Friday, April 8, 2011

New engines, new growth strategy: Jaguar enters fully on the gas

The mood at Jaguar has turned. When the English their new flagship, the XJ, presented, shows his cock-full optimism, coupled with the concern, how would the new owners behave. It is now clear. Man has a plan and with the Indian Tata Group's owners, who financed. There now appears optimistic, almost euphoric in the place of confidence.

One believes in the strategy, vision and will now set only once 1000 engineers and technicians to move forward even with the new models. But before new models come onto the market will go for many months to the United Kingdom. to expand the product portfolio takes up his time. The waiting requires patience, certainly with the people from Jaguar, as well as the Tata-owner Lakshmi Mittal and the head of his car activities, former Opel boss Peter Forster as well as in the Jaguar CEO Dr.

Ralf Speth. All strategies for the foreseeable future must come from the existing model mix at Jaguar. There is the model Jaguar XF, which account for the economic success must be because it is the most sold. In maneuvering the flagship XJ and next to the two-seat sports car Jaguar XK. This unusually small selection is not enough to grow more than the market.

Jaguar has to deal with each model as wide as possible set up with variations that reach new customers. are basically are two directions to choose from, referenced Adrain Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar, at a recent press event in Jaguar design and development center in Whitley: It is more noble direction, without sacrificing the basic right to sportsmanship and to develop in direction and performance sport further.

Provides an example of the sports coupé Jaguar XK, for which there is already an R version. In March in Geneva could then enjoy an even more supercharged variant: the Jaguar XKR-S with 230 kW / 314 hp instead of 214 kW / 291 PS and a body with all the signs of a high-performance cars, including a massive rear spoiler, of course, made of carbon Like many other parts inside and outside, too.

Jaguar XK When this spread has already done so, and also for the current XF a performance variant. . The need now only work on the XJ. All this will help, says Mark Hall, but not enough for the great leap forward. Must now create the marketing. The market shares of Jaguar in its existing markets are expanded further: In Europe there are two per cent in the segment, only one percent in China.

Only Great Britain, the other dominates with 16 percent. This will not change much without new initiatives, because Jaguar is growing, but not stronger than the market. More market share will be difficult to conquer as. Hallmark has Schmunzel with one exception, even when market growth.

In India, Jaguar presented in 2010 to 437 percent. Hallmark denies himself the absolute numbers, but points out, may be seen in India committed to success, if only because Lakshmi Mittal. India known as the parallel Hallmark home market, where it was committed to the premium segment, the dominant player.

The success in the marketplace begins with the analysis of it. Hallmark sets out the main results of the analysis, which will now be incorporated into the products. In the United States lack the all-wheel drive. In China, eight cylinder engine because of the tax rules too expensive. So the XJ gets a six-cylinder and can then be sold for half price.

And in Europe? "We have competition in Europe to exist," says Mark Hall and also describes the jaguar-like approach to success on the Continent: Jaguar XF is offered in a 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel. Comes from the cooperation with the French PSA group, but was - of course - thoroughly revised for the Jaguar and combined with the eight-speed automatic from ZF.

This package is the typical Jaguar agility be preserved and adapted the same efficiency to European expectations. The engine produces 140 kW / 190 hp and a maximum torque of 450 Nm even at 2000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The torque curve is flat, although less than with other turbo engines, but in conjunction with the eight programs of the automatic does not matter, they told us.

Essential is the ability of the transmission to shift quickly and thereby can also skip several gears. An XF with the nine-AJ-i4D motor roller at a speed of 100 with about 1500 rpm. According to EU standard, the XF uses an average of only 5.4 liters per 100 km and emits 149 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer.

Its top speed is 225 km / h from 0 to 100 km / h in eight seconds faster - both reasonable values at low consumption. A few percent of consumption takes now at Jaguar a start-stop system, on the reaction time, the Jaguar engineers are particularly proud. On Wednesday 20 April 2011, will give the Jaguar XF model year 2012 during the New York Auto Show debut.

We had the opportunity to drive the new XF is already with the small diesel. Externally, our XF was indeed disguised, but under the hood already met all the new model. Results: The XF is the four-cylinder diesel engine the case to powerful, sophisticated and very quiet. The motor fits in a Jaguar.

Of course, the vision includes the Jaguar's future more than four-wheel drive and new diesel engines. The development of brand, marketing and product portfolio is ongoing. But Ralf Speth braked too high expectations on the speed of change, pointing out, Jaguar was a small company, which operates profitably, but could still manage not "all at once." We got a clear plan.

This obviously has a small Jaguar. When the Land Rover soon Evoque rolling on a platform called Land Rover Midsize Platform. Since fits on it, a Jaguar. Then it is just Jaguar Midseize Platform. And even that will not be the end. Adrian Hallmark, "You will find us in niches where they never had a Jaguar or Land Rover would suggest." (Ampnet / Sm)

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