TMW - Its that time of the month - UK JUNE 2014 sales figures

JAGUAR

JUNE 2013 1341 sales - JUNE 2014 1792 sales +33.63%

YTD 2013 8658 sales - YTD 2014 9826 sales +13.49%

LAND ROVER

JUNE 2013 4046 sales - JUNE 2014 4027 sales -0.47%

YTD 2013 30120 sales - YTD 2014 30019 sales -0.34%

JAGUAR LAND ROVERS COMPETITORS

BMW

JUNE 2013 14290 sales - JUNE 2014 15052 sales +5.33%

YTD 2013 65214 sales - YTD 2014 75122 sales +15.19%

MERCEDES

JUNE 2013 9613 sales - JUNE 2014 11200 sales +16.51%

YTD 2013 54637sales - YTD 2014 63866 sales +16.89%

LEXUS

JUNE 2013 738 sales - JUNE 2014 1076 sales +45.80%

YTD 2013 4114 sales - YTD 2014 5631 sales +36.87%

AUDI

JUNE 2013 12417 sales - JUNE 2014 13503 sales +8.75%

YTD 2013 73767 sales - YTD 2014 83761 sales +13.55%

RISERS ON PREVIOUS YEAR (YOY CUMULATIVE)

ABARTH +10.97%

ALFA ROMEO +6.10%

BENTLEY +35.91%

CITROEN +3.05%

DACIA +85.53%

FIAT +18.51%

FORD +6.22%

HYUNDAI +9.19%
JEEP +69.94%

KIA +9.87%

LEXUS +36.87%

MASERATI +224.14%
MAZDA +27.14%

MG +833.33%

MIA +0.00%
MITSUBISHI +19.19%

NISSAN +15.03%

PEUGEOT +2.09%

PORSCHE +18.94%

RENAULT +60.04%

SEAT +20.17%
SKODA +20.97% 

SSANGYONG +153.61%

SUBARU +19.00%
SUZUKI +15.22%
TOYOTA +7.83%

VAUXHALL +6.76%

VOLKSWAGEN +9.23%

VOLVO +18.30%

LOSERS THIS YEAR (YOY CUMULATIVE)

ASTON MARTIN -9.06%

CHEVROLET -59.21%

CHRYSLER -21.39%

HONDA -1.02%

INFINITI -5.04%

LOTUS -2.06%

MINI -15.45%

PERODUA -85.53%

PROTON -93.33%

SMART -13.49%

Another stunning sales month, and still the UK is buying cars like there has never been any financial issues, maybe the buyers feel there is no more worries and are happy to splash out on the many new cars that are flooding the market, The same big sellers are in the top ten, Focus and Fiesta, Corsa and Astra plus big brother Insignia this month, Audi pops in with the A3, BMW's 3-Series, the 500 from FIAT and the last slot goes to the perennial favourite, Nissan's Qashqai.

Our favourite Jaguar Land Rover has had mixed fortunes in June with Jaguar increasing sales by a massive 33%, yet Land Rover has dipped, but only a tiny amount, just half a percent, but, can that mean something else, it seems like LR's sales have stagnated, why, well I can only assume, people are not stupid and by dropping the basic models in the Freelander range, has alienated many potential buyer, with the new LR2 now at nearly £28,000, compared to only a few months ago, where you could get one for about £22,000, a £6k jump is really a bold move, will it come back to bite LR, i think it will.

MG continues to be the UK's biggest percentage increase, at over 830% up year on year, MG are starting to sell some cars at long last, and, it seems, the MG5 and MG CS are not the only new cars coming to these shores, there will be a another baby SUV, in the Juke style, and a two seater roadster, which is really lacking in the MG range, but that's not coming until the end of the decade, and I really hope the MG5 gets some serious work done on it's looks, there is also a face lifted MG6 on the cards too, lets hope that it brings better engines, more power train choice and gearboxes too.

As were now at the half way point of the year, there is a clear indication that 2014 will be a massive year for new car sales, June is 10% up YOY, and with the plate change month coming it will probably be somewhere near 20% up on last year, if not more, and it will be those companies that have something new to offer, like the PSA group, they have new C1 and 108, new C-Cactus, and 308 derivatives, facelifted 508, as well as refreshed DS3, Merc has the new C-Class, CLA, GLA and uber luxurious S-Class Pullman at US$1 Million a pop, and built by Brabus.

Vauxhall will have new Astra, and Corsa this year or early next, the Insignia has recently been launched, as well as refreshed Meriva and Mokka SUV, there is also a new micro car, the Viva for launch next year too, and thats not all, the ADAM range will be expanding with new derivatives, and all that leaves is the Antara and Zafira tourer that have not been tweeked, but they are still selling thousands of the old style Zafira at a bargain basement price, which is great, as that MPV still looks the part, and have you seen any of teh new one about anywhere, you will be hard pressed to find them.

The UK is proving to be a great place to build cars too, with exports booming, and the higher end producers are milking that for all its worth, Aston and Lotus are the only high end manufacturers not to have increased sales, MINI too, and thats not a surprise, perhaps people are starting to realise that the MINI is just not good enough, fuel economy, reliability and overall dealer satisfaction is just not as good s the majority of the rest.

The countdown continues, 11 months until XE arrives, and only a few before the car is launched, there has been nothing said, reported or leaked since last month, so i cant update you anymore than that, but we have been thinking about colours, well i have, specs and general additions, that said, Jaguar WILL have a sure fire hit on their hands, and that will be proven by the big increase in sales, I say bring it on.......

See you all next month.

TMW - Jon Mower.

Jaguar Land Rover launches scheme to employ more ex-service personnel.

• Former servicemen and women are to be offered the chance to start a new career by the UK’s largest car firm Jaguar Land Rover
• Jaguar Land Rover launches new training scheme to help tackle high unemployment among former service personnel
• Programme will target some of the 6,500 Early Service Leavers who will leave the military this year before they gain any work-related qualifications plus others needing support
• Falklands War hero Simon Weston praises the programme
• Plans mark culmination of 12-month accolade as Business in The Community’s  ‘Responsible Business of the Year’

Jaguar Land Rover, the UK’s largest automotive employer, took on 85 ex-service personnel last year to start new careers in the automotive industry.  Andrew Macfarlane, Process Leader in Solihull advanced manufacturing plant, who joined Jaguar Land Rover last year said: “I spent 22 years in the Army and thanks to my skills and qualifications, I was very lucky to transition straight from the forces into the company at the end of my military career.  Working at Jaguar Land Rover has been even better than I hoped, everyone is very friendly and supportive and happy to help.  Ex-military people have a lot of transferrable skills and experience and I think it’s great that those who need extra support preparing for the automotive industry can take part in this new course.”   

Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ralf Speth believes that former service personnel have made a huge contribution to the UK and have valuable skills that could be used within the car industry.  Speaking ahead of the Business in The Community annual awards ceremony, Dr. Speth said:  “Military servicemen and women are extremely well trained.  Their unique skills and behaviours will be an asset to any company.”

Dr Speth said that the ex-military traineeship programme was part of a series of ongoing programmes developed by Jaguar Land Rover as its legacy from winning the UK’s ‘Responsible Business of the Year’ in 2013.  He added: “Last year’s winners challenged us to “do something special as expectations are high”. I hope we have exceeded that goal.  We have also been inspired by initiatives led by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry – such as The Invictus Games – and our involvement with that initiative will help create a legacy from our year as Business In The Community’s Responsible Business of the Year.”

Jaguar Land Rover’s latest traineeship programme aims to address the social and economic issues of high unemployment among former service personnel. One in 10 homeless is ex-military and this year, 24,000 military will leave the forces, 6,500 of whom will be Early Service Leavers with no military qualifications, which may make it more difficult for them to find work.

Simon Weston, Falklands War veteran, added, “This is a brilliant idea to back our ex-servicemen from Britain’s biggest car firm.  The country has a major problem finding employment for thousands of ex-servicemen who had served their country. This gives them a great opportunity to prove what they can do and start a new career with a real future.” 

The programme builds on the company’s ‘Inspiring Tomorrow’s Workforce’ initiative which started last year and offers dedicated training for unemployed young people, aged 16 to 24, who have missed out on apprenticeships and have struggled to find a job. Jaguar Land Rover has already trained 100 unemployed youngsters and 80 percent of those who have already completed the training have gone on to gain a job, including apprenticeships, or undertake further education at college.

Jaguar Land Rover is also offering its training experiences to other leading companies and firms in the UK parts supply industry to encourage them to adopt similar schemes to give thousands of unemployed a jobs life-line.

Jaguar Land Rover is one of 100 UK businesses signed up to the Armed Forces corporate covenant which supports the reintegration of the military forces into successful civilian careers and supports a wide range of events linked to the military.  Jaguar Land Rover is the presenting partner for the Invictus Games, the international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, championed by Prince Harry and taking place in London during September.

Jaguar Land Rover was the first ever manufacturer to win the UK’s top responsible business award in July 2013 for placing sustainability at the heart of its business strategy.  Over the past 12 months, the company has delivered various events across the UK to demonstrate how responsible business can secure a fairer society and a more sustainable future.

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said: “Jaguar Land Rover has been a truly impressive Responsible Business of the Year, whose achievements are a compelling example of how responsible business can drive growth and innovation.

“We know that one of the most powerful ways for business to bring about change and bring value back to business is through creating employment opportunities that nurture talent in our society.  So we fully support Jaguar Land Rover’s plans to provide opportunities for the many skilled returning ex-servicemen.  This is a practical legacy that we hope will encourage many more businesses to fulfill their contract with society.”

A new generation of dealership for Mercedes opens in United Kingdom.

A new generation of Mercedes-Benz dealer has been revealed for the first time outside of Germany, with the opening of a newly-built retailer, Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury.

Constructed as part of a multi-million pound investment by privately owned Drayton Group, the company’s 2013 UK Dealer of the Year, the state-of-the-art facility on the town’s Battlefield Enterprise Park showcases the latest Mercedes-Benz brand architecture that will eventually be seen at dealerships around the world.

Central to the new design is the appearance of a large, illuminated Mercedes-Benz star against a black background on the showroom exterior that will face the major approaches to retailers, and will clearly identify the business to customers.

The clean and contemporary feel continues inside the building, where black and white replaces pastel shades to provide an understated backdrop against which the latest cars are displayed.  The use of walnut furniture throughout the showroom is designed to further enhance a modern retail environment.

Replacing its previous home of 25 years in Battlefield Road, the all-new Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury has been constructed on a three-acre site to offer existing and future customers bigger and better facilities and service than ever before.  The 24-car showroom is double the size of the former premises, and features stylish lounge areas where visitors can wait in comfort, continue with their work and even watch their car being serviced on screens relaying activity from the retailer’s state-of-the-art, 14-bay workshop.

An enlarged display of more than 60 Approved Used Mercedes-Benz cars and improved customer parking are among the other benefits resulting from the move.

The opening of the new dealership cements Drayton Group’s association with Mercedes-Benz UK - it has been a franchised dealer partner with the manufacturer for over 40 years, has seven retail outlets in the Midlands and has represented the brand in Shrewsbury for 30 years.

The site was officially opened by Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Region Europe for Mercedes-Benz Cars, who returned to Shrewsbury after breaking ground on the landmark development last October.

“Drayton Group has made a significant investment in this new facility and has strengthened its commitment to not only representing Mercedes-Benz but serving our customers of today and tomorrow,” he said.

“This incredible new dealership is second-to-none and provides a fantastic environment in which to display our cars, and to look after our existing and future Mercedes-Benz owners.   Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury also provides a taste of what motorists around the UK can look forward to when we commence the roll-out of our new brand architecture at the beginning of 2015.”

More than 500 customers attended a special event to celebrate the opening, where they had a tour of the premises.  Celebrating success on the track, guests could have their photo taken with the winners’ trophies won by Nico Rosberg and the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS team at the recent Austrian Grand Prix; and heralding success through the years, a display of five generations of C-Class from the original 190 E helped launch the latest Saloon.

“The timing of the build coincided with the new Mercedes-Benz corporate identity being introduced globally, and meant that Mercedes-Benz of Shrewsbury is the first European site outside Germany to open with this new style, which is another highlight for the business after we were recently named Mercedes-Benz Retailer of the Year,” explained Ken Forbes, Drayton Group Chairman.

“It is a truly magnificent facility – one that meets the future needs of the business and from which we can be proud to serve our customers in the Shrewsbury area for many years to come.”

Vauxhall slashes insurance for young drivers.

• Vauxhall offering young drivers aged 18-20 one year’s insurance for just £99
• Average cost of insurance premium for drivers aged 18-20 is over £1,000
• Deal available with Vauxhall Corsa Limited Edition and Excite models
• Corsa Excite available from just £189 per month with a £189 deposit
• Corsa Limited Edition from £199 per month with a £199 deposit  

Vauxhall is helping drive down the cost of motoring for young drivers by offering those aged 18-20 one year’s insurance cover for a one off payment of just £99, with the Vauxhall Corsa Excite or Limited Edition models.

Teaming up with insurance provider, ingenie, Vauxhall is helping its young customers get on the road more affordably with its popular Corsa models. As an added bonus, to reward good driving, each driver can earn the entire cost of the insurance back with good driving – up to £33 per quarter - meaning the total cost of insurance for twelve months could be paid back.

Each car is fitted with ‘black box’ technology which monitors driving style, including speed, acceleration, braking and cornering. Every 10 days – or 40 miles – ingenie will provide the driver with a score based on how well they are driving, along with feedback messages in a smartphone app on how to improve, and how much money they’re on track to save. After every three months, an overall score is provided and money can be reclaimed.

Black box technology encourages good driving, gives parents peace of mind and can also save the customer money in year two!

Customers can also benefit from Vauxhall’s Flexible PCP, which allows them to tailor their finance to suit their budgets. With deposits from zero upwards and zero per cent APR, customers can select finance terms between 24 and 36 months. Other routes to market are also available with this insurance offer, including Flexible Finance and cash purchases.

As an example of the Flexible PCP offers available, Corsa Excite is available from just £189 per month with a £189 deposit, while Corsa Limited Edition can be driven away from £199 per month with a £199 deposit at 0% APR.

“This is ground breaking news for young drivers, some of whom could still be paying upwards of £2,000 for insurance when they’re 18,” said Mark Pinkney, Vauxhall’s Marketing Programmes Manager. "We wanted to provide young drivers who buy their cars through Vauxhall retailers with affordable insurance to help them get on the road.”

“We’ve made it our mission to help get young drivers on the road without breaking the bank, and most importantly to keep them safe while they’re there,” said Richard King, founder and CEO of ingenie.

“Now, through our partnership with Vauxhall, we’re offering 18-20 year-olds a ground-breaking insurance premium of just £99 when they buy the most popular car amongst drivers insured with us.

“And, we’ll give that £99 back to them in full, if they demonstrate consistent safe driving. We believe this is the first time that potentially free insurance has been offered to this age-group.”  

Jaguar wow the crowds at Le Mans Classic with D-Type and F-Type Project 7.

• F-TYPE Project 7 made its world dynamic debut in front of packed crowds at Le Mans Classic this weekend as Jaguar also celebrated the D-type’s 60^th anniversary
• The Jaguar-entered D-type driven by Gary Pearson and journalist Chris Harris took overall victory in Grid 3 – for cars from 1957-1961
• F-TYPE Project 7 completed demonstration laps throughout the weekend alongside the very first D-type, and with fleet of F-TYPE R Coupés
• F-TYPE Project 7 will be Jaguar’s fastest production car to date: with 575PS and 680Nm from its 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine, it will reach 60mph in 3.8-sec (0-100 km/h in 3.9-sec) with a top speed of 186mph (300km/h)

F-TYPE Project 7 – the most powerful and fastest production Jaguar to date – made its dynamic debut in front of packed crowds during the Le Mans Classic race meeting over the weekend of 4-6 July.

In celebration of the Jaguar D-type’s 60^th anniversary – a car which won at Le Mans three times and which inspired Project 7’s genesis – F-TYPE Project 7 completed its demonstration laps throughout the weekend alongside the very first D-type ever built, and with several examples of the all-new F-TYPE R Coupé.

On-track, numerous Jaguars were competing throughout the 24 hours of Le Mans Classic, but the highlight was the victory in Grid 3 (for cars from 1957-1961) by the Jaguar-entered D-type driven by Gary Pearson and journalist Chris Harris.

F-TYPE Project 7 is a fully road-legal two-seater roadster, which will be built by Jaguar Land Rover’s newly established Special Operations division. Of all aluminium construction and with bespoke carbon-fibre aerodynamic aids, a unique suspension tune, 80kg weight reduction and 575PS power output, F-TYPE Project 7 will deliver a truly focused driving experience. Carbon Ceramic brakes, Torque Vectoring by Braking and race-inspired seats are all standard features.

For the full F-TYPE Project 7 press release, images launch film, see: www.media.jaguar.com

2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE PROJECT 7: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION*

*All figures are manufacturer’s estimates and subject to final confirmation ahead of production

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
Engine capacity (cc)	5000
Cylinders	8
Valves per cylinder	4
Compression ratio	9.5:1
Bore/stroke (mm)	92.5/93.0
Bore/stroke (inches)	3.64/3.66
Transmission	8-speed ‘Quickshift’
PERFORMANCE
0-60mph (sec)	3.8
0-100km/h (sec)	3.9
Top speed (mph)	186, electronically limited
Top speed (km/h)	300, electronically limited
Power (PS@rpm)	575@6500
Power (kW@rpm)	423@6500
Torque (lb ft@rpm)	502@2500-5500
Torque (Nm@rpm)	680@2500-5500
Wheels	20-inch ‘Storm’ alloy, in gloss black
Tyres - size	255/35/20 (front) 295/30/20 (rear)
Tyres - make Standard: Optional:	Pirelli P Zero Continental ForceContact
DIMENSIONS
Length (mm)	4519
Length (in)	178
Width excl (mm)	1923
Width excl (in)	75.7
Height (mm, without roof)	1277
Height (in, without roof)	50.3
Wheelbase (mm)	2622
Wheelbase (in)	103.2
Fuel tank capacity (litres)	72
Fuel tank capacity (gallons)	15.8
Weight (kg)	1585
Weight (lbs)	3495

Chris Froome, Team Sky and Jaguar: 'Cycling Under The Sea'

Tour de France 2013 winner Chris Froome is the first person to cycle from the United Kingdom to France under the sea.

As the world’s leading professional cyclists depart the UK after three days of enthralling  Tour de France action, Jaguar has released a short film titled “Team Sky – Cycling Under The Sea,” which documents the Team Sky leader riding from the Eurotunnel Terminal in Folkestone on England’s south-east coast, to Calais in France.

Froome rode through the tunnel at a training-pace, completing the world first ride in a time of approximately 55 minutes and reached speeds of up to 65 kilometres per hour.

This groundbreaking marketing initiative follows the recent launch of the Pinarello Dogma F8 at Jaguar Land Rover’s base in Gaydon, and further demonstrates Jaguar and Team Sky’s partnership and brand campaign ‘#KeepPushing.

Jaguar and Team Sky began discussions over six months ago with Eurotunnel, who are celebrating its twentieth year in 2014, to make the cycling challenge possible. The service tunnel is one of the highest security sites in the UK and France.

Reflecting on his ‘World First’ ride, Chris Froome said: “Cycling under the sea was an incredible experience.Opportunities to become the first person in the world to achieve these kind of feats are extremely rare nowadays, especially as a pro-cyclist. To become the first person ever to cycle through the Eurotunnel was right up there with some of the most iconic rides I’ve ever done - this must have been one of very few ‘world first’ rides left!”

JLR Global Brand Experience Director, Mark Cameron added: “One of our core beliefs at Jaguar is themed around ‘Keep Pushing’ – for new technology, experiences, goals and achievements. This is perhaps the ultimate expression of this philosophy, completing a feat that no one has ever done before or is likely to repeat. We’re delighted for Chris to have had this opportunity, and I’d like to echo his thanks to both Team Sky and all at Eurotunnel who made it possible.”

John Keefe, Head of Public Affairs at Eurotunnel, was impressed with the results, also commenting: “The Eurotunnel is an incredible, unique piece of engineering on par with the Golden Gate Bridge or Sydney Opera House. The problem of course, is that no one gets to see it, so we were delighted when Jaguar Land Rover came to us with this ground-breaking request!”

As an official supplier to Team Sky since its inception in 2010, Jaguar has been proud to support the team’s back-to-back victorious campaigns in 2012 and 2013, where the British engineering leaders supplied Team Sky with a fleet of all-new high performance Jaguar XF Sportbrakes.