Q&A With Jaguar Land Rover Canada President Wolfgang Hoffmann
And I think of course when you do it, you have to be true to one thing: your brand鈥檚 DNA. For us that means building sporty cars no matter if it鈥檚 an SUV or if it鈥檚 a sedan. What do you drive? I love it. People still look at you and go 鈥淲hat鈥檚 that? 鈥?It鈥檚 a great car, and if you look at the F-PACE it has so many features from the F-TYPE. For the designers to take that idea and really make an SUV out of it, I think they did a fantastic job. Hoffmann: I saw the E-TYPE out there, one of my favourite cars when I was a little boy. I had a Matchbox toy at home, an E-TYPE in white and red leather. Well, plastic (laughs). What a car with that long hood. When I see it now, oh man, I would love to have one. It鈥檚 such a beautiful car.
Fuel economy is said to be the chief advantage of the 2.0-litre engine over the V6; figures are yet to be confirmed, but it鈥檒l have to be incredibly efficient to offset its shortcomings when it comes to performance. Jeep will announce the full European engine lineup at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The Cherokee鈥檚 suspension has been modified to improve ride quality, and the ride remains steady and comfortable, even over rough pavement. Like the outgoing Cherokee, the new one handles well enough, and the steering feel is commendable, but it鈥檚 not particularly engaging or enjoyable to drive - at least, not when there鈥檚 pavement under the tyres. Off-road prowess remains a Cherokee specialty. For our test drive, the Jeep folks carved out a trail of steep climbs, deep ruts, and massive moguls far too severe for the average crossover SUV. The Cherokee Trailhawk - equipped with the best of Jeep鈥檚 three all-wheel-drive systems, complete with a low range and lockable differentials, along with Selec-Speed, a sort of off-road cruise control system - tip-toed through the course with no drama. We were impressed, but not surprised. While the Cherokee鈥檚 new looks could change its fortunes in America, we don鈥檛 know if they鈥檒l have as much of an impact in the UK. Most of what we like about the Cherokee remains intact, particularly the comfortable ride, Land-Rover-like off-road ability, and the inherent cool factor of the Jeep brand. Unfortunately, the things we dislike haven鈥檛 changed much either, and so long as the new 2.0-litre engine remains saddled by that dreadful gearbox, it鈥檚 not much of an improvement over the V6. We predict steady sailing in British waters for the facelifted Cherokee.
In case you do not reach, then they can connect with you at quicker pace and time. If on an unpredictable note, you get stuck, hold on till help arrives. Make the maximum use of your emergency kit and rest in your car to be warm and stable. If the engine of your car is still functioning, give it a run for a span of ten minutes every hour and let the heater be used as well. Also crack the windows in order to keep yourself safe from the carbon monoxide accumulation that can be life-taking. Make an emergency call and stay in your Land Rover till you receive help. It is important to keep in mind that your Luxury SUV is way bigger than you. Hence, the car will grab sights of crisis services before you are. So, all set to put on the travelling hat? Consider these guidelines and have a safe travel and fun time.
Maktub', an ancient Arabic alchemist proverb encompassing destiny, literally translates 'it was written'. What if our whole life was in fact written in the stars, if everything was indeed happening for a reason and if we knew that in the end, it would all be OK? Perhaps we would recognise life as a gift, enjoying and accepting the journey (both the up and the downs) more. Reflect on your chosen path, look at how every little moment has made you into the amazingly, beautiful person you are today. Out of all the trillions and billions of cells in the universe, a collection were perfectly formed together to create YOU! You get to experience humanity, you get to breathe, think, see, hear, love. Through every hardship, every difficulty and every seemingly insurmountable mountain, you survived, you overcame and you conquered. You are alive and you are you. There is nothing more you could want; we are born with nothing, we die with nothing; life is the gift.
Just after Tata bought Jaguar - Land Rover off Ford in 2008, a world economic crisis struck. Ford had sold largely unprofitable brands and with the downturn, just in time. Ford has gone on to do well so they are happy. How about Tata though? Mr Tata seemed unfazed by it all, saying he was looking to the long term benefits. Well he didn't have to wait long as JLR have quickly and consistently been getting more profitable. Getting and implementing professional advice on liquidity management. Pursuing necessary cost cutting measures with the agreement of Unions. A general sales rebound in luxury cars. The new XJ and revamping of other JLR models. Of course, keeping the momentum going will be a challenge but a clear vision forward and continued investment are being actively dealt with. There are still problems getting enough engines and currency fluctuations overall have gone the other way of late. Despite these factors, the 2wd Freelander will undoubtedly be a winner in the beginning of 2011, as will the new Evoque due mid year. Jaguar will remain profitable but sales will climb only when new models come on stream sometime later. All in all a surprising success story achieved within a much shorter time frame than I ever imagined. Ford did a fine job of sorting out many basic issues with JLR, but Tata and its astute team will now take it to another level.
