Jaguar X-Type reportedly read last rites, headed for The Great Beyond

To read the market, the Jaguar X-Type was too small, too unattractive and too uncompetitive to justify its entry-level luxury price tag here in the U.S., and sales halted in March of last year. Somehow, the X-Type fared somewhat better in the ultra-competitive European market, and the Little Cat That Couldn't was scheduled to live on for Euro consumption through much of 2010.

The continually weak market for luxury cars and the X-Type's widening competitive gap are apparently conspiring to change that, though, as Autocar is reporting that all X-Type variants will cease production by the end of 2009. Jaguar Land Rover CEO David Smith told the U.K. magazine that the move was necessary considering the fact that sales of the brands have dropped 28% over the past 10 months.

Even with the eminent demise of the X-Type, Jaguar will still need to temporarily shut down its Halewood facility for three weeks beginning in September to keep inventories in check. Jaguar will cut 300 jobs though voluntary separation once production shuts down for good.

In spite of the fact that many believed that the X-Type looked dated and was uncompetitive since its launch back in 2001, Jaguar managed to sell 350,000 copies globally of the sedan and wagon over the past eight years, although sales in the U.S. reportedly ran at less than half of official projections. Thanks for the tip, Rohin!

[Source: Autocar]