Jaguar Land Rover CEO Adrian Mardell is stepping down after simply three years within the function, with Tata Motors’ present CFO set to take his place. Beginning in November, PB Balaji will assume the reins and lead Jaguar’s contentious rebranding push. The soon-to-be chief has already defended the model’s “Copy Nothing” marketing campaign, which has stirred controversy since launching in December 2024 alongside the debut of the Kind 00 idea.
Chatting with reporters, together with Automotive Information, Balaji voiced optimism about Jaguar’s relaunch:
‘We now have put our plans collectively, the automobiles are being revealed, they’re getting thrilling response from the purchasers on the bottom. Subsequently, that’s what the technique is.’
He additionally responded to President Trump’s scathing remarks, calling Jaguar’s course a “complete catastrophe,” amongst different criticisms, by saying:
‘You might want to examine our numbers vis-à-vis how others are delivering.’
Picture by: Jaguar
We’re not right here to get into politics, nevertheless it’s price noting that few of the “prospects” Balaji referenced are legacy Jaguar patrons. Managing Director Rawdon Glover has admitted the corporate is ready to lose as much as 85 % of its present clientele. The rebrand right into a high-end EV automaker is predicted to retain solely round 15 % of current patrons, a major blow to returning prospects as Jaguar targets Bentley and comparable elite marques.
Whereas many automakers have scaled again bold electrification plans, Jaguar is bidding farewell to combustion engines totally. Glover says that within the high-end phase, patrons care little about what powers the wheels: “Powertrain is about 13th on the listing.” As an alternative, design and inside take precedence.
Circling again to JLR’s new prime brass, Balaji additionally hinted at extra fashions past the stately grand tourer set to debut later this yr: “Vehicles are being revealed.” Business insiders imagine two extra EVs, sharing the identical devoted platform, will observe at roughly one-year intervals: one a coupe, the opposite a big SUV to rival Bentley’s upcoming first electrical mannequin.
On this new period, Jaguar gained’t promote something below six figures, whether or not in {dollars}, euros, or kilos. Entry costs for the upcoming EVs will exceed $100,000, a far cry from the times when an E-Tempo or XF within the U.S. began at round $50,000.
The transfer upmarket prioritizes revenue margins over quantity, which is why the Tata Motors-owned model is unbothered by decrease gross sales. Because of this, Jaguar’s 2018 peak of 180,833 autos offered will virtually definitely stay unmatched.
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Supply: InsideEVs
