RE: Prior Convictions: Jaguar's electric project

[NJJ]

Jaguar could also help to mark themselves as THE luxury brand for electric by offering its contemporary models as EVs but also some of its back catalogue too as part of its SVO operation. The differentiator between Jaguar and Tesla is its heritage and it should capitalise on this.

I also think once all the other legacy premium manufacturers catch up with Tesla with their EV range, I'm not sure sure the Californian company will seem so special. Jaguar should make a head start now.

[myhandle]

"There's considerably less folly to the £150,000 Project 8 than there was a V8-powered Rover 75, but there is a similar feeling that it doesn't exactly represent what the XE range stands for."

I spoke to Harry Metcalfe at Goodwood while looking at the Project 8, and conversation eventually turned to my 75 V8. He remembered it from evo, and was somewhat complimentary about it.

[DonkeyApple]

We are probably in a cultural transition period where historically the best way to make your boring, mundane, same as everything else utility box much more appealing to the boring, mundane, same as everyone else consumer was to make a model with a big stinky engine and film it flying about a bit. But maybe we are in or entering a period where instead of a stinky, loud and wonderful V8 the modern consumers gets the boner from the inside contents of a Hoover?

Maybe virus signalling and humble bragging are now stronger selling points than being able to pretend you’re a racing driver.

[unsprung]

NJJ said:

Jaguar could also help to mark themselves as THE luxury brand for electric by offering its contemporary models as EVs but also some of its back catalogue too as part of its SVO operation. The differentiator between Jaguar and Tesla is its heritage and it should capitalise on this.

I also think once all the other legacy premium manufacturers catch up with Tesla with their EV range, I'm not sure sure the Californian company will seem so special. Jaguar should make a head start now.

this strategic point of differentiation (heritage / design / insight into the more Earthly pleasures) sounds like the right sort of opportunity for Jaguar

with the proviso that software -- along with over-the-air updates and continuous waves of new and improved features -- are a pillar of the Tesla ownership experience

not unlike with those who prefer a premium sort of phone

my guess is that Jaguar could not, as an organisational culture, be forward leaning to the same degree; not a handicap per se, but something to note

they're up to Tesla 9 now, and both consumers and the media pore over the latest details

https://electrek.co/2018/09/26/tesla-version-9-new...

[modeller]

The I-Pace has OTA updates which has delivered CarPlay in the latest release, further updates for charging speed etc are planned .. they are catching up with Tesla

[oldtimer2]

Looked at from the outside the Jaguar brand appears to face a huge problem. It's current annual sales volumes are unlikely to have justified the significant investment put into the brand since the Tata takeover. Vehicle assembly contracted out to Austria (of the E Pace and I Pace) is probably breakeven at best. Making the case for more billions to renew the whole Jaguar product line will be a stretch, especially as it will have contributed to the endless delay to the Defender replacement - a product that JLR needs now to extend its market appeal. As it is the business stands on only one secure leg - the Range Rover brand. That is a tricky balancing act.

[unsprung]

oldtimer2 said:

Looked at from the outside the Jaguar brand appears to face a huge problem. It's current annual sales volumes are unlikely to have justified the significant investment put into the brand since the Tata takeover. Vehicle assembly contracted out to Austria (of the E Pace and I Pace) is probably breakeven at best. Making the case for more billions to renew the whole Jaguar product line will be a stretch, especially as it will have contributed to the endless delay to the Defender replacement - a product that JLR needs now to extend its market appeal. As it is the business stands on only one secure leg - the Range Rover brand. That is a tricky balancing act.

illuminating, very interesting

thanks

[tr3a]

modeller said:

The I-Pace has OTA updates which has delivered CarPlay in the latest release, further updates for charging speed etc are planned .. they are catching up with Tesla

That's not 'catching up', that's child's play.

[tr3a]

modeller said:

The I-Pace has OTA updates which has delivered CarPlay in the latest release, further updates for charging speed etc are planned .. they are catching up with Tesla

That's not 'catching up', that's child's play.

[tr3a]

modeller said:

The I-Pace has OTA updates which has delivered CarPlay in the latest release, further updates for charging speed etc are planned .. they are catching up with Tesla

That's not 'catching up', that's child's play.

[scrappydog]

DonkeyApple said:

he idea of going all electric as a means to try and shift the brand image very strongly to the new demographic which has really ignored the brand to date doesn’t seem like a silly idea.

....

If it’s the best way to keep the marque going in the 21sr century then it gets my vote.

Agree with this. But to make any fundamental change to the brand quickly you are going to have to jettison some of the old customer base and embrace the new, which is a very brave thing to do.

The i-Pace is a nice car - the external styling is a great interpretation of what's possible with EV packaging, whilst retaining some Jaguar design DNA and still being forwards looking enough. But the interior is just plain boring, compared to the concept car. Very competently done and the quality is great (as it's all screwed together by Magna who do BMWs and Mercedes), but it is in stark contrast to the exterior and reminds me why Jaguars always conjours up a pipe-and-slipper image in my mind.

This is just my point of view from a current i-Pace deposit holder who was very excited about the concept car, but hasn't yet converted it into a full order as I'm not completely convinced with the end result. Would love to see them be braver.

Andy

[DonkeyApple]

I think they’ve been desperately trying to get rid of the old client base for the last decade. Ditching the old man 2+2, the SVR and Project8 models, the fleet orientated XE model.

I actually think they’ve done a really good job in that regard bar the fact that they have come up against the might of Audi and BMW who can borrow much more cheaply so undercut on leases, have shops on every street corner, have strong ‘incentives’ for company managers to include their products, have good in car entertainment systems and infinitely larger marketing budgets to explain how and why their badge makes your penis so much larger.

I wonder if Jaguar would be in a different place if they had focussed on the in car entertainment system and made that superior, cooler and just more desirable than your dad’s BMW or Audi? I have a feeling that it could have made more of a difference than any amount of interesting engineering work that I suspect really doesn’t interest your typical modern consumer.

[JP.Racing]

The Project 8 is an absolute riot, I've been out in a couple of them. If I could afford one, I'd get one in a heartbeat. Preferably with 4 seats, so I could pretend to have a little practicality in the 600hp monster. Harry's one in purple is very nice, but also seen one in BRG with gold detailing and that looks fantastic.

As for the switch to EV, not really surprising is it? Shame though as I like daft cars like the P7, P8, XKR-S GT and XJR 575

[DonkeyApple]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Being a relatively small global player probably helps in regards to volume in the very small EV market. Their sales infrastructure is all located perfectly as is the brand for premium goods.

There’s probably no point at this stage in building anything with less than a 250 mile range so that wealthy suburbanites do not need to rely on a near non existent public charging network. That probably means selling larger cars only and as you say, follow later with the higher volume, smaller cars as either battery tech and cost permits or the global public charging network expands to allow poorer people to drive EVs.