Fuzzy Dunlop
Banned
How would Jaguar develop as a company, models etc?
Much obliged!
WI: Mercedes-Benz purchased Jaguar instead of Ford?
- Thread starter Fuzzy Dunlop
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How would Jaguar develop as a company, models etc?
Much obliged!
It would depend on the when?
In the early 70s Jaguar still had a lot of prestige, and was admired as a maker of stylish and sporty cars. Mercedes was admired for its quality and reliability. A XJ with Jaguar style and Mercedes quality would have been a fantastic car.
The goal for Mercedes would be profitability. If they bought Jaguar cheap, and made it lucrative, they would have made a good operation.
In the early 70s Jaguar still had a lot of prestige, and was admired as a maker of stylish and sporty cars. Mercedes was admired for its quality and reliability. A XJ with Jaguar style and Mercedes quality would have been a fantastic car.
The goal for Mercedes would be profitability. If they bought Jaguar cheap, and made it lucrative, they would have made a good operation.
Don’t see why they would. Ford wanted Jaguar because it was a premium brand and they wanted to compete with… Mercedes! Along with BMW and Audi.
From Merc’s perspective, taking over a mess (and it’s pretty much always been for decades now) that operates in largely the same market, targeting the same customers as you do, makes no sense. More cost just to cannibalise the same market share potentially.
Ending up inside the VW Group with Audi would be a little more believable, in that they don’t see to mind having competing brands, having tried to buy Alfa Romeo a few times, they seem to want a sporty premium brand also.
Of course in both cases Jaguar just becomes some aesthetics draped over German cars. Perhaps not ideal for its brand positioning…
From Merc’s perspective, taking over a mess (and it’s pretty much always been for decades now) that operates in largely the same market, targeting the same customers as you do, makes no sense. More cost just to cannibalise the same market share potentially.
Ending up inside the VW Group with Audi would be a little more believable, in that they don’t see to mind having competing brands, having tried to buy Alfa Romeo a few times, they seem to want a sporty premium brand also.
Of course in both cases Jaguar just becomes some aesthetics draped over German cars. Perhaps not ideal for its brand positioning…
Consolidation of the premium market? using the brand for a different market?
meaningless
Jaguar cannot become a entry-level brand for Mercedes，Until today, Jaguar's entry price is higher than that of Mercedes
Jaguar also unlikely to become a premium brand for Mercedes，Jaguar always been much cheaper than Mercedes of the same class,and the highest price that can reached was also much lower
Considering GM or Nissan was much more realistic
Jaguar cannot become a entry-level brand for Mercedes，Until today, Jaguar's entry price is higher than that of Mercedes
Jaguar also unlikely to become a premium brand for Mercedes，Jaguar always been much cheaper than Mercedes of the same class,and the highest price that can reached was also much lower
Considering GM or Nissan was much more realistic
Jag is a funny operation. It’s historically competed with the Germans but since they’ve gone more mainstream, Jag is more of a niche player.
Perhaps a German takeover would have brought out this distinction earlier. I also think that BMW would have been a more likely buyer as they almost were in the 80s when BMW and Jag engineers got to the stage of preliminary planning for a new small Jag (probably based on what eventually became the 1988 5 series).
Perhaps a German takeover would have brought out this distinction earlier. I also think that BMW would have been a more likely buyer as they almost were in the 80s when BMW and Jag engineers got to the stage of preliminary planning for a new small Jag (probably based on what eventually became the 1988 5 series).
On a model by model base Jaguar was cheaper than Mercedes.
The XJ was cheaper than a S class with a comparable engine, and the XJS was cheaper than a SL with a comparable engine.
What Mercedes had was a wider range, and some Mercedes were cheaper than Jaguars, but not the ones that could be directly comparable.
As for other buyers apart from ATL Mercedes or OTL Ford…
Maybe if it was early enough, one of Toyota or Nissan might have seen Jaguar as a shortcut to prestige rather than the long hard slog involved with brand building Lexus or Infiniti.
GM would have been a DISASTER. That corporation of dessicated beancounters destroyed Saab and I expect they’d have done the same with Jaguar.
Fiat perhaps? Pre-Alfa Romeo?
PSA?
Maybe if it was early enough, one of Toyota or Nissan might have seen Jaguar as a shortcut to prestige rather than the long hard slog involved with brand building Lexus or Infiniti.
GM would have been a DISASTER. That corporation of dessicated beancounters destroyed Saab and I expect they’d have done the same with Jaguar.
Fiat perhaps? Pre-Alfa Romeo?
PSA?
marathag
Banned
Or like Chrysler. They are still using the Mercedes basedchassis bits from the E Class for the Challenger, long after the being 'Un-Merged'
Basils
Banned
True. But since the decoupling Chrysler was staggering from problems basically the entire time til it merged with Fiat. It had no ability to change its supply chain and probably didn’t feel the need to either. Why spend millions just to spite your old partner?
marathag
Banned
And to be honest, the chassis was fine. Why fix something that isn't broke?
Only thing I wish Chrysler could have picked up, was on how to make an interior that didn't look like it belonged in a truck
Basils
Banned
I agree. I also think Chrysler had a lot of reliability problems too. My work had a dodge Neon in 03 it was an 02 and it has already lost all its paint on the roof. Chrysler had a lot of problems and no ability to address them it seems
marathag
Banned
yeah, build quality and reliability.
Always thought it strange that Chrysler went from having the most reliable automatic transmissions thru the '70s to having the worst for the past 30! years
that started with the A604 and A470
they 'fixed' it by by using the German ZF trannys and those aren't perfect.
Basils
Banned
I find that’s word as well. But companies have a way of taking a strength and abandoning it so hard that it becomes a weakness. Look at Sears. They should have been the first to do online ordering due to their catalog.