Jaguar has admitted today that it's UK sales have collapsed this month. On top of this both Land Rover and Jaguar sales are down massivly in the US. This is blamed on the poor exchange rate.

Personally I'm gutted (not!), especially when I hear that a lot of orders have been cancelled. I wonder if anyone in Detroit has realised that most old farts who buy Jaguars believe that Jaguars should be made in Coventry. Would you buy a Porsche if it was made in India? No! Jaguar owners are very funny about where the cars are made, some one tell Henry!

In a way, good - as they'll give the UK press someone else to sink their teeth into for once. But not good as its not good for Jag.

Still, I bet they'll still lead on MGR's sales figures if they're 1% down on Sept last year, even if Jag sold 2 all month.

Personally I'm gutted (not!), especially when I hear that a lot of orders have been cancelled. I wonder if anyone in Detroit has realised that most old farts who buy Jaguars believe that Jaguars should be made in Coventry. Would you buy a Porsche if it was made in India? No! Jaguar owners are very funny about where the cars are made, some one tell Henry!Goddamit theres only one car made in India and thats a Rover

Goddamit theres only one car made in India and thats a Rover


your wrong the Rover badges get stuck on in England ;)

If this is true it gives us some insight into the psyche of the British car buyer, and may go some way to explaining MG Rover's current sales levels. By which I mean, if a proportion of sales are made up from those buyers with a sense of patriotism, the feeling that the directors are only in the business to line their own pockets might be enough to send such buyers to the dealers of other marques.

Jaguar has admitted today that it's UK sales have collapsed this month.

I read today that Jag sales in the US are well down but in the UK are really strong, about 6,000 units for September. Right across Europe Jag are going great so it's not all bad. Jag has relied too much on the US. Interestingly, Lexus has sold about 210,000 units this year yet over half are 4wd. So Lexus has sold about 100,000 cars compared to about 36,000 Jags, so even with a sales 'collapse', they aren't that far behind the very successful Lexus. Jag needs a 4wd for the US.

What Ford should do is join Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin together even more closely to form one brand. They should share dealerships for a start- this would effectively double their dealership network without laying a brick. If Jaguar are losing sales to SUVs they would lose those sales to LR, this way they wouldnt need to hurt their image with a 4x4. Volvo dont really fit in and are already making profit so they should go with the main Ford group and a few Aston Martins in major dealerships would impress customers. Imagine it- there would be one showroom with a full range of luxury cars to suit everyone like Lexus but with class and prestige.

Seems that Jag have done well this last month a sales increase of 3.37% and total year sales are up by 16.74%

Seems that Jag have done well this last month a sales increase of 3.37% and total year sales are up by 16.74%

Yes, thats hardly 'a collapse' by anyone's standards - except perhaps someone who happens to hate Ford?

And on the Porsche point ? Well people are happy to buy:

Porsches made in Finland - Boxster assembly is done in a Valmet (tractor) factory.
BMWs made in South Africa (RHD 3 series) and South Carolina (Z3, Z4 and 4Wds)
Mercedes made in South Africa (C Class)and the USA (MClass)
VW's made in South Africa (RHD Golf) and Spain (Polo)
Audi's made in Hungary (TT)
Vauxhalls made in Thailand (early Zafira)
Fords made in Thailand (Ranger pick ups)

So please let's face it, the amount of people who care that Jaguars are made in Coventry is ...probably hardly anybody, particularly in terms of those who are in the market for buying a new one, as opposed to those who own a classic one. Do you own a recent XJ or XK8 MGRovernut? Because only by buying one can you make a concrete difference on where they're made. Sorry but that's economics.
Some of the US buyers probably don't even know that they are made in Britain - the market is driven by incentives and by the strength of the pound. If the US is the biggest market for Jags, then good business sense dictates that Ford should have started making them in the NAFTA area years ago.

So please let's face it, the amount of people who care that Jaguars are made in Coventry is ...probably hardly anybody, particularly in terms of those who are in the market for buying a new one, as opposed to those who own a classic one.

Agreed. Nobody in the market for a new Jaguar cares overmuch where it's made. Brown's Lane's closing ****** off entheusiasts, i.e. Those that already own Jaguars. The fall in sales is due to 1. The exchange rate. 2. The saturation of Jaguar's market. (i.e. those who were going to buy the oddly styled X-Type have done so already)