2002 Jaguar S-type on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Jaguar ousts Lexus from atop J.D. Power 2013 Sales Satisfaction Index

Jaguar has taken the top spot among luxury brands in the 2013 Sales Satisfaction Index, an annual survey conducted by J.D. Power that measures customer satisfaction with the experience of purchasing a new vehicle. The English brand, not even among the top three luxury automakers on the list last year, vaulted ahead of Lexus, which placed third this year after leading the list in 2011 and 2012. Porsche, meanwhile, moved into second place.
The rankings are based on a point score out of 1,000, with Jaguar earning 740 points, Porsche right behind with 739 and Lexus with 737. Volvo, meanwhile, made the biggest improvement among luxury brands with a 30-point jump to 708, bring it up from 11th place to 9th this year.
J.D. Power has a separate ranking for mass-market brands, and this year Mini again tops the list with a score of 718, far outpacing second-place Buick with a score of 694 and making it the fourth time Mini has lead this list. After Buick, the next two ranked brands are both American and both from General Motors, with Chevrolet and GMC sharing third place with a score of 686.

Jaguar's ambitious turnaround plan will put a big focus on the American market

Land Rover is on a roll, but it's been awhile since we've heard from sister company Jaguar. The company is concocting yet another turn-around plan, and recently-appointed CEO Adrian Mardell provided several details about what's in it and it means for the American market. Speaking to industry trade journal Automotive News Europe, the chief executive conceded that mistakes have been made. "[Jaguar] was incredibly successful in North America 25 years ago, before we took the compromises and the decisions we made," he explained. He stopped short of providing specific details but pointed out that Jaguar's best days have been "lost within Ford Motor Company data." If you need a crash course in Jaguar history, Ford bought the brand from British-Leyland in 1990 and sold it to India-based Tata in 2008. Mardell, who joined Jaguar Land Rover in 1990 and watched the group embark on a roller-coaster ride, sees big potential for growth on Ford's home turf. "There are 20 million millionaires in the United States alone. So, a lower volume [and a] higher price positioning is absolutely the right position for Jaguar today," he opined. In contrast, Jaguar has largely aimed for mainstream segments in recent years. The publication added that Jaguar's master plan calls for moving upmarket to fight in the same arena as Bentley and Porsche. As of writing, most buyers and journalists consider Jaguar an alternative to brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, and its current portfolio reflects this positioning: The XF competes in the same segment as the 5 Series, for example, while the F-Pace goes head-to-head against the X5. Moving upmarket is easier said than done, and there's no word yet on precisely how Jaguar will pull it off. We know that it's starting from scratch; it canceled the new XJ months before the big sedan's unveiling. Automotive News Europe learned that one of the models being designed to jump-start the brand is an electric four-door GT that will cost about GBP100,000 (around $128,000) when it goes on sale in 2024. Looking further ahead, the brand will continue to expand by launching two additional electric models. Their design will "split opinion." "What we will not worry about is being loved by everybody, because that is the kiss of death. That is what put Jaguar in the situation it is in today, which is with no equity whatsoever," outspoken JLR chief creative officer Gerry McGovern recently told a group of investors.

Jaguar Land Rover will electrify all new models after 2020 — and maybe some old ones

Just as Volvo did earlier this year, Jaguar and Land Rover announced a date after which all new models introduced will be electrified. That date is 2020, a year after Volvo, and JLR's definition of electrification is very similar to Volvo's, including full electrics, plug-in hybrids, and mild hybrids. Whether the British automaker's mild hybrids will be something like the 48-volt start-stop function on the Audi A8 or a more conventional hybrid has yet to be announced. Regardless, internal combustion engines won't disappear from the Jaguar and Land Rover lineups yet, and there's still a couple of years before the start date for the companies to sneak in a fully gasoline or diesel model if they wish. And on the flip side, there's nothing stopping the companies from releasing EVs or hybrids before the start date, which is exactly what Jaguar is doing with the I-Pace. Jaguar reiterated that the electric crossover will go on sale in 2018. View 11 Photos Jaguar specifically isn't just looking at electrifying future cars, but also possibly classic cars. Jaguar Land Rover Classic revealed its fully electric E-Type concept. The vintage car department took a first-generation model and created a battery pack and electric powertrain that could fit in the car, leaving as much original as possible, including the way it drives. The battery pack and motor are mounted up front, with power sent to the rear, and they weigh roughly the same and fill roughly the same space as the old straight-six engine. This keeps weight distribution the same, makes packaging easy, and should keep the driving experience roughly the same as the old car — though the electrified version is faster. Jaguar claims a 0-62 mph time of 5.5 seconds, which is about a second quicker than the gas-powered model. It also has a range of 170 miles and a charging time of around 6 to 7 hours. Other changes include an updated interior with touchscreen infotainment, carbon fiber dash, and LCD instruments. Jaguar said this electric conversion is just a concept right now, which could be just as well. We're not sure many E-Type owners would line up to replace their old six- and 12-cylinder engines. After all, part of the appeal of those cars is the sound of the engine, and stirring a manual gearbox.