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Jaguar’s Much-Needed Swagger

The carmaker’s next round of luxury sedans will rely less on retro-inspired styling in favor of more modern design cues

Jaguar’s Much-Needed Swagger

By Stuart Schwartzapfel

By decade’s end, Jaguar will boast an invigorated line-up of next generation models. The product offensive began this summer with the debut of the sexy XK coupe/roadster, which will be followed with substantial redesigns of the S-Type luxury sedan (2008) and the XJ — Jaguar’s flagship sedan (2010).
As with Jaguar’s other new sedans, the XJ’s redesign starts with the grille, the work of design chief Ian Callum. (The XK-Series will keep the 1960’s E-Type-like grille seen on the new model.) The new XJ retains the rivet-bonded aluminum platform and body production, but the upper body and its inner and outer panels will be new.

Like the younger-looking 2008 S-Type, the XJ has coupe-style rooflines that speak to the more contemporary design trends of models such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Maserati Quattroporte, upcoming Porsche Panamera, and Aston Martin Rapide.

LOW PROFILE The 2010 XJ will feature a lower and sleeker design than today’s model. And despite differing grilles, the XJ bears some profile resemblance to its XK sibling. Based on the artist’s rendering, it seems Jaguar is willing to sacrifice some rear passenger space to get the lowest coupe-like roofline possible.

This major profile change seems logical considering how the slow-selling current generation XJ favors a design more slanted toward interior comfort. The dramatic windshield angle and long hood also contribute to a decidedly more aggressive look that still speaks to Jaguar’s elegant tradition. The overall shape seems to wrap more tightly around its mechanical underpinnings than ever before.

Jaguar was purchased by Ford Motor Company in 1989 for nearly $2.5 billion and has been struggling to make a profit ever since. Unlike its luxury competitors BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, Jaguar has always had trouble moving down-market while maintaining its high-end image. As a result, Jaguar’s annual production volume is well below that of competing European and Japanese luxury brands.

KICKING THE CAT? In December, 2005, Ford sank $2.3 billion into a Jaguar reorganization, part of which was certainly used to finance the research and development of the recently released XK8/XKR Coupe and convertible, and future S-Type/XJ. Many experts have blamed Jaguar’s lackluster sales on stale styling. Thus, the up-to-date look seen in this new product lineup represents a desperately needed home run for Jaguar. U.S. sales in the first 9 months of 2006 are down 32%, according to Automotive News.

Despite much speculation, parent company Ford claims to have no plans to sell Jaguar. But that could change, according to Lewis Booth, chairman of Ford of Europe and vice-president of the company's Premier Automotive Group. Ford lost $1.4 billion during the first half of this year, so it comes as no surprise that money-bleeding Jaguar has been discussed for possible sale.

The Verdict: In overhauling its line-up, Jaguar seems to be banking on core models such as the XK, S-Type, and XJ that the company has produced in one form or another since its founding in 1922. But if the production 2010 XJ is able to maintain the sex appeal and class of the sketch — and if the production version lives up to the high luxury standards of its competition — then Jaguar may just live to see another day.

Schwartzapfel, a certified car freak, writes BusinessWeek.com's Concept of the Week column. He has studied the automotive marketplace and worked as an advertising/marketing strategist for major manufacturers. He does not write about any car brands for which he currently works.