Photo: Gwi design via Behance
The British carmaker isn't going through its best-ever period, and while the whole industry might say the same thing considering the circumstances, Jaguar Land Rover isn't fooling itself by blaming it all on the pandemic.
The good news for JLR and everyone who happens to like its products is that it looks like the new CEO, Thierry Bolloré, who was appointed last September, already has a plan to bring the company back to its former glory. For now, this program centers around the Jaguar brand, arguably the one suffering the most at the moment.
Talking to British publication Autocar, Bolloré revealed the problem Jaguar has at the moment. “The cars have never been as good as in 2021," the CEO said, talking about Jaguar models. “[Customers] like the car and test the car, and they still go and buy an Audi or a BMW. That’s the problem. People buy the originals, then. We aren’t the originals. We have to get the positioning of Jaguar much different, higher, and more original.”
That tells that Jaguar will attempt to go from premium, where it is now, to some sort of limbo that sits between premium and full-on luxury. Bolloré actually points at Range Rover for reference, and it's a very good example since the said brand's models don't really have any direct competitors—they're positioned above the likes of Audi and BMW, but below Bentley or Rolls-Royce.
The interview reveals even more exciting aspects about the direction set for Jaguar. According to the CEO, the cars we're about to see in just a few years will feature special proportions with sleek body lines and an overall reduced height. If that's not a description for coupes and sports cars, we don't know what is.
Following an internal competition between the company's designers, JLR's hierarchy knows very well what kind of models it wants to build in the future. The only problem now is what to build them on. Bolloré reveals all these models will use electric powertrains, and Jaguar lacks the modular EV platform that could support them all.
The question now is whether to develop one in-house or look to borrow an already existing one. Given the nature of the vehicles described, the only one that seems to fit the bill is Porsche's PPE. However, it's hard to imagine the two companies collaborating even if Jaguar plans to target a different market position.
Whatever JLR decides, it'll need to do it quickly because the schedule for this armada of new EVs is tight. Bolloré talks about 2025 as the year when the offensive is planned to begin. Still, a maximum of a little over four years is a very short time for developing an entire line of vehicles from scratch. Not impossible, though, so fingers crossed because this new plan for the legendary British carmaker sounds really exciting.
Talking to British publication Autocar, Bolloré revealed the problem Jaguar has at the moment. “The cars have never been as good as in 2021," the CEO said, talking about Jaguar models. “[Customers] like the car and test the car, and they still go and buy an Audi or a BMW. That’s the problem. People buy the originals, then. We aren’t the originals. We have to get the positioning of Jaguar much different, higher, and more original.”
That tells that Jaguar will attempt to go from premium, where it is now, to some sort of limbo that sits between premium and full-on luxury. Bolloré actually points at Range Rover for reference, and it's a very good example since the said brand's models don't really have any direct competitors—they're positioned above the likes of Audi and BMW, but below Bentley or Rolls-Royce.
The interview reveals even more exciting aspects about the direction set for Jaguar. According to the CEO, the cars we're about to see in just a few years will feature special proportions with sleek body lines and an overall reduced height. If that's not a description for coupes and sports cars, we don't know what is.
Following an internal competition between the company's designers, JLR's hierarchy knows very well what kind of models it wants to build in the future. The only problem now is what to build them on. Bolloré reveals all these models will use electric powertrains, and Jaguar lacks the modular EV platform that could support them all.
The question now is whether to develop one in-house or look to borrow an already existing one. Given the nature of the vehicles described, the only one that seems to fit the bill is Porsche's PPE. However, it's hard to imagine the two companies collaborating even if Jaguar plans to target a different market position.
Whatever JLR decides, it'll need to do it quickly because the schedule for this armada of new EVs is tight. Bolloré talks about 2025 as the year when the offensive is planned to begin. Still, a maximum of a little over four years is a very short time for developing an entire line of vehicles from scratch. Not impossible, though, so fingers crossed because this new plan for the legendary British carmaker sounds really exciting.
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