Jaguar will slash UK dealer network by around 75% as part of radical EV rebrand
- UK showrooms will be reduced from 80 today to around just 20 from 2026
Jaguar will slash its UK dealership network by around 75 per cent as part of its radical plans to go electric-only in 2026.
The British car maker hit headlines last week when it confirmed it had done away with its classic roaring big cat emblem and introduced an updated version of its logos as part of a major rebrand as it ditched petrol and diesel cars.
An advert launched to signal this shift change also caused controversy, not least because it doesn't feature a single vehicle.
But Jaguar's dramatic leap into an EV future will also see it significantly reduce its retail presence in the UK.
Managing director Rawdon Glover has confirmed that Jaguar will be slashing its network of showrooms from 80 to around 20, as it looks to target the wealthiest parts of the country with its upcoming range of premium battery models.
The first of these - a four-door grand tourer - is due to be on sale from 2026 with a starting price in excess of £100,000.
Jaguar will dramatically reduce its UK retail presence, slashing the number of dealers from 2026. Those set to remain are on the 'basis of geographically where the most wealth is'
Speaking to automotive trade title Car Dealer Magazine during a Jaguar press call ahead of last week's 'Reimagine' rebrand announcement, Mr Glover said the company's dealer network would shrink, saying: 'We will have a significantly reduced footprint in the UK.'
When asked about reports that its retailer operations would be slashed to just 20 dealers, he said 'it will not be far off that number'.
Rawdon also told Car Dealer Magazine that it had looked at its target 'customer base' - primarily younger affluent types - and chosen sites from its existing showroom network on the 'basis of geographically where the most wealth was'.
He added: 'If you look at that from a demographic point of view, it takes you to a fairly logical sort of map in terms of the number of locations that you need.'
This cut-back retail presence will be made up of partners that 'are in the right location' and 'culturally aligned' to the car company and its new green values.
'We think they're going to be excited about the Jaguar prospects, and we think they're going to be able to give an elevated level of service,' he told the title.
Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover said the company's dealer network will shrink as it planned to 'significantly reduced footprint in the UK'
Jaguar will cut its current network of showrooms from 80 to around 20 by 2026, as it looks to target the wealthiest parts of the country with its upcoming range of premium EVs
Jaguar's new range of EVs - which will start with the arrival of the four-door GT model recently seen during testing - will target the premium market with prices in excess of £100k
Rawdon also said it will have a 'brand store' in the heart of London that will have a boutique feel and design to fit with local fashion stores.
It remains unclear how many UK job losses the decision to scale back the Jaguar dealer network could trigger.
This is Money contacted Jaguar to ask the question and received a response saying it would 'not be appropriate' to comment on the scale of its future dealer network.
It said: 'As part of our Reimagine strategy, we said we would right size, repurpose and reorganise our global operations.
'This includes the number of markets we operate in, and the retailer footprint required to support the new brand.
'With the opportunity to reinvent Jaguar as a luxury brand, targeting a lower sales volume globally means it is logical that we will see a reduced retail network and not be as present globally in all countries where we sold the brand in the past.
'There will be a phased roll-out of markets at launch.'
The classic Jaguar 'growler' logo has been ditched as the car firm reinvents itself to appeal to a younger audience of car buyers
This is the new Jaguar monogram logo- a roundel made up of the letter 'J' that looks the same both ways up
The legendary Jaguar 'leaper' emblem will be retained but used on a new lined background said to have taken inspiration from IBM's logo. 'Always leaping forward, it is a representation of excellence and hallmark of the brand,' the company said
Jaguar's branding typography has also been changed to feature lower case letters - save for a capitalised 'G' and 'U' - in what the company is calling a 'complete reset'
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Jaguar's dealership network is already set to be far less busy than usual.
That's because it has ceased production of petrol and diesel models for the UK market and already sold out of its right-hand-drive allocation of cars.
As such, dealers will not stock any new cars for at least 12 months in what Glover described as a 'strategic decision'.
Jaguar describes the year-long hiatus from the market as a 'sunset period'.
Bosses said it would act as a 'fire break' to allow dealers and customers to prepare for its electric rebrand.
It marks the first time since the Second World War that Jaguar has stopped selling vehicles in Britain as it accelerated away from its 102-year relationship with the internal combustion engine.
Jaguar is now completely reliant on its used car retail network to see it through the next 12 months.
Jaguar's new rebrand has attracted plenty of attention, not lease for its inclusive, fashion-inspired advert which doesn't feature any cars
While many car manufacturers have pumped the brakes on their ambitions to go electric this decade, Jaguar is bucking the trend.
Its headstrong approach will gather pace next month when it unveils a concept version for its electric future, which hints at the battery cars it will bring to the table from 2026.
In preparation for this, it has wound up outputs of existing models for UK customers, with the British-built XE and XF saloons, and F-Type sports car ended in May.
Production of its biggest model - F-Pace - will continue in Solihull for the foreseeable, however this will only be outputs for overseas markets. A spokesperson for the brand confirmed UK-spec production terminated this month.
And while manufacturing continues for the compact E-Pace SUV and its only electric car - I-Pace - in Graz, Austria, until the end of the year, its UK allocation has also sold out.
Jaguar says I-Pace availability continues but only for 'corporate clients into 2025'.
The car maker told us: 'As part of a planned sunset period of our current Jaguar vehicles, new car sales in the UK have come to an end as we prepare to relaunch the Jaguar brand from December 2024.
'Ahead of our future Jaguar collection, we have intentionally created breathing space where the new brand and vision can come to life.
'UK clients will be able to buy current Jaguar models on an approved pre-owned basis through our UK retail network, and for existing Jaguar clients, servicing, repairs, and warranty work will continue through our Jaguar authorised repairer network.'
Jaguar sales have halved in the last five years, as demand for its cars has declined dramatically. In the last financial year, Jaguar contributed to just 15.5% of all JLR sales. Demand for its only electric model so far - the I-Pace, pictured - fell by 20%
Jaguar will hope its radical rebrand and shift to EVs will help rejuvenate sales following a number of difficult years for the British icon.
JLR (formerly Jaguar Land Rover) sold 431,733 cars globally in the financial year ending 31 March 2024. However, Jaguars accounted for only 15.5 per cent (66,866) of sales.
The F-Pace made up over half of Jaguar sales (35 per cent) with 23,251 purchased in 2023/24.
The XE and XF were the only two other models to exceed 10,000 sales (11,552 and 13,782 respectively) and demand for the electric I-Pace dropped by a fifth (20 per cent) to just 5,386 units.
While Jaguar's full-year sales were up a modest 6.9 per cent on the previous financial year, it represented less than half the volume of business just four years earlier in 2019/20 when it sold 140,593 cars globally.
