Jaguar sales take a dive after a fierce backlash against the ‘woke’ brand, but the carmaker’s classic Range Rover and Defender models are still popular
Jaguar sales figures have fallen by more than a quarter in the past year due to the legendary British car brand’s dramatic ‘woke’ rebrand.
The company was torn for ditching the iconic “growler” emblem used on grilles and hoods for decades and replacing it with a curved geometric “J” badge.
Other controversial changes included the unveiling of a bright pink concept car, which was intended to update Jaguar’s image for the electric age.
But design experts and Jag fans ridiculed the makeover, calling it ‘cultural vandalism’ and the ‘most destructive marketing move ever’.
With new registration figures for the sector released by its parent company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reveals that the number of cars sold by the Indian company has fallen by 12,459 to just 33,320 in 2024.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, who was critical of Jaguar’s rebranding last year, today rejoiced: ‘Go woke, go broke.’
The dramatic slump came when Jaguar stopped production of five existing models earlier this year as it develops its all-new range of fully electric vehicles, which will hit the market this year and are aimed at a much younger audience.
Meanwhile, demand for the automaker’s luxury Range Rover and Defender models soared.
The new rebrand (above) sparked accusations that the company had gone ‘woke’ – after posting an ad that didn’t show any cars
The ad shows boldly dressed fashion models in bright primary colors next to slogans such as ‘break molds’ and ‘create exuberantly’
Pictured are the bright-looking concept cars that Jaguar unveiled late last year as part of its electric car overhaul
The company laid the groundwork for the shake-up by winding down production of existing Jaguar models for British customers, with the British-built XE and XF sedans and the F-Type sports car ceasing in May.
Production of the largest model, the F-Pace, will continue in Solihull for the time being, but this will only be for overseas markets. A spokesperson for the brand confirmed that UK production was halted in November.
Production of the compact SUV E-Pace and the I-Pace stopped last month.
Jaguar says I-Pace availability will continue, but only for “business customers until 2025.”
It means that Jaguar has effectively stopped all car sales in Britain for the first time since the Second World War.
Meanwhile, sales of JLR’s Range Rover SUV have soared, with the company calling for “strong wholesale growth” due to the 12 percent increase during the quarter compared to a year earlier.
Sales of classic Range Rovers rose by 22 percent, while Sport and Evoque models rose by 17 percent and 15 percent respectively. Defender sales also rose 13 percent, while Discovery sales rose 1.5 percent.
Full-year sales of all Range Rover types soared from 339,825 to 366,355, with JLR saying the figures reflected ‘an improvement following supply disruptions’.
Meanwhile, sales of Jaguar models have plummeted. In 2022, Jaguar sold 61,661 cars, but last year this fell to 33,320. In 2019, the brand sold 161,601 cars.
This is the new Jaguar logo: a roundel consisting of the letter ‘J’ that looks the same on both sides
The classic Jaguar ‘growler’ logo has been ditched as the car company reinvents itself to appeal to a younger audience of car buyers
Jaguar has phased out its model range, with cars like the F-Pace SUV (above) now consigned to the history books
But sales of the automaker’s classic Range Rover and Defender models are still proving popular
Jag’s major rebrand had been in development for three years as the company prepared to become an all-electric car manufacturer, ahead of the UK’s target to stop selling new cars powered solely by fossil fuels by 2030.
Launched under the tagline ‘copy nos’ – an adage from the company’s founder, Sir William Lyons – the advert features various models in technicolor outfits walking through an alien landscape.
Around 800 people are understood to have worked on the rebrand, with managing director Rawdon Glover saying: ‘We need to change people’s perception of what Jaguar stands for.’
But the radical break with Jaguar’s traditional image provoked a fierce reaction, with critics accusing the company of trampling on its British heritage.
Critics also slammed the diversity of the ad, which features androgynous men and women in lavish clothing.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, warned the brand would go bankrupt in the wake of the overhaul, while others called the makeover ‘woke’ and ‘unhinged’.
Marketing experts around the world also said they were ‘stunned’ by the move, with Californian designer Joseph Alessio saying it would be ‘taught in schools how not to rebrand’.
However, Jaguar boss Glover hit back at the “despicable hatred and bigotry” towards the eccentric-looking models that appeared in the video ad.
He denied that the company was throwing away its nearly 100-year heritage with the most dramatic rebranding in decades. Instead, he claimed that the automaker needed to move away from “traditional automotive stereotypes” to find its place in the market.
Jaguar chief executive Rawdon Glover has fired back at those who criticized the car brand’s much-maligned rebrand
Mr Glover told the Financial Times that he believed the overall response to the campaign had been “very positive” but was disappointed by the “level of vile hatred and bigotry” towards the models in the ad.
“If we play the same way as everyone else, we just get drowned out. So we shouldn’t emerge as a car brand,” Glover said.
“We have to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point, so we have to act differently. We wanted to move away from traditional car stereotypes,” he added.
Gerry McGovern, the company’s chief creative officer, admitted that the concept car unveiled in December would not “be loved by everyone” but added: “That’s what fearless creativity does.”
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