[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Jaguar Considers Small Sedan to Rival F30 3-series

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In an interview with Automotive News, Jaguar's global brand director, Adrian Hallmark, lets known that the UK based company is currently considering bringing a small sedan to market. This new sedan would slot in under the Jaguar XF and compete directly against the F30 3-series or the Audi A4/A5.

The last time Jaguar introduced a smaller sedan with lower pricing to take on the 3-series was with the Ford Mondeo based X-type, which had little success in the competitive compact sports sedan segment.

But, Jaguar may be ready to try again, citing the need for different and lower priced models. "We need to play in that world," Hallmark said. Jaguar needs a small sports car for image and a sedan for volume, he said. "We have to do both. Whether we do one, two or three body styles, we can still decide. But we have to be in the lower price."

And this time Hallmark claims that Jaguar will not make the same mistakes which doomed the X-type. "We don't want to be fighting it out in the fleet business with little engines and small wheels and discounted 25 percent," he said. "If we go into the smaller car market," he said, "we want to build elegant cars with great technology that give a sense of occasion and position us above that competition -- where Jaguar should be."

According to Hallmark, the introduction of a small Jaguar sports sedan won't occur for at least 4 years, which will pit the Jaguar sports sedan squarely against the next generation F30 3-series sedan which launches next year.

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[IancoleTX]

Let's see, first gen Jaguar attempt with tons of kinks and issues.. or the 6th generation BMW with 36 years of engineering behind it.. hmmm...

On the other hand, I would be curious to see what they came up with as the 2011 XJ is pretty damn sharp. Not likely (at all) to buy it though.

[Alchem]

Jaguar could have a price advantage if it is built in India as Jaguar and Land Rover are now owned by an Indian company.

[Diver]

Originally Posted by Alchem

Jaguar could have a price advantage if it is built in India as Jaguar and Land Rover are now owned by an Indian company.

Just what I want, a Jaguar made in India. India is not known for high quality manufactured goods. There are infrastructure problems that offset the low labor costs. It is very difficult to transport anything around India and I doubt that there is an adequate network of suppliers of quality parts. At least Jaguar knows they have to do better than the old Mondeo based car.

[TPLSM3]

Don't think Jaguar is planning on building any cars in India just because its owned by an Indian company... Haven't really noticed any effect to Jaguar or Land Rover since they got bought out by Tata Motors.

[07E92TT]

I would consider a jag, not everyone and their mom has one and they have some really nice designs. They just need to work on their reliability issues.

[antzcrashing]

competition is good, but Jaguar will have to do better than the X-type, a rebadged ford taurus.

[Robert]

I think hyundai will have a better 3 series competitor in 10 years

[mcycey]

Originally Posted by Robert

I think hyundai will have a better 3 series competitor in 10 years

+1

[Cadillac]

Originally Posted by Diver

Just what I want, a Jaguar made in India. India is not known for high quality manufactured goods. There are infrastructure problems that offset the low labor costs. It is very difficult to transport anything around India and I doubt that there is an adequate network of suppliers of quality parts. At least Jaguar knows they have to do better than the old Mondeo based car.

What about a BMW assembled in India!!!!

BMW unveils India assembly plant
By Jorn Madslien
Business reporter, BBC News, Chennai, India

[OdomPHD]

I would at very least consider it. But my experience with BMW has been so satisfactory in terms of performance and reliability (it's German afterall) that swapping to a brand that doesn't hail from Bavaria would take a whole lotta convincing. Frankly, unless BMW goes downhill (as current F models indicate a trend towards) then I don't see a single reason to shift to another German brand either.

But a nice 35-45k (USD) Jag does sound appealing.

[positiveions]

Originally Posted by Cadillac

What about a BMW assembled in India!!!!

BMW unveils India assembly plant
By Jorn Madslien
Business reporter, BBC News, Chennai, India

It is designated to be sold only in India.

[aljlin]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

It is designated to be sold only in India.

From what I have read, the import taxes on foreign made items are so high in order to reduce cost and compete better they made the factory there for India market.

[Wolf]

I think the XJ is the most elegant\sexiest car in its class... assuming its class is the 7 series, S Class or the A8. It doesn't mean it is assembled in India then the quality is bad... it is just an assembly, hell i can do it the right tools...

[Alchem]

Originally Posted by aljlin

From what I have read, the import taxes on foreign made items are so high in order to reduce cost and compete better they made the factory there for India market.

Yes that is true. There is a 110% tax on imported cars. BMW also has a factory in China for same reason.

[captainaudio]

In spite of being owned by an Indian company Jaguars are built in England. The current Jaguar lineup includes some very impressive cars and the XK, XF and XJ are all high quality, high performance cars.

As the owner of both a Jaguar and a BMW (2007 335i Convertible and a 2007 XKR Coupe) I will say that they are both nice cars and the biggest advantave of the BMW is that it was a lot cheaper.

CA

[kaishang]

Great news!

I don't see the significance of Jag being Indian owned-- so what.

[e92hobear]

Jags will always be instilled in my mind, as a brand that's always a generation behind in tech, features, and maintenance. forget the fact that the x-type was a built up ford mondeo with ten times the maintenance cost and one tenth the reliability. Yea, their cars look better than ours, but our bmw's have years of engineering integrity to back them up, not to mention a quality german lineage. The brits couldn't make a right car since the early lotuses, that's why all their car companies go broke. A new model from a company that couldn't keep a simple ford mondeo reliable?
PASS.

not a fan boy, just stating facts.

/close rant

[crackberry]

hehe, tata motors.

i guess it would make sense that the english cant build reliable cars. lots of aston martins are lemon lawed here in the states. you would think that paying 6 figures for a car meant your getting quality. this is a huge deteriant for me getting the vantage

[crackberry]

Originally Posted by Wolf

I think the XJ is the most elegant\sexiest car in its class... assuming its class is the 7 series, S Class or the A8. It doesn't mean it is assembled in India then the quality is bad... it is just an assembly, hell i can do it the right tools...

it is. but to me, it looks more like an aston martin

[richardg]

Originally Posted by TPLSM3

Don't think Jaguar is planning on building any cars in India just because its owned by an Indian company... Haven't really noticed any effect to Jaguar or Land Rover since they got bought out by Tata Motors.

Both Jag and Rover are much better now than when they were with ford. Though personally I think ford is making a really great line up of cars at the moment. I know it doesn't fit the needs and taste of our board but I think the automotive industry as a whole is doing much better as it pertains to the products they offer. The only companies who I think need a major new lineup are Mitsubishi, Honda, and Chrysler. Honda and Chrysler both need huge refreshes for their vehicles and new engines. As for Mitsubishi they have 1 good car, and everything else they make isn't as good as the competition or costs more. IMO what the hell do I know

[taranonline]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

It is designated to be sold only in India.

thats a negative.