Jaguar upbeat on RP market

Luxury car maker Jaguar is bullish on sales prospects next year as sales in September soared to record level.

Jaguar Cars Philippines president Wellington Soong said the luxury car maker has been enjoying booming sales worldwide.

In fact, according to Soong, Jaguar has achieved an overall sales total of 15,613 units in September, the highest monthly sales in the company’s history.

"Last year, Jaguar marked it fifth straight record breaking sales year with sales of over 100,000 units," Soong said.

"We’re having an excellent year in terms of sales worldwide. For example, on a month-on-month basis, the new XJ has even managed to outsell its German rivals in the UK," he added.

Soong said that globally, the luxury car maker is booming with the launch of the new Roll’s-Royce, the Maybach, and the Bentley Continental GT which sells at $250,000, $330,000 and $150,000, respectively.

"In the Philippines, Jaguar has been able to sell 140 units during the first three quarters of the year," he said.

Next year, Jaguar is hoping to sell between 150 to 180 units in the local market.

Jaguar’s confidence about the local market is evidenced by the reintroduction of the XJ series in the country whose price has now been adjusted downward to P7.8 million from P11.5 million as a result of the new excise tax structure.

Luxury cars are now subject to a 60-percent excise tax from the previous 100 percent.

The new excise tax structure has also resulted in a decrease in the price of XK sports cars to P8 million from P12 million.

However, the price for Jaguar’s X-series remains at P2.1 million, Soong said.

The S-type model, on the other hand, Soong sad, is priced at P3.3 million from the previous price of P4.6 million.

"Jaguar buyers are getting bigger engines at a lower price," Soong said.