adminsuch thoughts and the blame would squarely lie with the manufacturers of the exquisite luxury motor vehicle. But things are about to change now as Jaguar Land Rover Sub-Sahara Africa has now committed to promote the brand in the sub-region to ensure that Jaguar reclaims its rightful position in the market.
At the launch of the Jaguar XF and XJ 2013 edition in Durban, South Africa, at the weekend, it was evident that the guys mean serious business. In Zimbabwe, the franchise is respresented by Premier Auto Services that is synonymous with the premium brand of cars in this country. Although the Jaguar appears not to be very popular on our roads, its presence in South Africa speaks volumes about its versatility. The same could happen locally if the pricing model does not scare off potential owners. While, overall the prices are targeted at the higher end of the market, I suppose there is no harm in spending more for value.
The origins of Jaguar can be traced back to the British Empire and was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company by Sir William Lyons in 1922, originally making motorcycle sidecars before developing passenger cars.
The name was changed to Jaguar after World War II to avoid the unfavourable connotations of the SS initials. Following its sale to the British Motor Corporation in 1968 — which merged with Leyland Motor Corporation and was later nationalised as British Leyland — Jaguar was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1984, and became a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index until it was acquired by Ford in 1990.
Jaguar has, in recent years, manufactured cars for the Prime Minister, the most recent delivery being an XJ in May 2010. The company also holds royal warrants from Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles.
Jaguar cars today are designed in Jaguar Land Rover’s engineering centres at the Whitley plant in Coventry and at their Gaydon site in Warwickshire, and are manufactured in Jaguar’s Castle Bromwich assembly plant near Birmingham.
Jaguar made its name by producing a series of eye-catching sports cars, such as the XK 120 of 1949, developed into XK 140 and XK 150, and the E Type of 1961. These were all successful and embodied Lyons’ mantra of “value for money”. They were successful in international motorsport, a path followed in the 1950s to prove the engineering integrity of the company’s products.
Jaguar Land Rover is now owned by Tata Motors of India, which took over the comopany in 2008.
The Jaguar XJ is a full-size luxury saloon that has been in production since 1968 with the first generation being the last Jaguar car to have creative input by the company’s founder, Sir William Lyons. In early 2003, the third generation XJ arrived in showrooms and while the car’s exterior and interior styling were traditional in appearance, the car was completely re-engineered. However, beneath the shell lay a highly advanced aluminium construction that put the XJ very near the top of its class.
Jaguar responded to the criticism with the introduction of the fourth generation XJ, launched in 2009. Its exterior styling is a departure from previous XJs, with a more youthful, contemporary stance, following the design shift that came into effect previously with the company’s XF and XK models.
The 2013 edition was even a step further and the characteristics are detailed in another story.
Online Reporter