A Small Hatchback Jaguar?

April 14, 2015 Staff Corporate Business, Jaguar, Marques Comments Off on A Small Hatchback Jaguar?

According to Motoring.com.au, Jaguar may be eyeing the Mercedes-Benz A-Class with the first front-wheel-drive Jaguar hatchback.

Speaking during a roundtable interview at the New York motor show, Jaguar design director Ian Callum revealed his love of small cars and said the leaping cat brand is investigating the idea of a front-drive small car.

Mercedes-Benz A 200
Mercedes-Benz A 200

“There’s always space to go smaller — the world is changing very quickly,” he said.

“I think there’s a huge opportunity in the small car market, but it’s a very difficult business — hugely competitive and hugely price conscious.”

Callum cautioned that for the time being Jaguar was “too small to think about taking on that sense of volume and competitive pricing”, but he conceded that there is drive within the company to explore the small-car market.

“My personal belief, and I must emphasise that, is that there is space to go smaller for Jaguar. I’m a great lover of small cars, I even own a Mini, a proper Mini that is,” he laughed.

But the tone became serious as the influential designer, whose past creations include the likes of the Aston Martin DB9, said if Jaguar did dive into the small-car segment, it would necessitate the switch to front-wheel drive, like Mercedes-Benz with its A-Class.

Read more in the full article at Motoring.au.com.

Staff

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