Mulally himself has recently stated that Ford is behind Jaguar, that Ford has no plans to sell Jaguar, and that Ford continues to invest in Jag because the leaping cat is part of the Way Forward Plan. Ford's reduced first quarter loss came with the help of a 36% improvement in profitability within the Premier Automotive Group. Nevertheless, the vote of confidence doesn't guarantee that Ford won't shed some of Jaguar's workforce.
When the UK's Transport and General Workers Union asked Ford if it planned to sell Jaguar and Land Rover, Ford assured the workers that there was no sales plan on the table. But Ford did say that Jaguar won't balance its books until 2010, and that there would have to be "significant reductions in fixed and operating costs." If Ford doesn't sell Jag, the new model development – to create the kind of Jags that everyone wants, like the C-XF – is sure to put serious pressure on the budget. Ford has said it wants to turn Jaguar into its profitable niche arm, which would hopefully preclude serious cost-cutting in engineering and design. That would appear to leave workers to face the cost-cutting guillotine alone.
[Source The Guardian]
Paris Preview: Officially Official, Honda's new hybrid is the Insight!
Mazda Kiyora city car concept, MX-5 facelift head to Paris
Leaked: Official updated Mazda MX-5 image
Reader Spy: Chevy Volt caught on set of Transformers 2
Spy Shot: Production interior of Chevy Volt (maybe)
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged
By the Numbers - August 2008: New Digs Edition
In the Autoblog Garage: KITT Shelby GT500 KR
First Drive: 2009 Cadillac CTS-V
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Nissan Murano
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The Other Bob @ May 1st 2007 7:45PM
When the press asked Toyota CEO Jim Lentz at the New york Auto Show what Lexus will do now with the new LS460 out, do you know what he said?
he said "well, with the launch of the LS today, all our engineers will go to work next week working on the 2013 LS". Wow that shocked me. But its a completely normal comment.
I bet Toyota is already underway working on the Camry replacement. This is not about having less legacy costs or this and that. Its about management and the will to be on top.
What has ford done with Jaguar? Same is the Taurus and the Ranger and the Freestar and most other cars. They introduce a vehicle then they go golfing and 5 years down the line when a replacement is needed, then they freak out about having nothing in the pipe.
How old is the X and S type again? atleast 9 and 8 years respectively.
Devon @ May 1st 2007 7:48PM
Agree with number 1.
However I dont want to see Jaguar die off. Ford should sell it to that British Company that wanted it. They got rid of Aston. Get rid of Jaguar as well.
Ford should be Ford Lincoln Mercury.
Rick Lyon @ May 1st 2007 7:50PM
Another car Ford bought and killed.
fordman @ May 1st 2007 7:51PM
Logic would say you update every 3 years and redesign every 6. Preferably redesign every 5 years. Thats not asking much. The domestic fanboys will come to bat for Ford saying thats asking too much but its not. I really am tired of the Jag V8. I want a new engine. I want something exciting. Make a 4.0 liter Flat 8!! make something that stands for somethinG!!
Jvijil @ May 1st 2007 7:51PM
wat a surprise i definently didn't see that coming after almost $800 million n losses last year
Bryan @ May 1st 2007 8:07PM
Jaguar is on its way back. Just going to take some time. Ford saved Jaguar. Lets not forget that.
HotRodzNKustoms @ May 1st 2007 8:36PM
Ford did indeed save Jaguar, but how quickly we forget. I do not understand why jags sell so slowly but what do I know. I've always thought a car done in the E-type's spirit, say a F-Type, based on a Mazda Miata platform, coupe or convertible, running the turbo 4 as a base motor and a turbo 6 as a "R" package, with all the Jaguar luxury, for Porsche Boxster money, and miata handling. How can you lose?
John @ May 1st 2007 9:13PM
It seems to me that Ford needs to take aim at Porsche with Jaguar. Aiming anywhere less than the sports-luxury class leader would be a mistake. It seems like they have the right designers in place, now they just need to get the engineers working.
Barney @ May 1st 2007 9:27PM
Jaguar is no longer a Jaguar. It was announced recently that the old Jag is being replaced with an altogether new one. A new body style and Ford drive train may not be bad but it's still not a Jag. Is that so bad?
Ligor @ May 1st 2007 10:57PM
well, if they would have followed any of their concept design they wouldn't be in the deep shhhit they are in now.
jsut sell Jaguar and concentrate on Lincoln
retsel @ May 1st 2007 11:35PM
i will say this i million times...
jag needs
a small Saturn sky sized sports car
a cross over like the Mazda cx7 (Porsche cayenne)
a real 3 series fighter with a new x-type...
the new s-type is perfect
the xj has a great platform... but it needs a new dash.. steal the the one from the xk...
snazzum @ May 2nd 2007 12:53AM
Yip, Jag's have been lackluster for at least a decade. I was really excited about the X-type and the S-type when they first came out. But while their competition (Benz, BMW, Lexus) has vastly improved, parent Ford has let Jag just languish. So sad.
And why would the new C-XF put a strain on Ford? Ford has it in production already:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2007_Ford_Mondeo_Pre_Launch.jpg
Deezee @ May 2nd 2007 3:17AM
They would have to cut a lot less jobs if they released cars like the C-XF, FIVE YEARS AGO. Its just like Ford to wait until too late to try to make a come back with something good. Instead of improving the cars that have potential and keeping them ahead of the curve.
omar @ May 2nd 2007 9:12AM
Dennis i agree with some points. Ford needs to get that family out of operations, sell jaguar and land rover off to a british company. Sell Volvo back to AB Volvo or some other swedish company like Haldex. I truly believe that there is one too many cars sharing the same platforms. I personally strongly dislike american made car, european cars used to be of better build quality but after all of these merges like Daimler Chrysler (Mercedes Benz, Smart), Ford Motor Company (Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rover), General Motors ( Saab, Opel, Vauxhal). When will these large automotive companies from america notice that its none profitable to run a european corporation from the US, only company benifiting from this but at the expense of low build quality is Mercedes. Ford needs to sell out all of its european brands and then concentrate only on Ford, mercury, lincoln. Daimler Chrysler sell of chrysler so they could again be chrysler, jeep, dodge, reserurect plymouth. GM needs to sell its european arms as well and become chevy, cadillac, ponitac, saturn, hummer, gmc. To be honest GM is the worst company leader of all just look at saab. That is why it hurts my heart to see Volvo being incorporated into ford spare parts bin like jaguar, so i have made a personal choice to move on to audi because the VAG will never be bought out or merged with any foreign (american) companies. Porsche is making sure that that wont ever happen, i welcome a take over by porsche, or even a controling intreset as long as it is no more american buyouts or mergers.
Dennis @ May 2nd 2007 7:42PM
Ford should not sell Jaguar, but maybe kill Mercury.
Ford needs to have the new Lincoln MKS, Volvo S80 and Jaguar S type all share the same platform, engines and drivetrains, and come out with "2WD" & "AWD" Sports Wagon, based off of the Volvo XC90.
Maybe also make a Jaguar crossover based off of the Volvo XC90.
I also think that Ford should have done this with the Lincoln MKZ, Volvo S60 and Jaguar X type share the same platform, engines and drivetrains. Also come out with a "2WD" & "AWD" Sports Wagon, based off of the Volvo XC70.
The one big selling point would be for them to come out with these cars that get over 30 MPG city and 35 MPG highway, then customers would come back.
But please do not use a Mazda platform for any of these cars.
Oh and take the the Ford family out of control of the Company.
kill the jag @ May 4th 2007 3:33AM
i think ford should move jaguar production to the usa
over %60.00 of sold cars go overseas and with the dollar at $1.90 to the GBP it is costing more money to sell jags overseas , move production to the states , they would save millions of dollars create jobs for americans it is a myth americans by jags because they are made in england , i would still by one if it was made in detroit in stead of halewood close down the uk plants and move it all to the usa
Dennis @ May 18th 2007 6:15AM
I do not agree with #16, this would kill the name faster then anything else could. Once the UAW got involved with it that would be all they wrote. The UAW members better wake up and see the way the rest of the US workers live and what we get and don't get. 99% of working Americans have to pay part of their healthcare cost, 401k retirement. We do not have work rules or pensions or a 7% cap on healthcare cost after years of free healthcare, and you wonder why chapter 11 is not far off, don't get me wrong top management is also 50% at fault too. So no leave Jaguar where it was born and has always been and just do a better job of coming up with models that people want and make design and quality #1 otherwise sell it.