DrivelineBlog

Driveline Blog: Covering the Automotive Experience. Founder/chief blogger: @jeffjames3

[MERICA MEMED @Mericamemed]

Why do all Corvette drivers dress like this?

[Motor1 @Motor1com]

never forget that these were the official, legit press photos of the last Mitsubishi Eclipse

[Dodge @Dodge]

It’s time to turn it loose. The all-new 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack.

[DrivelineBlog @DrivelineBlog]

Great news for SRT fans. I'd wager this also means we'll see the return of the V8 #HEMI for the Dodge Charger sooner rather than later....

[Stellantis North America @StellantisNA]

Major news: Tim Kuniskis has been appointed Head of American Brands and North America Marketing and Retail Strategy, and our iconic performance division, SRT, returns under his leadership. Details: https://t.co/utkWMUyQrA

[Motor1 @Motor1com]

The badge, which features a ram's head at the front of a Hemi engine block, will be affixed to the fender of every new V-8 Ram.
https://t.co/MMP9zciac8

[DrivelineBlog @DrivelineBlog]

From @thedrive:

"When it comes to the new Dodge Charger Daytona EV, the market has spoken, and guess what? It’s not a fan."

https://t.co/s7ViA2cnVz

[Jeff James @jeffjames3]

Great to see an attempt to address vehicle affordability with something new. The Slate EV:

▶️150-mile range
▶️Made in the USA 🇺🇸
▶️ 20K-ish retail price
▶️ Investors include Jeff Bezos

Would also be great to see something in the $10-20K range with an ICE engine...

[IMSA @IMSA]

Which GTP Car sounds best to you?

[MoparInsiders.com @InsidersMopar]

Stellantis May Rethink Mexico Manufacturing Strategy https://t.co/WheuRfcyQA

[Wade Stotts @wadestotts]

For context, this is the image Jaguar is trying to get away from.

[Lulu Cheng Meservey @lulumeservey]

Taste aside — from a purely strategic perspective, this brand marketing is disastrous for Jaguar.

For context, Jaguar sales have been plummeting (down 70% in the US in five years). It’s a crisis. Their #1 strategic imperative for comms and marketing should be to sell cars. So let’s analyze it through that lens.

Up to 2018, Jaguar was actually growing quickly, doubling sales in a few years. Their subsequent decline was caused by two main things:

1) LAGGING INNOVATION AND ENGINEERING

Jaguar went five (!) years without releasing a new production model, and their technology felt outdated.

2) UNCLEAR POSITIONING

Jaguar got stuck between lanes. They used to be associated with classic sophistication and luxury, competing effectively with Bentley and Aston Martin in a rarefied space.

But then they shifted down to premium, competing with the likes of BMW and Mercedes in a more crowded market. Jaguar SUV sales are cannibalized by their own sister brand (Range Rover).

Now they’re not upscale enough to compete in the luxury market, and not cutting edge enough to compete in the premium market.

DOUBLING DOWN

Even at a basic level, we know that any Jaguar rebrand should (1) highlight innovation, and engineering, and (2) pick a clear lane for branding.

Here they’ve done the opposite.

This campaign is about “collaborating with a collective of original creators across the arts,” according to Jaguar’s website, which has been taken over by the rebrand.

That message is roughly the opposite of what Jaguar should be saying, which is some version of “our cars are engineered to the gills and go very very fast.” Art school grads simply aren’t associated with elite engineering ability, I’m sorry.

It’s possible a marketing exec read too many think pieces about how millennials shop based on values and forgot that people want cars that are really well built.

On top of that, instead of choosing a clear lane, Jaguar’s brand has meandered further into no man’s land. Literally — this is NOT for men. While men have been an important audience for Jaguar historically (it’s a favored ride for James Bond and Bruce Wayne), the latest campaign features six women and two people of indistinguishable gender (one appears to be a man but I don’t want to assume).

If they’re going to abandon the male audience, they should replace it with a more lucrative audience, and it’s unclear who they’re going for here. Vegans?

So the same way Jaguar lost the ultra luxury segment without winning the premium segment, with this campaign they’re losing the “classic sophistication” audience without winning the “Just Stop Oil” audience. It’s risky to be an orphan brand.

MISSED ZEITGEIST

Lastly, Jaguar simply failed to read the room. We are in an era of NOSTALGIA. People want to RETVRN. Tradition, heritage, and classics are more in demand than they’ve been for a long time.

Jaguar was perfectly positioned. Jaguar’s iconic image of an old school British gentleman — think Sir Roger Moore, a known devotee of the brand — would have been a massive asset in today’s environment. Why not a retro themed campaign contrasting state of the art technology with a 70s aesthetic?

TIME FOR A TURNAROUND

This is like when movies used to come out in other countries a year after they were done showing in Hollywood. The vibe of this rebrand might have worked in 2021, but to drop this in late 2024 only emphasizes the reasons for Jaguar’s brand decline in the first place: it’s outdated and confusing.

Apparently Jaguar is planning a broader brand reset for 2025. From early indications, that reset is misguided and likely to fail. Jaguar is a luxury product so their brand can make or break sales, and in this case, they’ll need a U-turn to get back on track.

[DrivelineBlog @DrivelineBlog]

Great reporting from @InsidersMopar—which has now been quoted extensively elsewhere—about @Dodge moving up the launch of the new 2025 Charger Sixpack gas-powered models to meet customer demand for ICE-powered vehicles. #dodge #dodgecharger

[MoparInsiders.com @InsidersMopar]

Dodge Accelerates Launch Of Charger SIXPACK Models https://t.co/GLYKYf6ToV

[Stellantis North America @StellantisNA]

.@Dodge ushers in a new era with the global debut of the all-new 2024 Dodge Charger – the world’s first and only electric muscle car. Multi-energy powertrain options fueled by the powerful and efficient Hurricane engine family will also be available. ➡️https://t.co/iS4XtnL14k

[DrivelineBlog @DrivelineBlog]

Do you remember when you joined X? We do! #MyXAnniversary

[Alvin Foo @alvinfoo]

100 years of Le Mans

[Blaynos @Blaynos14]

Really good breakdown of the Nascar Garage 56 entry that competed in Le Mans this year. #LeMans24

https://t.co/aMCJg3KCGT

[24 Hours of Le Mans @24hoursoflemans]

The LMGTE Am title goes to the America and @CorvetteRacing 🏁
Congratulations! #LeMansCentenary

[24 Hours of Le Mans @24hoursoflemans]

💪💪💪 @FerrariHypercar

[Sportscar365 @sportscar365]

📸 MUSTANG GT3 REVEAL: Ford has provided the first look at its new Mustang GT3 during the launch event of the 2024 Mustang production and race car lineup.

➡️ https://t.co/6ajQuBYT0J #IMSA #WEC #SRO

[DrivelineBlog @DrivelineBlog]

Do you remember when you joined Twitter? We do! #MyTwitterAnniversary