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Originally Posted by Luwalira I think that the cat needs a new home. Ford isn't taking care of Jaguar. During the 90s Ford was along with MB the two strongest luxury car brands out there but today the thought of many people buying a Jaguar is fading. I bet that the conservatie people weren't exactly thrilled when Jag presented the X-type estate. Jaguar is the symbol of aristocracy and for them estate cars are for people who need do their own physical work, and those type of people are usually not that wealthy.
I have read that Jaguar are working on a new S-type and hopefully it will be out soon and bring about some more dough for the poor little cat. |
1.
You must be joking, in the 90s, Jag and Benz.
By the 90s the only establised global players were MB and BMW and are so to this day, but Audi will be there in the next 5 to 10 years-image wise.
2.
Jaguar's wounds began in the 60s.
By the late 60s both Leyland and BMC wanted to buy Jaguar. Since Lyons son died in 1955, and Jaguar was having problems with Pressed Steel, they accepted that togheter with BMC they would become BMH. Now Jag had a powerfull position due to Lyons in the new group, as well as when BMH merged with Leyland to form BLMC.
For a few years things were well, but than problems begun.
The costs at Jag delvelopment skyrocketed, and the fact that BLMC also had
Rover and Triumph was anoter problem.
So Rover got the Land Rover but lost the P8 in favour of Jaguar who got the XJ6/12, and Triumph got lost/terminated.
But beying part of BL meant quality problems.
The new XJ6/12 (V12 bad during fuel crisis of the 70s) and XJS couldn't do anything really.
The image of Jag was tarnished and the MB-BMW duo was instopable in eating Jags breakfast, lunch and dinner.
But by the 80s things changed.
1981 probably represented the absolute depths of Jaguar’s fortunes because production hit an all time low of 13,360 cars for the entire year. It also marked the start of the future.
A market research programme was instituted that questioned not only Jaguar customers – and those that would potentially buy their products, but also BMW and Mercedes-Benz owners and what it was about their cars that made them that engendered such marque loyalty in their customers.
Thing were starting to change tahnks to the energetical measures of John Egan.
Nevertheless the partialy revigorated Jaguar -for the time - would no longer be MB's arch rival.
The V12 750Li showed the world who's really the arch rival of MB, if there was any doubt left.
Ford's treatment to Jag, was a joke. Ford probably didn't undertood what they were getting themselves into.
3.
Also, the great Jags of their time were not conservative, nor made for old aristocrats/bar Daimler.
4.
Also there were tourer/estate Jags before.
The Lynx Eventer, the Avon.
5.
Jags problem is not keeping up with the germans.
Sorry Luwa, failed at history again.