Jaguar XF: Bond's next steer?
Ford reported its results for 2006 today and they make grim reading.
It lost $12.7 billion, with sales income down by over $16 billion compared to 2005 to $160.1 billion -- it's the biggest loss in the Blue Oval's 103-year history.
While the troubles of Ford and the rest of the USA's big three motor manufacturers have been well-publicised, what Ford's figures also reveal is that Jaguar's contribution to the loss was a massive $715 million.
Jaguar plans to reduce that loss to $550 million in 2007 and $300 million in 2008, and to redeem itself with the newly-revealed XF, as well as the XK coupé and convertible. Given the reception afforded the company's new cars -- now it's abandoned the retro look -- this scheme looks so far to be on track, although it is early days.
However, the fact remains that Jaguar made only 75,000 cars in 2006, a flea-bite in global terms. And Jaguar must do well in the US especially, but its recent sales history is poor. According to Autocar, the high point was 61,000 sales in 2002, half of which were X-types. Yet 2006 saw sales slump to a mere 21,000 units. Only 5,000 of those were X-Types.
There is a bright spot on Jaguar's horizon however, apart from the sunny outlook for the 2006 models.
Ford has a contract to supply cars for the next Bond film. It's part of a $100 million three-movie deal that started with the 2002 film Die Another Day. It's a huge advertising platform. And now that Bond won't be driving an Aston Martin -- AM will be sold by then -- chances are that Bond will be helming a Jaguar XF. Expect that announcement to be made just as soon as the sale of Aston Martin by Ford is inked.
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