium Sound Package
with a eight-speakers, 525-watt surround sound Alpine Premium Dolby ProLogic II®
system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio* and an Advanced Technology Package, which
includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Adaptive Front Lighting, will be offered
for both Coupe and Convertible models. Building
on the excellence of the 2007 XKs introduced in 2005, the 2007 XKR is the epitome
of a contemporary sports car and perfectly illustrates Jaguar's philosophy of
building beautiful, fast cars. It combines beauty with power, and style with dynamism
to deliver a world-class performance automobile. more... |
August 17 2006 JAGUAR
USA ANNOUNCES 2007 XKR COUPE AND CONVERTIBLE PRICING AND OPTION PACKAGES
Jaguar North
America today announced Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) and option
packages for the supercharged 2007 XKR Coupe and Convertible. Taking
its performance to a new level, Jaguar has engineered the stunning 2007 XKR to
exceed the high demands that consumers rightly expect from a supercharged Jaguar
sports car complete with advanced aluminum chassis, sophisticated transmission
and enhanced sporting exterior and interior styling cues the all-new 2007
XKR Coupe will be priced from $86,500 (USD) and the 2007 XK Convertible will be
offered from $92,500 (USD). (Prices include destination and delivery charges.)
"The 2007
XKR Coupe and Convertible are sensational cars to drive that define the road,"
says Mike O'Driscoll, president of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover. "With
a 420bhp supercharged AJ-V8 engine under its hood, the 2007 XKR provides those
who have an affinity for power and luxury, the combination of exhilaration and
refinement." An
available Luxury Package offers softgrain leather, leather-trimmed instrument
panel and 16-way power seats with adjustable bolsters. A Premium Sound Package
with a eight-speakers, 525-watt surround sound Alpine Premium Dolby ProLogic®
II system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio* and an Advanced Technology Package, which
includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Active Front Lighting, will be offered for
both Coupe and Convertible models. * Not available in Canada Building
on the excellence of the 2007 XKs introduced in 2005, the 2007 XKR is the epitome
of a contemporary sports car and perfectly illustrates Jaguar's philosophy of
building beautiful, fast cars. It combines beauty with power, and style with dynamism
to deliver a world-class performance automobile. more... |
August 14 2006 Potential
suitors circle stricken Jaguar After
17 years, Ford still hasnt fixed Jaguar. And with thumping losses and a
hard-nosed troubleshooter taking a long hard look at the business, it might be
time to sell the struggling brand. Rumour has it that there is no shortage of
potential buyers.. |
August 8 2006 FORD
REFUSES TO BE DRAWN ON JAGUAR RUMOURS Despite
weekend newspaper reports suggesting the possible sale of Jaguar, either on its
own or 'bundled' with Land Rover, Ford remains adamant that no steps have been
taken towards disposing of the luxury brand. |
August
2 2006 FORD LAUNCHES
REVIEW ON JAGUAR Ford
is launching a strategic review of operations such as the Jaguar brand, that may
lead to asset sales or alliances with other companies, the Wall Street Journal
(WSJ), citing people familiar with the situation, reported today. |
June
15 2006 JAGUAR SUPPORTS
HOME SHOW WITH GLOBAL DEBUT OF SUPERCHARGED XKR Jaguar's
new supercharged sports car will make its global debut here in the UK at the British
International Motor Show, to be held at the ExCeL Centre in Londons Docklands.
The XKR will be unveiled at a press conference on the Jaguar stand on Tuesday
18 July. "We
are thrilled that the XKR will make its global debut at Jaguar's home show,"
commented Jaguar's UK Managing Director Geoff Cousins. "Following
the resounding success of the XK since it went on sale earlier this year, we are
confident that the much awaited XKR will continue to build on the momentum the
car has generated for our dealers." more.... |
June 13 2006 JAGUAR
ANNOUNCES ITS NEW ADVANCED VEHICLE ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY Rear Screen
Connectivity System Jaguar
Cars is pleased to announce the release of its innovative rear-seat entertainment
technology known as the Rear Screen Connectivity System (RSCS) an AV panel
that allows rear-seat passengers to connect any digital device that has an audio/visual
output. This system is available as a retailer fitted accessory only. Rear
Screen Connectivity System
"With
the integration of the Rear Screen Connectivity System, it's the ultimate technology
in vehicle personalization," said Brenda Fevrier-Luhs, Jaguar North America
Vehicle Accessories Sales & Marketing. "Ideally suited to satisfy all
rear-seat passengers and keep them occupied throughout their journey in a Jaguar,
the RSCS is extremely versatile and provides a luxury feature not available in
all mid-size vehicles. We are the first OE to introduce this scan disc/card reader
technology before any other luxury automotive manufacturer." more.... |
May
22 2006 CALLUM BROTHERS WIN 2006 JIM CLARK MEMORIAL AWARD
The
Association of Scottish Motoring Writers has awarded Ian and Moray Callum, designers
at Jaguar and Ford, the prestigious Jim Clark Memorial Award for 2006. It is being
given in recognition of their outstanding contribution to global car design.
The
Jim Clark Memorial trophy is awarded to Scottish people who have made a major
contribution to the world of motoring. Previous winners include Sir Jackie Stewart,
Colin McRae, Tom Walkinshaw, Alan McNish, Robert Reid, road safety guru Dr. Murray
McKay and, last year, for the first time posthumously, to author, broadcaster
and journalist Ross Finlay The
award was presented on Saturday, May 20 at Gleneagles Hotel by Stephen Park, president
of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers. He said, This year there
were several worthy nominations but, receiving the vast majority of votes, the
joint award for the Callum brothers was a clear favourite with our members. more... |
April 12 2006 JAGUAR
XJ VOTED BEST LARGE EXECUTIVE CAR AT THE AUTO EXPRESS USED CAR HONOURS 2006
The
Jaguar XJ has picked up the award for the 'Best Large Executive Car' at the Auto
Express Used Car Honours 2006, announced today in the Auto Express weekly magazine.
A panel of experts from Auto Express judged the entire second-hand market
to reveal the best used models that money can buy, taking into consideration everything
from resale values, reliability, specification and availability.
The
Jaguar XJ, which first hit new car showrooms in 2003, was chosen because of its
excellent value, great driving dynamics and strong image. Another winning factor
was the comparatively low running costs due to the lightweight, all-aluminium
construction of the XJ, for example the 300bhp 4.2-litre version returns 26mpg,
while the entry-level 3.0-litre V6 can go even further on a gallon. With the recently
launched diesel version returning 35mpg to the gallon, this bodes well for future
second hand values. more... |
April 11, 2006 JAGUAR
LAND ROVER NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE Jaguar
Land Rover North America announces that Campbell MacArthur is appointed vice president
of Customer Service for Jaguar and Land Rover North America. MacArthur will report
to Mike O'Driscoll, president of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North America.
MacArthur's appointment is effective May 1, 2006. "
Campbell has had an extensive career in Customer Service at Jaguar Land Rover
and Ford Motor Company, comments Mike O'Driscoll. "His experience will be
a great compliment to our executive management team." more...
|
March 22 2006 JAGUAR
SELLS OFF BROWNS LANE SITE Staff
are being transferred to Whitley - four miles away. Car firm Jaguar is leaving
its Browns Lane site
in Coventry. The company, which has been there for more than 50 years, is
selling the site in a multi-million pound deal to construction suppliers Delamar.
A spokesman
for Delamar said it was confident its planned new production site would create
2,000 new jobs. Meanwhile, Jaguar has announced it is creating a new science and
business park at Whitley and transferring work from Browns Lane to the new site.
About 500 people are currently employed at Browns Lane which is mainly used for
Jaguar's wood veneering service. A Jaguar spokesman said a new veneer manufacturing
service created at Whitley will supply Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover. A
customer care centre for Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover will also be developed at
the site, bringing in another 130 jobs. They have demonstrated great support for
the people of Coventry said Council leader Ken Taylor.
more...
|
March 21 2006 AAA
NAMES THE JAGUAR XJ8L AS TOP CAR PICK FOR 2006 Today,
the American Automobile Association (AAA) announced its top cars for 2006 in 13
distinct categories and selected the Jaguar XJ8L as its top pick in the $50,000+
category.
"The
XJ8L has long distinguished itself from other luxury cars by offering outstanding
performance, classic design and true luxury in one sleek sedan," said Mike
O'Driscoll, president, Jaguar North America. "An endorsement from a team
of trusted third-party experts, like AAA, is what Jaguar strives for when developing
world-class vehicles." Every
year, AAA takes a comprehensive look at more than 200 vehicles and judges them
according to many criteria, including ride, performance, braking, handling, passenger
and cargo space, value, and fuel economy. Consumers
in the market for a luxury sedan with excellent performance, handling agility
and interior refinement will be impressed as AAA was with the Jaguar XJ8L sedan,
says John Nielsen, director of AAAs Approved Auto Repair and Car Buying
Program. more...
|
February 28 2006 FORD
SAYS OF JAGUAR - SAFE
IN OUR HANDS, Jaguar
is NOT for sale, the vice president of Ford of Europe told investors quite emphatically
today. Talking
to 250 auto industry investors gathered in Geneva by the stockbroker Merrill Lynch,
Lewis Booth said in answer to questions that he was aware that a particular
journalist kept saying that Ford would have to sell Jaguar but it was not
true. None of our premium brands are for sale. The development of premium
brands is part of our competitive advantage. He disclosed a very strong
corporate attachment to the Premier Auto Group from Bill Ford downwards - despite
a hideous recent profit performance and with Jaguar still in loss 17 years after
acquisition. The growth of premium brands amidst declining volume brands had been
highly significant, he said, and Ford was very well placed to take advantage because
there was nobody else with a portfolio like ours. We are convinced
that our strategy is sound. Over the years there will be an increased contribution
by PAG to the bottom line. more...
|
January 20 2006 THE
NEW JAGUAR XK, WINNER OF THE WHAT CAR? 'MOST EXCITING CAR TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2006'
AWARD The
new Jaguar XK has picked up a major reader award as 'The Most Exciting Car to
be Launched in 2006' at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Awards, held
in London last night. Thousands of readers of www.whatcar.com and the woman's
glossy magazine Eve voted the new XK top of 10 cars not yet on sale, but due to
be launched in 2006. Steve Fowler, Group Editor of What Car? magazine, commented:
"This clearly demonstrates the affection that the British public still has
for the brand and the excitement when a new Jaguar sports car is around the corner.
We're looking forward to giving our own verdict on the car in the coming weeks
and maybe this is a good indication for the 'What Car? Car of the Year in 2007."
more...
|
January 9, 2006 JAGUAR
ANNOUNCES ALL-NEW 2007 XK COUPE AND CONVERTIBLE PRICING
Jaguar North America today announces the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices
(MSRP) for the all-new 2007 XK Coupe and Convertible. Engineered
to exceed the high demands that consumers rightly expect from a Jaguar sports
car complete with advanced aluminum chassis, sophisticated transmission
and exquisite exterior and interior design the all-new 2007 XK Coupe will
be priced from $75,500 (USD) and the 2007 XK Convertible will be offered from
$81,500 (USD). (Prices include destination and delivery charges.)
"The
2007 XK is a significant new sports car from Jaguar," says CJ O'Donnell,
executive vice president Sales and Marketing, Jaguar North America. "It represents
the very best in terms of modern engineering coupled with exquisite Jaguar design
and we're confident the all-new XK will attract a very loyal following in North
America ." The
launch of the all-new Jaguar XK marks an exciting new era for Jaguar in terms
of both design and engineering, and reinforces the marques reputation for
building beautiful, fast cars that are as rewarding to drive as they are gorgeous
to look at. more.... |
September 14, 2005 JAGUAR
REVEALS ALL-NEW XK CONVERTIBLE All-new
2007 XK Convertible will go on sale in North America alongside the recently announced
XK Coupe in spring 2006
Following
the World Premiere of the XK Coupe, Jaguar is proud to announce that it will be
joined by the all-new XK convertible. From
the outset Jaguar knew it needed to create a convertible version of the XK and
designed and developed it in parallel with the Coupe. The XK Convertible uses
the same advanced aluminum body structure technology to achieve excellent body
rigidity and torsional stiffness while minimizing weight: at just 3759lbs the
new Convertible is one of the lightest cars in its competitive set. A
300bhp (SAE), 4.2-liter V8 engine and Jaguar Sequential Shift steering-wheel-mounted
gear change controls ensure rapid performance of 0-60mph in just 6.0 seconds (0-100kmh
in 6.3 seconds) and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph (250kmh)*. more... |
September 13 2005 THE
ALL-NEW JAGUAR XK PREMIERES
WORLD - FIRST DEPLOYABLE BONNET SYSTEM All-new XK Deployable Bonnet
System View
deployable bonnet animation
Jaguar Pyrotechnic Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet is a world first
System operates in less time than it takes to blink
Advanced Sensing system can distinguish between different impacts
Over 120 man years dedicated to system development
Bonnet is raised in around 30 milliseconds using forces up to 50 times the force
of gravity In
an era of safety conscious motoring, Jaguar has managed to combine beautiful,
fast sports car design with the latest pedestrian impact technology to create
a world first with the all-new XK. Today at the Frankfurt motorshow Jaguar engineers
premiered the Pyrotechnic Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System (PDBS) a state-of-the-art
advanced safety feature.
Within
the 'blink of an eye' In the unfortunate event of a pedestrian impact, the deployable
bonnet on the new XK automatically pops up a few inches, to create
a cushioning effect between the engine and the bonnet. This helps to isolate the
pedestrian from hard points in the engine compartment - and takes place in less
than a tenth of the time it takes to blink an eye. more... |
September 12 2005 THE
ALL-NEW JAGUAR XK IS UNVEILED AT THE FRANKFURT AUTO SHOW INTRODUCTION
Jaguar
is proud to announce a new era in its sports car lineage the all-new XK.
Like all great Jaguar sports cars, the focus of the all-new XK is firmly on the
future, while acknowledging the marques rich history. It heralds a new era
for Jaguar in terms of both design and engineering, and it is the most technically
advanced Jaguar ever built.
The
all-new XK continues the Jaguar tradition of beautiful, powerful, ground-breaking
sports cars, but behind its stunning looks, it bristles with practical, intuitive,
modern technology, clearly focussed on enhancing the driving experience. It delivers
significant improvements in performance, dynamics, safety, exterior and interior
design and equipment, and product quality. When it is launched in early 2006,
this first of the next generation of Jaguars will become the sporting flagship
of the Jaguar brand. more... |
August 26 2005 JAGUAR
UNVEILS ALL-NEW XK SPORTS CAR Britain's
newest and most beautiful sports car is coming to North America. Jaguar North
America today reveals details of its eagerly anticipated new sports car
the all-new 2007 Jaguar XK.
Making
its world premiere next month at the Frankfurt International Auto Show in Germany,
the all-new Jaguar XK will go on sale in North America next spring as a 2007 model
year product. The
all-new Jaguar XK is the first of a new generation of cars that reflect the best
of everything that Jaguar is associated with from gorgeous, contemporary
design to renowned craftsmanship and quality, alongside the latest driver-focused
technologies and, of course, exhilarating performance. more...
|
August 24 2005 JAGUAR
LAND ROVER ANNOUNCES NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF FRANCHISE OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED
STATES Jaguar
Land Rover North America today announces that Craig Samara is appointed vice president
of Franchise Operations for Jaguar and Land Rover in the United States. Samara
will report to Mike O'Driscoll, president of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North
America. Samara's appointment is effective immediately. "Craig
has extensive experience in sales and franchising across many brands in the Ford
portfolio," comments O'Driscoll. "We welcome his expertise to our executive
management team." Prior
to this current appointment, Samara was the National Franchise Development Manager
for Jaguar and Land Rover, a position he held since February 2003. He began his
career with Ford Motor Company in 1989 holding positions in Customer Service,
Owner Relations, and Aftermarket Parts. In addition, he held several positions
at Lincoln Mercury in Sales, Marketing and Franchising, and in Ford's Worldwide
Direct Market Operations. He is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. Samara
holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from Villanova University in Philadelphia,
PA. |
August 23 2005 THE
NEW XJ 2.7 DIESEL AND 2006MY XJ RANGE "Jaguar's
focus this year is firmly on meeting our customers' needs for cars that combine
superb value for money with a driving experience that you can only get from a
Jaguar. That's why the 2006 XJ range has been significantly upgraded to ensure
every customer will find a model to satisfy his or her requirements. From the
introduction of our acclaimed 2.7 litre V6 turbodiesel engine to a host of other
groundbreaking advances for every model, such as acoustic laminated glass and
Bluetooth ® wireless connectivity, the new 2006 XJ will keep Jaguar at the
forefront of the premium saloon market." Bibiana Boerio, managing director,
Jaguar Cars
The
introduction of the 2.7 litre twin-turbo Diesel to the XJ range marks a significant
development for Jaguar's flagship model. Following on from the highly successful
introduction of diesel engines to the X-TYPE and S-TYPE model ranges, the new
XJ 2.7 twin-turbo Diesel means Jaguar now offers a diesel alternative across its
entire saloon range, ensuring that the marque can meet the increasing demand for
diesel-engined cars in the European marketplace. And of course, the 3.0 V6 and
three V8 petrol engines - 3.5, 4.2 and 4.2 litre supercharged - remain as impressive
as ever. more...
|
July 29 2005 JAGUAR
BRINGS TOGETHER EMERGING ARTISTS AND AUTOMOTIVE STYLE FOR UNIQUE PROJECT AT SCOPEHAMPTONS
ART FAIR Jaguar,
the highest expression of automotive art, has teamed up with W magazine and more
than a dozen of today's most noteworthy emerging artists for a unique collaboration.
At the prestigious -scopeHamptons Art Fair, July 15-17, in Southampton, NY, Jaguar
will showcase each artist's creative vision on an unusual blank canvas - a 1/18th
scale model of a Jaguar X-TYPE automobile. The event demonstrates Jaguar's enthusiasm
and support of the art and design world. Jaguar--a brand renowned for its
style, sophistication and luxury--will donate the one-of-a-kind scale models to
the fair's silent auction, which runs concurrently from Friday, July 15 through
Sunday, July 17. All proceeds will benefit The Retreat, the only domestic violence
agency on Long Island's East End. The
contributing artists are Jin Meyerson, Kenzo Minami, Tad Lauritzen Wright, Danny
Hobart, Pierre Abando, Thomas Wrede, Simon Aldridge, Johnson Foster, Guerra De
La Paz, As Four, Jose E. Guinto, Shinique Smith, Jeff Sonhouse, Jim Wright and
James McLeod & Josh Weintraub. more... |
July 26 2005 Daimler
returns to the new car showroom this autumn with an all-new model, the Super Eight.
Daimler
owners are making a statement with the car that they drive. They are telling the
world what they want and expect from the Daimler marque - a car of quality, beauty
and unparalleled craftsmanship: A car like the new Daimler Super Eight.
For
over a century the mention of the Daimler name or the sight of the unique fluted
radiator grille has evoked the memory of a succession of classic automobiles.
From the famous Double Six V12-engined Daimlers of the 1920s that were owned by
King George V of England, through to the Sovereign and Double Six models of the
1960s and '70s, Britain's oldest and most respected marque has signified luxury,
sophisticated style and individual statement. For 109, years Daimlers have been
bought by people who expect the best and appreciate the authenticity and craftsmanship
that a Daimler can offer. In the 21st century nothing has changed. more... |
July 20 2005 Geoff
Polites is appointed CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover, effective September 1st 2005. Previously
he had been Vice President, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. Prior
to his current position Mr. Polites was Vice President European Sales Staff, Ford
of Europe. From 1999 to March 2004 he was President of Ford Australia and has
been closely associated with Ford, as an employee and as a dealer, for more than
30 years.
Mr.
Polites joined Ford Australia in 1970 as a Product Planner and completed training
in both the United States and Europe, before rejoining Ford Australia in 1975
as Marketing Plans and Research Manager. Following
subsequent positions as Southern Region Country Sales Manager, Merchandising Manager
and Eastern Regional Manager, he returned to Melbourne in 1985 as General Sales
Manager, Ford Australia and held this position until July 1988 when he resigned
from Ford to become Dealer Principal of the City Ford Dealership in central Sydney.
more... |
July 1 2005 FORD
MOTOR COMPANY REPORTS JUNE U.S. SALES INCREASED FROM A YEAR AGO
Ford Motor Company posted its first monthly sales increase of 2005. In June, U.S.
customers purchased or leased 289,449 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln,
Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, up 1 percent compared with a year ago. Car
sales totaled 100,438, up 9 percent from last June. This was the largest increase
in car sales since December 2002. In the first half, sales of passenger cars were
up 1 percent. "We're
pleased with the overall result this month," said Steve Lyons, Ford group
vice president North America Marketing, Sales and Service. "On the car side,
we are benefiting from the new products we introduced late last year. We expect
to build on this momentum when the new Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln
Zephyr debut this fall." more... |
June 13 2005 THE
NEW XJ 2.7 DIESEL AND 2006MY XJ RANGE Jaguars
focus this year is firmly on meeting our customers needs for cars that combine
superb value for money with a driving experience that you can only get from a
Jaguar. Thats why the 2006 XJ range has been significantly upgraded to ensure
every customer will find a model to satisfy his or her requirements. From the
introduction of our acclaimed 2.7 litre V6 turbodiesel engine to a host of other
groundbreaking advances for every model, such as acoustic laminated glass and
Bluetooth ® wireless connectivity, the new 2006 XJ will keep Jaguar at the
forefront of the premium saloon market." Bibiana Boerio, managing director,
Jaguar Cars
The
introduction of the 2.7 litre twin-turbo Diesel to the XJ range marks a significant
development for Jaguars flagship model. Following on from the highly successful
introduction of diesel engines to the X-TYPE and S-TYPE model ranges, the new
XJ 2.7 twin-turbo Diesel means Jaguar now offers a diesel alternative across its
entire saloon range, ensuring that the marque can meet the increasing demand for
diesel-engined cars in the European marketplace. And of course, the 3.0 V6 and
three V8 petrol engines 3.5, 4.2 and 4.2 litre supercharged remain
as impressive as ever. more... |
June 10 2005 JAGUAR
ANNOUNCES MOBILITY PROGRAM TO FINANCIALLY ASSIST DISABLED CUSTOMERS
Jaguar has announced the launch of the Jaguar Mobility Program. This program will
provide financial assistance towards the installation of adaptive equipment to
make new Jaguar vehicles more accessible to drivers with physical disabilities.
The program offers
up to $1,000 towards the installation cost of adaptive equipment and up to $200
towards fitting an alert hearing device on eligible Jaguar models. It is restricted
to a maximum contribution of $1,000 per vehicle. Adaptive
equipment - such as hand controls or steering devices - are just some of the items
that can be installed to allow individuals with physical disabilities to consider
a Jaguar car as an everyday vehicle. more... |
May 19 2005 JAGUAR
XJ WINS BEST LUXURY CAR IN THE 2005 FLEET WORLD HONOURS The
Jaguar XJ has won the prestigious Best Luxury Car Award in the 2005 Fleet World
Awards for a second consecutive year. The awards were made at a special ceremony
on Thursday 19th May at the Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall. The awards
are judged by a panel of experts representing the leasing industry, fleet managers,
motoring journalists, residual value guides and Fleet Worlds own editorial
team. The judges took a wide range of factors into account, including residual
values, maintenance costs, reliability, driver appeal and manufacturer back-up.
more...
|
May 18 2005 JAGUAR
CARS FOR JAGUAR CATS
Jaguar North America
jins Happy Hollow Park and Zoo to celebrate new jaguar cat, Sophia. Jaguar North
America donates $7,000 to Happy Hollow Park & Zoo to support their new jaguar
cat, Sophia. Jaguar North America and San Jose British Motors will celebrate the
coming out of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo's newest feline their 17-month old jaguar
cat, Sophia. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, which is located in San Jose, California,
will host local city politicians as well as zoo supporters during a coming out
celebration for the new jaguar cat. Jaguar
North America, which began supporting jaguar-related conservation in the mid-80s,
will donate $7,000 to support the cost of exhibit maintenance for the jaguar for
one year, as well as donate an additional $50 for every Jaguar car that is purchased
from San Jose British Motors during the month of June 2005. San Jose British Motors
also supports as an official sponsor of the celebration. more... |
April 22 2005 - April Newsletter
LUXURY MEETS
EXCLUSIVITY IN 2006 SUPER V8 PORTFOLIO JAGUAR
CARS APPOINTS EURO RSCG/FUEL AS NEW GLOBAL ADVERTISING AGENCY JAGUAR
ANNOUNCES 2006 XK PRICING ALONG WITH REVISED PRICING FOR 2005 XJ AND S-TYPE AUTOMUNDO
NAMES JAGUAR SELECT EDITION BEST CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED PROGRAM STEFANIE
POWERS TAKING JAGUAR CONSERVATION TO CUSTOMERS more... |
April 20 2005 FORD'S
NEWEST ON DISPLAY AT 2005 AUTO SHANGHAI Some
of the very latest products from the Ford Motor Company portfolio of brands --
including Ford, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo Cars and its partner, Mazda
-- were unveiled today for Chinese and international journalists attending this
year's Shanghai auto show. All of Ford Motor Company's brands including Mazda,
Ford's partner since 1979, will be shown together as was done in Beijing in June
2004. Mark Fields, executive vice president, Premier Automotive Group and
Ford of Europe, said, "We continue to bring our latest premium products from
Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo Cars to the Chinese market. Our premium sales were
up 20 percent, collectively, in the First Quarter of this year over last. At the
Shanghai show, we are expanding our brands' product range further." more... |
April 6 2005 JAGUAR
REVISES PRICING FOR 2005 S-TYPE AND XJ MODELS Jaguar
North America today announces revised Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices (MSRPs)
for two models in its product line up - the 2005 S-TYPE mid-size luxury sedans
and the full-size 2005 XJ sedans. Pricing for the X-TYPE sedan, X-TYPE Sportwagon
and XK sports cars remain unchanged. Pricing
changes will take affect on April 5, 2005. Prices of option packs and individual
available options will remain unchanged on the 2005 S-TYPE and XJ models. more... |
March 24 2005 JAGUAR
CARS APPOINTS EURO RSCG/FUEL AS NEW GLOBAL ADVERTISING AGENCY Jaguar
Cars today announces that Euro RSCG/Fuel is appointed as its new worldwide advertising
agency. Following a review process that began late last year and culminated
in pitches by six agencies, Euro RSCG/Fuel will be responsible for the creation
and execution of Jaguar's global advertising. The agency will conduct operations
from New York and London, with support for the North American market provided
by the New York office. "The
decision to conduct an agency review was part of our strategy to refocus our market
positioning and external communications on Jaguar's unique values", explained
Jaguar Managing Director, Bibiana Boerio. "Working together with Euro RSCG/Fuel,
we will move our communications and the Jaguar brand forward. "Jaguar
has its sights set on the future, with a multi-faceted plan that includes great
new products", continued Boerio. "We gave an insight into this new generation
of beautiful, fast cars with the Advanced Lightweight Coupe, which has received
widespread recognition since its January debut in Detroit at the North American
International Auto Show." more...
|
February 22 2005 JAGUAR
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER Bluetooth
to be offered in all new Jaguars Jaguar's XK sports car wins top owner loyalty
award Advanced Lightweight Coupe points to Jaguar's future Jaguar celebrates
Trans-Am success with 2006 XK Victory Edition Striving for success in 2005
Jaguar backs Select Edition race team for third season more... |
February 3 2005 JAGUAR
XJ6 WINS BEST LUXURY CAR AT THE CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS The
Jaguar XJ6 has picked up the award for 'Best Luxury Car' for the second year running
at the prestigious What Car? Car of the Year Awards held last night in London.
A panel of judges from What Car? magazine voted the XJ6 as the best in its class
because of its looks, driving dynamics, quality, ample performance and impeccable
refinement. David Motton, editor of What Car? magazine, commented: "The
Jaguar XJ6 does everything a luxury car should, it's a modern twist on a classic
theme and there's substance to back up the style. Excellent body control and a
lightweight aluminium construction make the XJ more agile than any of its rivals.
There's all the luxury equipment you'd expect, the fit and attention to detail
are immaculate and the drive is everything you would expect of Jaguar's flagship
saloon." more... |
February
2 2005 JAGUAR
X-TYPE DIESEL NOW EVEN MORE TAX EFFICIENT WITH EURO IV EMISSIONS COMPLIANCE
Jaguar
has today announced that all X-TYPE Diesel saloon and estate models will be Euro
IV emissions compliant from January 2005 a year ahead of the date demanded
by legislation. The new Euro IV compliant X-TYPE 2.0 Diesel replaces the
original model and is available to buy now with prices starting from just £20,995.
A price increase of just £500 provides customers with improved driveability
and a more responsive engine performance on top of improved tax efficiency.
Compliance
with the forthcoming 2006 Euro IV emissions regulations brings business and corporate
users in the UK, a potential reduction in their annual company car tax bill of
around 3%, which comes a year ahead of the ruling. more... |
January 24 2005 TIM
WATSON APPOINTED NEW COMMUNICATIONS CHIEF FOR ASTON MARTIN JAGUAR LAND ROVER NORTH
AMERICA Watson
will lead the three separate PR teams, covering brand, product, corporate and
internal communications. He will be responsible for implementing the communication
strategies for the three British brands in the USA. Watson
(41) has served since 2001 as Public Affairs Director and latterly Brand Communications
Director at Aston Martins headquarters in the UK. He takes up his new position
in the Premier Automotive Group's North American headquarters in Irvine, Ca.,
reporting to Mike O'Driscoll, President of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover North
America and Stuart Dyble Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs,
Premier Automotive Group and Ford of Europe. more... |
January 13 2005 JAGUAR'S
BEST EVER YEAR IN EUROPE Jaguar
Cars in Europe further strengthened during 2004, helping to achieve best ever
results for the UK and European markets overall, driven by expansion of the product
line-up to include new Jaguar Diesels and the X-TYPE Estate. Overall sales
in the UK for 2004 reached record levels totalling 32,598 cars, an 11.2 per cent
improvement over last year, and 9.4 per cent up on the previous record in 2002.
European sales of 24,337 cars helped achieve best ever results with a 24.6 per
cent improvement over 2003. Global sales in 2004 totalled 118,918 (compared with
120,570 in 2003). The
company's overall performance was, however, slowed by tough trading conditions
in the key US market, where a 16.4% downturn was seen, year-on-year. A significant
shift by US customers away from premium saloon cars to premium SUVs, high incentive
activity in the US premium car sector and the strength of sterling versus the
dollar all contributed to this trend. Jaguar nonetheless enjoyed success in the
US, with the launch of its eagerly anticipated XJ LWB and recently the X-TYPE
Estate. The introduction of the long-wheelbase version of the XJ contributed to
a 4.5% rise in its share of this key market. more... |
January 11 2005 JAGUAR
ADVANCED LIGHTWEIGHT COUPE MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO
SHOW The
Advanced Lightweight Coupe is not just a show car. It is a company personified.
Like the iconic Jaguar XK120s and E-types that preceded it, the Jaguar Advanced
Lightweight Coupe heralds a new generation of stunning sports coupes and saloons;
cars that will remain true to Jaguars illustrious past but more importantly
will see the company leaping confidently forward into the future. Created
by Jaguars advanced design team under the watchful eye of renowned Design
Director Ian Callum, this high-performance show car is indicative of more than
just the companys evolving design direction the Advanced Lightweight
Coupe represents the future of Jaguar, as an ambassador for a marque whose reputation
was founded on beautiful and dynamic sports cars. more...
|
January 10, 2005 JAGUAR
ADVANCED LIGHTWEIGHT COUPE MAKES WORLD DEBUT AT NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO
SHOW The Jaguar
Advanced Lightweight Coupe show car made its world debut today at the North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Mich. The Advanced Lightweight Coupe
show car heralds a new generation of stunning Jaguar sports cars and sports sedans.
The car remains true to Jaguar's illustrious past but more importantly signals
the company's confident leap forward into the future. Joe
Greenwell, Chairman and CEO of Jaguar Cars, introduced the show car. "The
Advanced Lightweight Coupe represents the very essence of Jaguar, its heart and
soul. If you want to know what lies ahead for us, what direction we will take
this is Jaguar's answer." more... |
January 9 2005 2006
LIMITED EDITION JAGUAR XK 'VICTORY' XK
VICTORY ANOTHER MARK IN HISTORY "The
XK is Jaguar's leading beautiful, fast car. With sensuous lines, rich appointments
and thrilling performance, it has remained on the shopping list of automotive
enthusiasts for more than six decades."
C.J.
ODonnell, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Communications,
Jaguar North America Making
their world debut at the 2005 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2006 model year Jaguar
XK 'Victory' editions celebrate Jaguar's four championship wins in the North American
Trans-Am road racing series and add to a successful lineage of special and limited
edition XKs introduced since its launch. Now
a familiar sight on the racetracks of North America, the racing version of the
XKR coupe has achieved three of four outright Manufacturer's Championship wins
in the Trans-Am Series for Jaguar. For the 2004 season, Jaguar claimed its fourth
title second in a row when the Jaguar R Performance XKR, driven
by Paul Gentilozzi, propelled him to his 29th career Trans-Am victory, tying the
legendary Mark Donohue's career Trans-Am win record. From
the landmark XK120 sports car that first introduced the famous XK name in 1948,
through the current range of XK8 and XKR coupes and convertibles, the XK nameplate
has become synonymous with style, luxury, performance and grand touring ability.
Just 1,050 of the special 'Victory' edition XKs will be sold in the U.S. beginning
in June 2005. more... |
January
4, 2005 JAGUAR
LAND ROVER CANADA REPORTS DECEMBER AND YEAR-END SALES
Jaguar Land Rover Canada reports December sales totaling 230 vehicles and year-end
sales for the company totaling 3,097. Jaguar monthly sales totaled 93 cars sold
down seven percent compared with the same month in 2003, and Land Rover sales
totaled 137 vehicles sold for a decrease of 12 percent compared with December
last year. "2004
was an exciting year with the introduction of the Land Rover LR3, and the Jaguar
XJ Long-wheel base, said Vic Bernardini, president of Jaguar Land Rover Canada.
"And we look forward to the global debut of Range Rover Sport, 2006 Range
Rover, and some exciting Jaguar product at this year's North American International
Auto Show. We have much to look forward to in 2005." more... |
|
Headlines XF
- First impressions Jaguar
reveals the new generation X-type Jaguar/Land
Rover bidders need more time Spied:
Jaguar XF-R 'Jaguar'
badge for the chop - designer Revealed
- The all-new 2009 Jaguar XF ODriscoll
replaces Boerio as Jaguar MD Jaguar
collects customer service plaudits Jaguar
take sthe number one position in the 2007 J.D. Power study Ford
readies Jaguar and Ford for sale Roger
Putnam receives CBE
2007
Jaguar XK wins Autonerve magazine "Best Convertible" award Jaguar
X-typenamed top aspirational luxury car Jaguar
XKR convertible tops 2007 best road trip car list
Jaguar
XJ named one of the safest cars Robert
Motors celebrates 25 years of success The
all-new Jaguar C-XF The
all-new Jaguar C-XF revealed 2006
Headlines S type
revised Top
Gear crowns Jaguar XK 'Car of the year 2006 Jaguar
cars announces the new Jaguar XF Jaguar
Canada announces all-new-2007 XKR coupe and convertible pricing and option packges Jaguar
USA announces 2007 XKR coupe and convertible pricing and option packages Jaguar
supports home show with global debut of supercharged XKR Jaguar
announces its new advanced vehicle entertainment technology Callum
brothers win 2006 Jim Clark memorial award Jaguar
XJ voted best large executive car at the Auto Express Used Car Honours 2006 Jaguar
Land Rover North America announces new vice president of customer service Jaguar
sells off Browns Lane site AAA
names the Jaguar XJ8L as top car pick for 2006 Ford
says of Jaguar - safe in our hands The
new Jaguar XK winner of "What Car?" award Jaguar
announces all-new 2007 XK coupe and convertible pricing 2005
Headlines Jaguar
reveals all-new XK convertible All-new
Jaguar XK premieres world-first deployable bonnet system All-new
Jaguar XK is unveiled atFrankfurt show Jaguar
unveils all-new XK sports car Jaguar
announces new vice president Tne
new XJ 2.7 diesel and 2006MY XJ range Jaguar
brings tpgether emerging artists Daimler
returns with an all-new model, the Super Eight. Geoff
Polites is appointed CEO of Jaguar June
sales New
XJ 2.7 Diesel and 2006MY XJ range Jaguar
announces mobility program Jaguar
XJ wins best luxury car in the 2005 fleet world honours Jaguar
cars for Jaguar cats April
Newsletter Ford's
newest atShanghai Jaguar
revises prices for 2005 S-type and XJ models Jaguar
appoints new global Advertising Agency February
newsletter Jaguar
XJ6 wins award Jaguar
X-type diesel even more tax efficient Tim
Watson appointed new communications chief Jaguar's
best ever year in Europe Jaguar
advanced lightweight coupe makes world debut Limited
edition Jaguar XK 'VICTORY' Jaguar
Canada sales reports 2004
Headlines More
job losses likely say unions Bonspeed
X type at SEMA, Las Vegas Jaguar
scoopsScottish luxury and diesel categoryawards Japanese
Grand Prix - Preview Jaguar
Canada reports September sales Chinese
Grand Prix Race Chinese
Grand Prix Saturday Qualifying Chinese
Grand Prix Friday Practice Sessions Jaguar
workers stalk Ford in Paris Jaguar
workers back call for industrial action ballot Jaguar
to drop British Racing Green Jaguar
leaps forwardin 2004 in J.D. Power study Jaguar
North America expands conservation trust Jaguar
question to be put to Commons Jaguar
production to end at Browns Lane Jaguar
cuts production due to poor US sales Belgian
Grand Prix - Race Belgian
Grand Prix - Qualifying Belgian
Grand Prix - Practice Belgian
Grand Prix - preview Jaguar
factory capacity cut announcement "weeks away" Jaguar
fears on factory closure Jaguar
North America dedicates its archives Job
cuts "unlikely" at Jaguar Jaguar
team to be come Ford? Jaguar
exhibits the iconic E-type at the design museum Plans
to cut Jaguar production Jaguar
"People Solutions" in the frame for prestigious award European
Grand Prix - Qualifying European
Grand Prix - Practice European
Grand Prix - Preview Jaguar
at design festival Steinmetz&
Jaguar Racing Monaco
Grand Prix - race Monaco
Grand Prix - qualifying Monaco
Grand Prix - practice Monaco
Grand Prix - preview The
movies meets Jaguar Jaguars
invade Normandy Spanish
Grand Prix - race Spanish
Grand Prix - qualifying Spanish
Grand Prix - practice Spanish
Grand Prix - preview Jaguar
U.S.announce executive appoinments April
2004 U.S. sales 2003
Headlines "Browns
Lane plant to close" rumour Jaguar
select edition captures award Jaguar
racing engine makes successful debut Japan
Grand Prix X-type
estate makes its debut at Frankfurt Jaguar
R-D6 concept unveiled at Frankfurt Hungarian
Grand Prix The
New Jaguar X-Type Estate Jaguar
opens new test centre at the Nürburgring TWR
history goes under the hammer French
Grand Prix - Saturday Qualifying The
new X-type 2.0D. Canadian
grand prix - preview Jaguar
to premiere new V6 diesel engine New
Jaguar sports car sets the pace Jaguar
boss announces retirement Lap
record eases heat on Jaguar TWR
is placed in receivership Canadian
debut of the 2004 XJ sedan Jaguar
Daimler Heritage Trust at Techno Classica Essen XKSS
sells for $1.1 million Jaguar
to temporarily suspend X-type production New
XJ prices released Jaguar
R4 unveiled F1
car launch 2002
Headlines XKSS
for sale at auction Driver
change at F1 team Indianapolis
X type Jaguar
from latest Bond film at British Motor Show New
XJ released Revised
XK released Jaguars
at Monterey Changes
in management line-up F
type on hold New
XJ8 for 2003 Morse
Mark 2 sells at auction Jaguar
announces expanded 2002 Trans-Am Series Contingency Award Program Jaguar
Heritage on display at Techno Classica Essen 400
bhp S type R launched Jaguar
Racing unveiled its 2002 challenger, the Jaguar R3 2001
Headlines XJ13
not for sale Bike
ace signs for Jaguar New
2 litre X type Jaguar
Racing and ChevronTexaco to end their technical relationship Frank
Sinatra's XJ40 sold at auction New
MD for Jaguar Racing Changes
at the top Jaguar
presents the R Coupe concept Two
new special editions New
organization for North America New
XJ6 test vehicle F-TYPE
roadster production to go-ahead |