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Ford did not have The Right StrategyYou could argue Jaguar has been on skid row ever since Ford seized control.
Former Jaguar boss Sir John Egan once told me he'd sold the US giant £1billion worth of "sizzle".
He meant Ford - dazzled by Jaguar's image and reputation - had been seduced into paying too much.
The only way Ford could get its money back was to sell more cars, lots more.
They tried by launching cheaper models aimed at younger buyers.
The successful 30-somethings they hoped to woo snubbed them, fearing they'd look too much like their uncles. The cars just weren't sexy enough.
Design has been one big failing. Since Ford took the controls many Jags appear designed by committee rather than individuals with all the flair of those responsible for the Audi TT.
This is partly due to another trick bosses tried to jack-up profits, building Jaguar bodies on Ford chassis and suspensions. This was a serious mistake, devaluing the hard-won image of the luxury limo maker.
Many smart drivers dismissed these models as "Fords in fancy skirts".
The XK sports car - which is built at Browns Lane - was the exception. It is stylish and a big hit with celebrities and footballers but too expensive to sell in huge numbers.
Ford spent a fortune modernising its UK plants, particularly Halewood. But it has three sites to produce 120,000 cars a year wh
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18/9/2004 | Viewed 5,661 time(s)
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