Tuesday 27th February 2018

Jaguar extends young driver scheme

Want your 12 year-old to see what all the F-Type fuss is about? Now's your chance!

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You'll know the premise behind those young driver schemes by now: pay a bit of money to get your delightful sprog behind the wheel, have them taught a few key skills and, hopefully, they might enjoy it and be keen to learn when 17 arrives. The manufacturers are probably hoping that the kids really love their particular brand, too...

Jaguar First launched in October 2015, and since then more than 5,000 kids aged between 11 and 17 have discovered what Daddy's life is really like by learning the ropes in an XE. It's perhaps not the most dynamic or aspirational Jag around, though, so Jaguar First has been extended to include a couple of cars that might pique the interest of teenagers a little more.

Now they'll be able to drive four-cylinder F-Types and F-Paces as well, the new dual-control models available at all six Jaguar First driving locations. The exploits of your little darlings can even be filmed for social media purposes if you wish, and parents are encouraged to sit in the back for the F-Pace drives as well. How bad can they be?

With safety of course a primary concern - this is not the Pre-Teen Powerslide Academy - children will be taught the driving basics, followed by junctions, roundabouts, bay and reverse parking. Certain locations also allow for driving "at higher speeds."

The new cars are on the First fleet now, with experience prices starting at £40. Book your special little guy or girl onto a course here, but don't be surprised if they come back begging you to get one of those temptingly cheap secondhand F-Types.

[mgbond]

Can't seem to see a link on the thread?

[Plug Life]

PistonHeads said:

Pre-Teen Powerslide Academy

Sounds good.

[Triumph Man]

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

[aaron_2000]

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

[stuart-b]

Good way to build long term positive PR.

Lots of kids used to have a red 80's 911 and yellow lambos on their wall.

But no wonder they extended it to the F Type. XE isn't really wall material is it?

[Gemaeden]

My experience of these young driver schemes is that they use cheap, low grade instructors to maximize profits. It'd be a good idea to check the grade of the instructor who is teaching one's child.

Only 20% of instructors are classed as doing a good job by their assessing body.

[oldtimer2]

Land Rover has run a similar course, but for off road driving, for several years. I bought them as Xmas presents for three of my grandchildren. They thought it was a great experience.

[Gemaeden]

Off road driving experiences usually get the thumbs up from most people. Low quality teaching for on road is a different kettle of fish.

I suspect that the top brass are often unaware of the standard of instruction as these courses are often sub contracted.

[Nick928]

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

Good question, I was having this heated chat with Mrs S a couple of days ago.
She normally drives an electric car and had a Ford Fiesta courtesy car which she struggled to drive with the manual gearbox.
She argued that what is the point of the kids learning to drive a manual car when most cars will be automatic and a few years.

Strangely enough I didn't share her point of view.

[aaron_2000]

Nick928 said:

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

Good question, I was having this heated chat with Mrs S a couple of days ago.
She normally drives an electric car and had a Ford Fiesta courtesy car which she struggled to drive with the manual gearbox.
She argued that what is the point of the kids learning to drive a manual car when most cars will be automatic and a few years.

Strangely enough I didn't share her point of view.

I'm one of the the only ones in my group of friends that drives a manual, they all drive DSG. An absolutely fantastic gearbox, it's beyond easy to use and silky smooth, that's why I don't see many new drivers driving manual, not when they can have a faster, smoother and easier gearbox in their car.

[Plug Life]

They should use I-Paces as well.

[Darryl247W]

No doubt some marketing boffin knows better than me but I don't see where the brand loyalty is created here.
For the kid, driving is half his lifetime away; for the parent if they're into the brand they'll be more interested in driving the car themselves.

A quick Google says the average UK 12 year old is barely over 5ft tall. Surely al the control adjustments are against the stops at the shortest settings?

[vsonix]

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

As long as there is the auto license vs the manual license, people will mostly continue to learn in a manual. Out of the hundreds of people I know who drive in this country, I can think of maybe two people whose licenses only cover them to drive auto, and they both have disabilities that make driving manual physically impossible anyway
Nobody wants a cut-down driving license that doesn't cover them to drive a friend's car that happens to have a stick shift, or to be stranded at an airport because the hire company has run out of automatics, etc. So they will continue to learn to drive in a stick shift car even if they never intend to use one once they pass. Unless the laws change, I very much expect things will remain as they are.

[Dale487]

vsonix said:

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

As long as there is the auto license vs the manual license, people will mostly continue to learn in a manual. Out of the hundreds of people I know who drive in this country, I can think of maybe two people whose licenses only cover them to drive auto, and they both have disabilities that make driving manual physically impossible anyway
Nobody wants a cut-down driving license that doesn't cover them to drive a friend's car that happens to have a stick shift, or to be stranded at an airport because the hire company has run out of automatics, etc. So they will continue to learn to drive in a stick shift car even if they never intend to use one once they pass. Unless the laws change, I very much expect things will remain as they are.

Having previously worked in motor insurance claims, I argue the reverse - the number of people who have a manual licence but refuse to drive anything but an automatic, is small but significant.

[Cabbage Patch]

Booked 30 mins in an F-Type for my little petrol head.

He's certainly very happy and couldn't care less about the manual / auto debate!

[soupdragon1]

Gemaeden said:

My experience of these young driver schemes is that they use cheap, low grade instructors to maximize profits. It'd be a good idea to check the grade of the instructor who is teaching one's child.

Only 20% of instructors are classed as doing a good job by their assessing body.

Hardly matters though? Its not like its a proper driving lesson, its just a fun day out/driving experience for a kid

[M3DGE]

My 15 year old did the XE experience near Oxford a few months ago. Absolutely cracking, I was in the back seat and I could not fault the instructor.

[aaron_2000]

vsonix said:

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

As long as there is the auto license vs the manual license, people will mostly continue to learn in a manual. Out of the hundreds of people I know who drive in this country, I can think of maybe two people whose licenses only cover them to drive auto, and they both have disabilities that make driving manual physically impossible anyway
Nobody wants a cut-down driving license that doesn't cover them to drive a friend's car that happens to have a stick shift, or to be stranded at an airport because the hire company has run out of automatics, etc. So they will continue to learn to drive in a stick shift car even if they never intend to use one once they pass. Unless the laws change, I very much expect things will remain as they are.

I've never met anyone with an auto only license I don't think

[JetskiJezz]

Last year for my son's 13th birthday we booked a 60 minute session in an Evoque, my wife and I got to sit in the back and we all loved every minute of it. The instructor seemed perfectly okay to me.

Thanks to this article I have just booked for his coming birthday for a session in an F-type. Unfortunately they were nearly fully booked for the venue we wanted so could only get him 30 minutes so decided to add another 30 minutes in an F-pace.

[Triumph Man]

aaron_2000 said:

vsonix said:

aaron_2000 said:

Triumph Man said:

Do they teach them with a proper gearbox, or is it auto only?

Why bother? How many kids will be driving manuals in 5 years.

As long as there is the auto license vs the manual license, people will mostly continue to learn in a manual. Out of the hundreds of people I know who drive in this country, I can think of maybe two people whose licenses only cover them to drive auto, and they both have disabilities that make driving manual physically impossible anyway
Nobody wants a cut-down driving license that doesn't cover them to drive a friend's car that happens to have a stick shift, or to be stranded at an airport because the hire company has run out of automatics, etc. So they will continue to learn to drive in a stick shift car even if they never intend to use one once they pass. Unless the laws change, I very much expect things will remain as they are.

I've never met anyone with an auto only license I don't think

I once dated a girl with an auto only licence. She was quite a dramatic type, so I guess using a third pedal and a lever would be perhaps too much to deal with.