Latest news with #AdrianMardell
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Jaguar's Europe Sales Stall As Shift To Electric-Only Lineup Begins
For a brand with the prestige of Jaguar, its new vehicle registrations in Europe for April 2025 make for truly painful reading. Just 49 - yes, forty-nine - new Jaguars were registered across the pond throughout April, representing a decline of 97.5%; a year ago, 1,961 Jaguar models were registered in the same month in Europe, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. These sales include those from Jaguar's home market, the UK. Without the benefit of context, it appears to be one of the most unfathomable declines from a major brand in recent automotive history. However, this drastic drop in sales in a key region doesn't necessarily spell the end for Jaguar. This is the general state of mind at Jaguar as it embarks on a path to release a fully electric lineup of vehicles, while also pushing deeper into the ultra-luxury segment. Jaguar has elected not to gently transition into an all-EV lineup. Instead, the vast majority of Jag's gas-fed models have been discontinued, including the XF sedan (which ceased production midway through 2024). At around the same time, the XE sedan and F-Type sports car were discontinued. Without cars to sell, it figures that sales will fall off a cliff. Adrian Mardell, Jaguar CEO, previously stated that the brand's range of current models resulted in "close to zero profitability," according to Automotive News. This explains why culling nearly the whole lineup wasn't as drastic as it seems. By accepting this dramatic decline in sales, Jaguar can fully focus on its next chapter, and what a chapter it looks to be. Jaguar was almost universally panned when it revealed its new brand identity late last year. Everything - from the font to the logo, colors, and themes - were derided, and all bore little resemblance to the brand's consistent look and feel up to that point. The initial rebrand had virtually no focus on cars, further alienating Jag loyalists, and phrases like "copy nothing" and "create exuberant" failed to strike a chord with gearheads in any meaningful way. Jaguar isn't oblivious to the backlash. According to a report by the The Telegraph last month, the British automaker is already hunting for a new advertising agency to replace Accenture Song. The latter is responsible for last year's campaign, but Jaguar seems to want to replace the agency sooner rather than later, despite a contract being in place until mid-2026. This was followed by the reveal of the Type 00 concept car, a first look at what we can expect from Jaguar's EV future. With flush surfaces and dramatic touches like a glassless rear tailgate, it looks nothing like any other Jaguar we've seen. Jaguar's first production car under the rebrand will be an electric four-door GT, set to be revealed in late 2025 before reaching showrooms next year. Targeting the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce with an imposing design and deluxe interior, it remains to be seen how far upmarket the Jaguar brand can go, and this will be the model to answer that question. While Jaguar alone undergoes an expected lull as part of its transformation, Jaguar Land Rover has posted £2.5 billion (around $3.39 billion) in profits for FY25, a record result. These promising numbers have, of course, been spearheaded by Land Rover, a brand that has a reliably consistent lineup at present. The stability of the Land Rover brand allows JLR to take its time with the Jaguar relaunch, even if that means selling shockingly few vehicles in the interim. All things considered, Jaguar's dismal European sales in April 2025 aren't as unnerving as they initially appear. Without cars to sell, sales will plummet, and Jaguar seems to have anticipated this. The brand has gone too far in a new direction to turn back now, and is betting on an exclusively EV future at a time when many automakers have reined in their plans to move to a fully electric lineup. The arrival of Jag's grand production EV in 2026 will confirm whether or not the gamble has paid off. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Express
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
It's only a matter of time before Jaguar Land Rover builds a factory in the USA
The clue is in the title. We're Auto Express and we ensure that the cars are the stars. But occasionally, people deserve as much coverage as products – and this is one of those occasions. The question I posed in this column a month ago was: could JLR's owner, Tata of India, make some of its Jaguars and Land Rovers in the USA? Unsurprisingly, JLR's massive, Mumbai-based parent company failed to answer it. But JLR CEO Adrian Mardell did. Well, sort of. 'We had, and currently have, no cause to build cars in the US at this time, but we cannot discount that it could be the case at some point,' he said. Advertisement - Article continues below I interpret these words to mean that he's very much leaving the door open for the possibility of a newly built US factory or factories to accompany those production lines he has in Brazil, China, India and Slovakia. JLR is already spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a 50,000 square foot technology hub in Portland and elsewhere in America. The company's 'Reimagine' strategy remains in place with an official 'rethink everything we do' philosophy. And Mardell is a former Chief Transformation Officer (honest) at JLR. So if you can strip away the emotion and instead concentrate on the logic, the logistics and the global political climate, it's not difficult to imagine JLR having US production lines at some point. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Another auto industry chief with much to ponder is Elon Musk, the world's best-known electric car advocate. In 2016 he demanded a 'popular uprising' against fossil fuels. Yet he's just accompanied the US President on a tour of the Middle East, the oil-producing capital of the world. Maybe Trump has persuaded him that he's missing a trick by not building gas-powered pick-up trucks and cars wearing Made in America badges. Away from the car factory gates, another unlikely relationship has just emerged, after the Aston Martin Formula One team partnered with The Rolling Stones. Merchandise has just gone on sale and there's even a competition to win a signed Stones/Aston guitar that could become a valuable collector's item. Or maybe not, because the band's legendary guitarists are Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood – and both of their autographs are missing from the instrument. Wheeled in instead to sign it were Aston's unhappy, desperately under-performing F1 drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. They're fabulously wealthy, not hungry and way too comfortable in their highly paid jobs, in my opinion. Instead, check out William von Linné, the star of the Vriden – Snow Drifting In Sweden short video that has just received my official vote and a category win at the International Auto Film Festa 2025. View the footage at or on YouTube and you'll be exhilarated. Click here for our list of the best electric SUVs ... Find a car with the experts Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales Is pressure from retailers and car makers finally cutting through with ministers? Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised The MX-30 EV has been axed, but the Japanese brand will have another crack next year when it launches the all-new Mazda 6e saloon Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month Tesla's Model 3 is a global best-seller – but it doesn't cost the earth to bag one. It's our Deal of the Day for 23 May
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Jaguar Land Rover opens door to building cars in America
The boss of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has refused to rule out producing cars in America in an effort to avoid tariffs. Adrian Mardell, JLR's chief executive, said the company had no plans to move production across the Atlantic but could not dismiss the possibility for the future amid lingering questions about how the UK-US trade pact will work in practice. He said: 'We had and currently have no cause to build cars in the US at this time, but we cannot discount that it could be the case at some point.' His remarks will ring alarm bells in Whitehall as officials scramble to hammer out the practical details of the trade agreement announced by Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer last week. Mr Mardell, who sat next to the Prime Minister as he received a phone call from Mr Trump at JLR's head office last week, has welcomed the deal and says it will help to protect jobs. JLR currently makes its best-selling Range Rovers in Solihull, West Midlands, while models such as the Land Rover Discovery and Defender are made in Europe. The company was facing tariffs of up to 27.5pc on cars shipped from the UK and Europe to the US, but the trade deal means that will fall to 10pc for the first 100,000 vehicles exported by manufacturers in the UK. Following the announcement, JLR resumed shipments to the US after pausing them previously. Yet carmakers are still awaiting key details of the pact and JLR's luxury rival Bentley warned on Tuesday that the uncertainty is putting customers off from making purchases. Frank-Steffen Walliser, the chief executive of Bentley, told a Financial Times conference: 'The worst thing that can happen to a running business is the announcement of lower tariff. 'It means all your customers say 'I won't buy a car now', especially our customers, our clients don't need a car at the moment. 'It is super hard on the business at the moment, nobody's moving.' For example, he added, it was not clear how the tariff-free quota of 100,000 cars would apply to different carmakers. 'Is the 100,000 for Bentley? I can live with that,' he said. '[But] I assume our colleagues from JLR would also like to have a chunk.' In the year to the end of March, JLR sold 129,000 cars in North America – representing about one third of its global sales. The company does not break down this figure but the vast majority would have been sold in the US. Bentley, which sells around 4,000 cars per year in the Americas, similarly counts the US as its biggest market. So far, Mr Walliser said the company had avoided having to put prices up because it had pre-emptively sped up shipments to the US before tariffs were imposed. But he warned that strategy was running out of road, as the company's inventories dwindled, and said car makers needed urgent clarity. 'Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining,' he said of the trade deal. 'But it is not operational.' Last week, Sir Keir insisted that the UK-US deal 'delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Auto Express
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Land Rover Freelander on track for a comeback, but the UK will have to wait
Jaguar Land Rover CEO Adrian Mardell has shed more light on plans for the Freelander brand announced last year. These will see the familiar name revived for a range of all-new electric vehicles designed specifically for the Chinese market, but which should make their way to the UK eventually. Land Rover introduced the Freelander in 1997 as a ruggedly handsome compact SUV, which was succeeded by the Discovery Sport in 2016. Meanwhile over in China, JLR has had a joint venture with the automotive giant Chery – owners of Omoda and Jaecoo – for more than a decade, which it hopes will be revitalised by these forthcoming Freelander EVs. The collaboration – Chery Jaguar Land Rover (CJLR) – leverages the individual strengths of the two companies, utilising Chery's production, development resources and scale, together with the design capabilities and heritage of Land Rover. It currently builds the Chinese-market long-wheelbase versions of the Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar XE and Jaguar XF, plus the Discovery Sport, but those cars will be replaced by new Freelander-branded models. Advertisement - Article continues below All the new vehicles will be SUVs built under licence, and despite wearing the Freelander name, will be based on Chery's own EV architecture. Mardell told Auto Express that the first of the new models will make its debut towards the end of 2026. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The JLR boss also said: 'Of course, these will be cars designed with our involvement, but off a Chinese platform with Chinese tech and the Chinese cost base, so should be absolutely perfect for the market there. This will allow the joint venture and our plant in Changshu to flourish over time.' Mardell admitted CJLR's profitability has been declining, but he is confident that the new Freelander range is the 'solution to the problem that was facing us and one that is very good for us, both in terms of licence revenue but also in terms of our 50 per cent share of the profits of that joint venture.' No specific details about the new Freelander models have been announced yet, but we do know they'll be 'mainstream electric vehicles', so should be priced accordingly – especially compared with the upcoming Range Rover Electric that's sure to cost well over £120,000. With the rapid development of EVs in China and the country's emphasis on tech and connectivity, we expect these Freelander models to be sleek and futuristic, with large digital interfaces and lots of cabin space. While the new EVs are designed specifically for the Chinese market, Mardell reiterated that they have global potential – but with the caveat that it's 'dependent on business cases and various other things'. He also added that they wouldn't be launched in other territories for a year or so after sales begin in China. However, the UK and Europe would be the obvious next port of call. The cars should be able to utilise JLR's existing distribution and dealer networks, giving the company a new line of more affordable models beyond their existing 'houses' of Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar. Want the latest car news in your inbox? Sign up to the free Auto Express email newsletter... Find a car with the experts Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future The next Mazda MX-5 roadster is set to be offered as a pure EV, and our exclusive images preview how it could look Car Deal of the Day: 10,000 miles per year in the upgraded Cupra Formentor for only £280 a month Car Deal of the Day: 10,000 miles per year in the upgraded Cupra Formentor for only £280 a month The best-selling coupé-SUV received an extensive facelift last year, and now it's our Deal of the Day for 11 May
Auto Express
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Land Rover Defender drives JLR profits to a ten year high
Jaguar Land Rover raked in £2.5billion of pre-tax profit during the last financial year – its highest profits in 10 years, and a 15 per cent increase year‑on‑year – and saw record sales of the mighty Land Rover Defender, with 115,404 new models flying out of showrooms in that same period. Advertisement - Article continues below JLR generated £29billion in revenues in the 12 months from the end of March last year during which time, like other car makers, it also had to navigate 'global economic challenges,' particularly the 25 per cent tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on foreign-made cars imported to the US, which was first announced back in February. Of course, the news of JLR's record profits comes just a week after a trade deal was struck between the UK and US that will reduce the tariff for the first 100,000 British-made cars going across the pond down to 10 per cent, and has provided some welcoming relief to the automotive industry in the UK. That's great news for the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport which are built in Solihull in the Midlands, especially as the first-ever Range Rover Electric will be arriving very soon and has already amassed a waiting list of roughly 62,000 potential customers. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below However, the Land Rover Defender is made in Slovakia, meaning it's still subject to the original 25 per cent tariff. When asked about this, JLR CEO Adrian Mardell told Auto Express: 'We're working where we can to mitigate all the impact of tariffs, including on the Defender from Europe into the USA. Advertisement - Article continues below 'We don't have any news at the EU/US level of what trade agreements will be put in place, but similarly to the UK, we're really confident at some point there will be a different trade deal, and therefore obviously we're hopeful that will happen earlier rather than later, which will be important for our business within Defender in Europe.' 'However, we have a series of measures that we will also be considering and taking, and depending on the time and extent that this 25 per cent tariff continues with Defender, clearly the magnitude of those responses will become adjusted.' One obvious way to get around these tariffs is to simply build cars in the US, which is what President Trump is hoping companies will do. Mardell shut down any speculation JLR had such plans in the works, telling us: 'We had, and we have, no plans to build cars in the US at this point in time. That was the case before January, and it's also the case after April [when the tariffs went into effect]. 'I'm not discounting at some point in some place going forward we do something in the US for the US, but there are no plans to do that.' JLR actually put a temporary stop on all car shipments to the US in April in response to the tariffs. It has reportedly now resumed exports to the States, but JLR's chief financial officer Richard Molyneux is confident the pause won't have impacted the company's sales figures. He explained: 'During the last quarter of last year we did push quite hard for US volume to make sure that we had probably more than enough stock for retailers to cover our position. Obviously knowing that something was brewing, and this did allow us to take a pause in shipments in April.' Of course, the rebirth of Jaguar as an all-electric luxury brand continues as well. Mardell confirmed by the end of this year we should be seeing a concept version of the brand's new four-door GT, which will be built in the company's Solihull plant, where new production lines have now been installed for the car. Our dealer network has 1,000s of great value new cars in stock and available now right across the UK. Find your new car… Find a car with the experts Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future The next Mazda MX-5 roadster is set to be offered as a pure EV, and our exclusive images preview how it could look Car Deal of the Day: 10,000 miles per year in the upgraded Cupra Formentor for only £280 a month Car Deal of the Day: 10,000 miles per year in the upgraded Cupra Formentor for only £280 a month The best-selling coupé-SUV received an extensive facelift last year, and now it's our Deal of the Day for 11 May
