August 31, 2016
Jaguar XE outside a dealership
British automaker Jaguar is pitting its XE model up against the competition in a rivalry test drive event.
The automotive industry is fiercely competitive with brands often trumpeting their engine’s prowess and design couth against others offering similar models within the sector. In an attempt to display its automotive aptitude, Jaguar is inviting British consumers to attend an event where it will showcase, in person, the superiority of its XE model.
Rivals
In a very bold statement, Jaguar will host its rivalry test drives at dealerships in the United Kingdom during the first weekend of September.
Consumers are invited to partake in group test drives to compare Jaguar’s XE model to three of the automaker’s rivals. While Jaguar does not specify which brands are unofficially participating, its sector competitors are most likely BMW, Mercedes and Audi.
The magazine-style group test will see more than 250 models brought to Jaguar dealerships.
“Our offer is simple: if you are interested in test driving a Jaguar XE, but are uncertain about how it will compare against its key rivals, then contact your local Jaguar retailer and arrange your own personal group test,” said Jeremy Hicks, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover U.K., in a statement.
“It’s a bold move, never done before by a manufacturer in the U.K., but the Jaguar XE speaks for itself,” he said. “It is the best looking car in its class, appealing to the heart but with class-leading running costs that add up to a shred financial purchase.
Jaguar XE
“It’s a class leader across the key measures of efficiency, performance and cost of ownership and absolutely holds its own in the most hotly contested sector of the market against the most established players in the world," Mr. Hicks said.
“We know it, the critics know it, now it’s time for car buyers across the U.K. to know it -- and crucially, experience it -- for themselves.”
Campaigns of brazen confidence are common in the automotive industry.
For instance, German automaker BMW urged consumers to skip the wait for an electric vehicle with two new television spots for its $44,695 to start, plug-in hybrid, the BMW 330e.
The first spot, entitled “Waiting,” showed a man sitting on his porch as narrator opines, “You will do your taxes twice, maybe more; you will ring in the New Year twice, maybe more… all before that electric car company’s new model ever even arrives.” At that point, a couple across the street pulls up in the BMW 330e, and the narrator makes the case that it’s “the car you’ve been waiting for without the wait.”
While Tesla is not mentioned by name, the mention of “that electric car company’s new model” and the multi-year waiting time scans as a reference to the electric automaker (see story).
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