Cheap Jags for US buyers
- Jaguar XE more than £4 cheaper in US than UK;
- Drive to take on BMW’s dominance in the States;
- Designer Ian Callum says carmakers “have to change radically”.
JAGUAR are attacking the lucrative US market by slashing the of its entry-level XE model by more than £4k on its UK price.
Bloomberg reports that the starting price of the base model will be $34,900 (£22,880) and just a little more than the entry level BMW 3-Series 318i SE.
Yet, in the land of its construction, the ‘on offer’ price of the Jaguar XE SE 2.0-litre i4 diesel manual is £26,990, a full £2k more than the Beemer.
It’s clear that the Coventry manufacturer is attempting to take on the volume market in the States where BMW sells nine of its 3-Series saloons for ever Jaguar that rolls off the forecourts.
In a recent interview Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum hinted that carmakers have to broaden their products’ appeal to the younger, less affluent, generation who are in danger of losing touch with cars.
He said: “What I am slightly sad about, is the majority of young people growing up don’t get the thrill from motor cars that we [the older generation] got from them.
“You only have to speak to the 25 to 35-year-olds to see that the automotive industry will have to change radically in the coming years.”
This may be great news for US business drivers but it’s of little comfort for our own hard-pressed company car users.
A spokesperson for Jaguar was not available for comment at the time of going to press.
