Jaguar Type 00 and its ultra-luxury ambitions: Giving up 85% of customers to compete with Bentley.
Jaguar is repositioning itself as an ultra-luxury electric car brand with the goal of directly competing with Bentley, accepting the discontinuation of gasoline-powered vehicles and completely changing its business model.
Jaguar is undertaking the most audacious overhaul in its history, deciding to completely end the internal combustion engine era and become a super-luxury electric vehicle (EV) brand. Instead of competing with traditional rivals like BMW or Mercedes-Benz, the British automaker is shifting its focus to directly confront Bentley, starting with the Type 00 concept and the production version expected to launch later this year.
A strategy of low production volume and ultra-luxury pricing.
In this new era, Jaguar is no longer chasing mass sales. The company aims to produce only around 10,000 cars per year, equivalent to Bentley's scale (approximately 10,000–15,000 cars/year). This is a radical shift from the peak of 181,500 cars the company achieved in 2018.
To solidify its ultra-luxury status, the production version of the Type 00 is expected to have a starting price of $130,000 (approximately 3.25 billion VND). Additionally, dealerships indicate that Jaguar may consider a leasing-only model for the new electric grand tourer to tightly control the value of used vehicles and maintain its premium brand image.
| Comparative index | Jaguar (New target) | Bentley (Target competitor) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual output | ~10,000 vehicles | ~10,000–15,000 vehicles |
| Starting price from | $130,000 | Ultra-luxury segment |
| Market positioning | Exclusive luxury electric car | Traditional and electrified luxury cars |
The gamble of losing 85% of existing customers.
Jaguar's new strategy has met with considerable skepticism from its own dealership network. According to Automobilwoche, some sales representatives in Germany have expressed concerns about the feasibility of this model. Jaguar acknowledges that the repositioning will cause them to lose approximately 85% of their current customers – those who are accustomed to lower-segment luxury cars.
However, the company believes that the bold design, exclusive EV platform, and new ultra-luxury image will attract the ultra-wealthy customer segment. Andreas Everschneider, CEO of the Jaguar and Land Rover Dealers Association in Germany, believes this is a huge opportunity but that there are still many unknowns regarding the actual market demand.
Specialized launch and training roadmap
Jaguar is expected to open order books for the Type 00 in March or April next year. Notably, dealership staff will soon undergo intensive training programs to shift their sales mindset from serving luxury customers to the ultra-luxury segment.
Following its first grand tourer, Jaguar plans to launch an electric SUV to complete its new product range. The success of this "gamble" will depend on whether the first all-electric Jaguars can create enough unique appeal to convince customers currently using Bentley or Rolls-Royce to switch to this new brand.
