Jaguar North America CEO Andy Gross wants Jaguar to have the same level of prestige as brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Lexus. Jaguar hopes to use its F-Type, XJR 550-hp sedan, and XKR GT to push the brand image forward. They have forecast 15.3 million US vehicle sales, and hope to see both Jaguar and Land Rover sales increase by double digits this year.
Now owned by Indian auto manufacturer Tata Motors, an increase in sales in Jaguar for the company could change the face of the market significantly. American auto manufacturers have failed to make the same mark on the luxury car market as foreign auto makers like Toyota and German manufacturers. Another foreign player in the luxury car market would make it harder for American luxury cars like Lincoln and Cadillac to reap the same profit margins that their foreign competitors have.
Ultimately, there is only one way to truly move a brand image forward: consistently producing cars at a high level. It’s up to Jaguar to manufacture cars that are competitive in terms of style and quality with their competitors. If they can have sustained success in design and engineering, the sales and reputation will follow.
As Mr. J Mays told us today, one of the ways to “move the brand image forward” is to come up with a good product. Once a company produces a really good product that can grab people’s attentions, consumers will expect a better product and it will eventually improve the brand image. I do not think right now is the time to build a luxury car. Instead, Jaguar can build some good affordable cars to get people’s attentions first then improve quality or other things to make it luxury.
How do the sales of luxury makers compare? How many models each? We could follow up on these claims to ask whether there is room for one more, whether it is possible to move downmarket without losing the luxury cachet, and so on.