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Jaguar Lets 11-Year-Olds Drive the New XE, Probably Hopes They’ll Grow into Buyers

Child-oriented advertising is restricted in some countries, and even if it weren’t, that still doesn’t make it any less morally debatable. But nobody said anything about PR stunts, right?
Jaguar First 3 photos
Photo: Jaguar
Jaguar FirstJaguar First
Just like any other firsts, you will never forget about the first car you ever drove, even though that’s usually one of the least spectacular rides in the life of a driver’s license holder. We suspect Jaguar is well aware of this thing, as it is somehow trying to take advantage of it, and also get some publicity on the side for the Jaguar First program it has initiated in the UK.

The feline brand is enjoying some degree of success with its newly launched sports saloon XE model, so it’s currently trying to strike while the iron is hot. And it’s doing so by indirectly targeting future potential buyers.

Oh, but we’re making Jaguar sound like an evil genius, and we’re only looking at this from a single perspective. What the British company is doing with the Jaguar First can be considered a public service initiative, as it’s meant to teach younger kids about traffic safety and help them get to grips with actually driving a car.

After all is said and done, Jaguar should be commended for its enterprise, as studies and statistics show that learning to drive responsibly from an earlier age lowers the risk of accidents. The Jaguar First program is aimed at kids between 11 and 17 years old and offers them the chance of experiencing realistic on-the-road situations on board of a Jaguar car.

Speaking of the car, they will be using a Jaguar XE with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine developing 180 hp with automatic transmission (which confirms that even a kid can drive an auto) and dual controls, with a government approved driving instructor sitting in the passenger’s seat.

Obviously, it will all take place on closed roads in six different venues scattered throughout the UK: Allianz Park, London; Bath and West Showground, Bath; Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham; EventCity, Manchester; Lingfield Park Racecourse, Surrey; Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

So, even if Jaguar is still partly up to some evil scheme, it still deserves the credit for thinking about road safety and reducing the number of traffic-related fatalities. And, let’s face it, wouldn’t you have liked to drive a Jaguar when you were 11?
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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