Jaguar will push fleet sales by directly targeting company chief execs, said UK boss Geoff Cousins.
The manufacturer has introduced direct selling teams that will approach top management rather than go solely through contract hire and leasing firms.
“It’s a personalised corporate sale that is a more targeted sales approach than going to 30 or 40 leasing companies, although we will do that too.”
Cousins said this approach, which will help sell its new XJ along with its existing XF and XK, will ensure more quality rather than quantity sales.
“If we’re going to be a true luxury brand with strong residuals then we can’t be in the game of heavy discounting, and the fleet world is a particularly aggressive discount market.”
Jaguar dropped its popular fleet car the X-type late last year: around 4000 units were sold in 2009, but they were often highly discounted.
So while Cousins expects to sell fewer cars this year, they will be more profitable.
“X-types made up 50% of dealer sales but only accounted for around 25% of their profit. It was coming to end-of-its-life cycle and we wanted to focus on the three cars we’ve got now – that are making Jaguar Jaguar again,” added Cousins.
