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| If you want a new Jaguar, now might be the time to act. Every model, minus the F-Pace (top left) is headed to the big car graveyard in the sky. |
When was the last time you’ve seen a new Jaguar on the road? If your answer was “I’m not sure”, I’m with you. And apparently that’s the case for most of the rest of the population too, as Jaguar is officially euthanizing every model in its lineup besides the F-Pace SUV.
What's the Plan?
If you aren’t aware of what models the British automaker has on offer for 2024, currently you can get the XE sedan, XF sedan, XF Sportbrake wagon (Europe), F-Type sports car, E-Pace compact SUV, F-Pace midsize SUV, and the I-Pace EV SUV. According to Jaguar’s CEO, Adrian Mardell, these models (minus the F-Pace, presumably) make no money for the company. The last F-Type has already been built. Jaguar had previously said that by 2025 they would be an all-EV brand. It doesn’t appear as if the company will make that milestone, but transitioning by the beginning of the next decade is still within reach. Currently, there are new models in development - a luxury gran tourer and a large SUV.
The JLR conglomerate wants Jaguar to eventually compete with Bentley - which seems slightly ambitious to me since currently, most of Jaguar’s cars are more “entry or midrange luxury” in classification vs. “exclusive high-end luxury”. Under the new JLR strategy, Jaguar would sell less than 50,000 cars annually, making them fairly niche.
So… do you think this is a wise move for Jag? Personally, I’m just gonna say no. The brand is already very niche as is, and with other automakers with a larger footprint (GM, Ford, VW etc.) now rethinking their “all-in on EVs by 2030” strategies, I’m not sure why JLR is convinced that Jaguar, of all brands, can compete by flying even more under the radar with a smaller footprint and even more expensive EV models and one ICE SUV… Time will tell. I drove the I-Pace EV several years back as part of my product development research and walked away mostly impressed. Jaguar is a brand with a rich heritage of performance and racing, we will see if they can build a new legacy looking ahead.
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