For most of Jaguar Land Rover’s post-Ford Motor Co. existence under Tata Motors, the Land Rover brand has carried the British automaker on its broad fenders. That might change in 2021 as Jaguar dealers begin selling a retooled lineup.
Gone is the compact XE sedan, the second time in the last 15 years Jaguar has tried a small sport sedan and failed. It has been replaced by a freshened, lower priced version of the midsize XF sedan, a strategy that Larry Zinn, chairman of the Jaguar Land Rover Retailer Cabinet, says is the right thing for these SUV-crazy times.
Jaguar dealers are looking for a significant boost in demand from its trio of restyled crossovers, the compact E-Pace, midsize F-Pace — the brand’s bestseller — and the battery-electric I-Pace.
A freshened version of the F-Type sports car also is on the way. Though it won’t be a big volume seller, the two-seater informs the styling of the other vehicles in Jaguar’s lineup. Later this year, JLR is expected to unveil its competitor to the Tesla Model S when the new XJ sedan is shown.
“I believe that dealers are very confident that the brand is going in the right direction, and that we’ve got a great leadership team that’s going to help carry us forward and grow off of the heritage and the strength of the Jaguar name,” said Zinn.