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It is not always that we come across so much chatter in the auto industry when a brand undergoes a revamp or a rebirth, if you will. But such was the change that Jaguar had undergone for being the luxury brand of the future. So in order to uncover the thought behind this evolution, we met the minds of Jaguar Land Rover at their base in Gaydon and got talking on various topics ranging from strategy, future models and of course, Jaguar. Lennard Hoornik Commercial Officer of the Jaguar Land Rover group along with the rest of the leadership team have it all laid out…
They are aiming for a small volume, high desirability, iconic approach… betting on the brand becoming a symbol of creativity and originality in luxury EV space. They don’t want to chase mass-market success but cultivate a highly engaging, exclusive Jaguar community. So we started with our line of questioning.
We’re making a long-term bet—our architecture is built for the next 10 years. Jaguar's transformation is about being a luxury brand first, electric second, and EV enables our design vision and customer experience. The platform is EV-exclusive, with no Plan B for internal combustion. Introducing ICE would compromise the design, dilute the brand message, and weaken the bold, fearless commitment we've made
Actually, the global EV market is still growing at 30%, despite some luxury brands adjusting their timelines. We believe EV is still the future—and Jaguar’s reinvention positions us uniquely in that space.
Luxury customers who were initially resistant to EVs changed their minds after seeing the car. It’s the design, heritage, and exclusivity of the Jaguar that sells not just the electric credentials.We’re not just making electric cars. We’re making Jaguars—beautiful, bold, luxurious vehicles that just happen to be electric.Jaguar is moving to appeal to a much younger, more diverse luxury customer, who are often new to Jaguar (estimated 85% new buyers). The new audience expects boldness, originality, and emotional engagement — the “Originals” mindset, who want to stand out.
Initially, Jaguar was not being talked about much. However, within six weeks (from November to December), the brand became "the world's most talked about brand," across social media and global media, which is considered an "amazing transformation" for any marketer.
A: Yes, Jaguar is happy with its current agency. They are under a five-year contract, currently in its fourth year, and there have been no changes to the agency. The agency is even presenting new ideas for London later in the year, dispelling rumours.
A: Jaguar views its electric commitment as a long-term, 10-year bet, believing the market will still move in that direction. Crucially, the transformation is primarily about Jaguar becoming a luxury brand first, and electric second. Additionally, as part of JLR, other brands will continue to offer V8s, petrol, diesel, and hybrid engines, allowing Jaguar to take this all-electric risk.
The new Jaguar strategy is "EV only," and the platform is designed exclusively for electric vehicles. Integrating an ICE engine would compromise the design, prevent a "fearless bet," and make the product more of an evolution than a revolution. They believe this clear electric focus allows for the best possible electric vehicle and a unique design.
Jaguar's strategy is not to chase volume but to focus on brand transformation. The first car, a four-door GT, aims to change perceptions of Jaguar, with a small number of iconic vehicles being sold. They will avoid discounting to protect residual values and maintain luxury positioning, recalling Jaguar's past success with low-volume, iconic cars.
Jaguar aims to attract "originals" who want to stand out. While they are at the early stages of their journey and won't confuse customers with too many immediate changes, they will explore partnerships with luxury brands. They also emphasize creating a "community" for owners, offering content, luxury experiences, and events, reflecting current luxury trends.
Branded goods will be offered only when relevant to the brand, with a focus on a "Jaguar collection" that nods to both its past (e.g., Classic collection) and future. In terms of retail, they will have fewer retail partners globally due to lower volumes, but existing vehicles will continue to be serviced. "Brand stores" in cultural capitals will primarily serve as brand plays, not high-volume retail points.
Celebration would be the wrong word," but his tweet clearly "helped fuel the discussion" and contributed to Jaguar becoming "the world's most talked about brand."
Jaguar believes desirability comes from the "Jaguar brand and the designs we've created," rather than solely from being electric. They highlight that Jaguar's history involves creating new icons with different looks, where the "copy nothing" ethos is the consistent thread. The new cars will also offer impressive electric vehicle stats (e.g., over 400 miles real-world range, over 1,000 PS of power) to persuade those unsure about electric.
Jaguar is positioned around "art, creativity, originality, that kind of zig to zag," with bold, exuberant colors and a focus on standing out (e.g., attending art fairs). Range Rover is more about "design and leadership," and Defender is about "music and embracing the impossible." While there will be multi-JLR car owners, the target audiences have distinct attitudes. Range Rover is currently the most established and understood brand within the house.
Jaguar intends to more than double its current price point. The first car will be a "four-door GT," and details about subsequent body styles have not been released, but they have confirmed there will be a "family of Jaguars."
Jaguar aims to remain an "accessible brand." While the new cars will target more affluent buyers, they want to cater to existing owners and foster a broad community of Jaguar fans. They are not looking to be an "exclusive brand" that turns away financially capable customers.
India has one of the highest brand scores for Jaguar globally, indicating a strong love and passion for the brand within the Indian psyche. This deep connection influences many of the questions asked, despite the significant changes in the new product and brand positioning.
