Jaguar Land Rover expects a quarter of its sales will be to fleet and business users.

• Jaguar Land Rover announces new global fleet and business sales strategy to meet and exceed the needs of large fleets and company car drivers
• Major global investment made in fleet and business from retailer networks to on-the-ground business sales staff to digital marketing
• Enhancements to compliment business-friendly product portfolio led by new Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport
• New Jaguar XE fleet highlights include 163PS 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine offering up to 75mpg and 99g/km of CO₂
• From UK launch in May, new Jaguar XE will offer business drivers the lowest total cost of ownership in the premium C-segment
• According to CAP, Jaguar XE will retain 45 per cent RV after 3yrs/30,000 miles
• New Discovery Sport launches in January – the most efficient production Land Rover ever
• By 2020, Jaguar Land Rover estimates that up to 25 per cent of its total global sales will be to the fleet and business sector

With two of its most important new models ever arriving in 2015, Jaguar Land Rover announces an enhanced global fleet and business sales strategy, which will maximise sales in established markets, exploit opportunities in emerging markets and play a critical role in helping Jaguar Land Rover achieve a significant increase in fleet sales by 2020. 

At the heart of this enhanced approach are the Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport – the most business-friendly models ever to be launched by Jaguar and Land Rover. Entering new segments in 2015, these two models will put Jaguar Land Rover onto more fleet and business choice lists than ever thanks to their dynamic design, class-leading technology and low ownership costs.

Together with this investment in product is an investment in Jaguar Land Rover’s global fleet and business presence. The global Jaguar Land Rover retailer network is intended to grow from 2,600 across 180 countries at present to over 3,300 by 2020, while specialist fleet and business centres will account for 20 to 25 per cent of total volume. Mirroring this will be a joint portfolio fleet and business sales approach, with corporate sales teams visiting clients as one collective brand, offering both Jaguar and Land Rover products. In line with this commitment Jaguar Land Rover aims to increase global fleet sales from 16 per cent to circa 25 per cent of total volume.

At the same time as improving the way it does face-to-face business, Jaguar Land Rover has invested in its digital marketing with a new international fleet and business website (http://www.fleet-business.jaguarlandrover.com) designed to channel customers in the most efficient manner possible. Jaguar Land Rover has also invested heavily in engaging with business customers on international networking social media site, LinkedIn.

This investment in retailers, corporate sales staff and digital infrastructure will see the proportion of global sales from fleet and business increase from 17 per cent to around 25 per cent by 2020, while the XE will be Jaguar Land Rover’s biggest global fleet and business seller.

Ken Forbes, Jaguar Land Rover global fleet and business sales director, commented:

“This is the biggest, most important global fleet and business strategy we have ever implemented. It is crucial in order for JLR to grow, as it will see us build on the incredible renaissance of the last six years, most of which has been focused on retail sales. The new Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport further balance our product portfolio – and they will drive our global fleet and business sales across the world.

“We certainly won’t be applying a one-size-fits-all strategy to our markets, though. We will plant the best parts of our fleet sales business approach across markets. We have the expertise and the product to get it right.”

In the UK, the new Jaguar XE is expected to significantly increase Jaguar’s volume in a full twelve-month sales period. Some 45 per cent of XE sales will come from the fleet and business sector, which has resulted in significant investment in Jaguar Land Rover’s UK corporate sales structure. Now working across the Jaguar and Land Rover brands are four senior-level managers at head office, while the UK field-based sales team has grown from 16 to 22, implementing a new direct sales approach that will meet and exceed the needs of large fleets.

What’s more, the retailer network has also benefitted from significant investment with a new structure put in place that will serve the needs of SMEs and user choosers. Some 25 local fleet and business teams, selected based on their desire and opportunity to serve local businesses, have been appointed who will sell 80-100 cars locally. This dedicated retailer-based team will mean that small businesses and user choosers – who are often neglected by manufacturers – find they are treated in just the same way as retail customers.

The best-selling fleet and business model is set to be the XE 2.0d StopStart EU6 R-Sport Auto, anticipated to account for the majority of XE fleet and business sales. Not only will it offer business drivers the lowest total cost of ownership in the premium c-segment, it will retain an RV of 45 per cent after 3yrs/30,000 miles according to CAP. Jaguar Land Rover is committed to maintaining strong residual values for the long-term with very careful management of its fleet and business sales mix. Some 80 per cent of XE fleet sales will go to long-term business deals such as those with blue-chip companies and user-choosers.

Chris Newitt, Jaguar Land Rover UK sales director, explained:

“We will make sure that the short-term business for XE and Discovery Sport never goes above 20 per cent of the next year’s volume. We will not chase volume with our fleet and business sales. Jaguar Land Rover is about special products, cars that offer unique British essence giving customers something truly different.

“The contract hire and leasing market is now very wary indeed of premium manufacturers overpushing volumes and damaging RVs as a result. We are committed to exclusivity – and will bring stability as a result.” 

Further peace of mind for fleets comes in the form of two fixed price service plans for the XE. For those who cover 10,000 miles a year, the plan will cost just £475, while for higher mileage drivers who cover 75,000 miles over five years, the plan will rise to just £675. Further attractions for fleet and business customers are satnav available as standard and an intuitive new InControl Infotainment system with an eight-inch touchscreen.

Both the XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport have been designed and developed with Jaguar Land Rover’s global fleet and business team involved from the start. When it goes on sale in January, the Discovery Sport will be the most efficient production Land Rover ever, with competitive residual values and outstanding versatility for fleets thanks to a seven-seater option. Later in 2015, it will be available in 2WD eD4 form with CO₂ emissions of 119g/km.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK managing director said:

“The new Jaguar XE and the Land Rover Discovery Sport are the right products at the right time. Fleet and business drivers are desperate for some new life to be breathed into the market. With their brand appeal, driving dynamics, incredible efficiency and focus on technology, the Jaguar XE and Land Rover Discovery Sport will appear on more company car choice lists than ever before.

“These new products are supported by an enhanced new fleet and business sales structure that will see the needs of large fleets and user choosers not just met but exceeded. Factor in class-leading cost of ownership with our commitment to protecting residual values for the long-term and we believe Jaguar Land Rover has the formula for success for business drivers.”