Jaguar Will Probably Kill Off Its Wagon Models
Wagon models are losing popularity in more places than the U.S.
With more and more automakers turning their attention to crossovers and SUVs, wagons aren’t long for this world and Jaguar’s design chief, Ian Callum, agrees. “The [wagon] market is massively shrinking. I’m very sad about it, but it’s a very difficult market to justify,” he recently said. That means the British automaker isn’t likely to spawn wagon variants of its new sedans since demand is dropping worldwide, including Europe.
Unlike some of its German competitors that offer numerous wagon variants, Jaguar has only offered two, an X-Type wagon launched in 2004 and a wagon version of the previous-generation XF from 2012. Currently, the new Jaguar XE that replaces the X-Type and the new-generation XF are available in sedan models only.
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Speaking to journalists at a launch event for the Jaguar F-Pace, Callum said that Europe is the only major market for station wagons globally, noting that the biggest wagon market is Germany. “And what do Germans buy? They buy German cars,” he said.
With the introduction of the Jaguar F-Pace, it’s evident that Jaguar is embracing the crossover segment and Callum’s recent remarks about wagons all but promises that Jaguar will no longer deliver wagon models for its lineup. The design chief expects the F-Pace to become the automaker’s best-selling car to date, besting both the XJ and X-Type sedans.
[Source: Automotive News Europe]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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sad, about the loss of yet another beautiful wagon...but the F-pace is gorgeous too...
It's a circular argument. The only reason people don't buy wagons is because manufacturers don't market them, but they don't market wagons because people don't buy them! ("If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding! How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?")