Industry News
Jaguar Hits the Brakes
Jaguar, one of Britain’s most famous car brands, has seen its European sales plunge by 97.5% in April 2025, from 1,961 cars sold the previous year to just 49. Year-to-date sales through April were down 75%, totaling 2,665 vehicles. Globally, Jaguar’s annual volume has fallen about 85% over the past seven years, from 180,000 units in 2018 to roughly 27,000 in 2024–25.
While the numbers look alarming, the collapse is mostly by design. Jaguar stopped building almost all its models in late 2024 as part of a complete brand overhaul. Six models, the XE and XF sedans, F-Type sports car, and the E-Pace and I-Pace SUVs, were discontinued. Only the F-Pace SUV remains in production as a temporary stopgap. Many dealerships now have fewer than 10 new cars in stock; some have none at all.
Jaguar’s leadership calls this a “firebreak”, a pause before launching a completely new, all-electric lineup. The first of these, a four-door GT expected to cost around $200,000, will debut in late 2025. The company plans to reposition itself as an ultra-luxury EV brand, targeting fewer than 50,000 sales a year but at far higher prices.
A Rebrand Without Cars
The sales pause coincided with a bold but divisive marketing campaign launched in November 2024 under the slogan “Copy Nothing.” Ads featured fashion models in surreal settings, but no cars, and replaced the famous leaping cat logo with a minimalist “J” monogram. The aim was to attract younger, style-conscious buyers, but many longtime fans were alienated. Social media reactions ranged from puzzled to openly mocking, with some critics calling the campaign pretentious or “woke.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk joined in the ribbing, asking on X, “Do you sell cars?” British pundits predicted the brand’s downfall, while tabloids ran headlines about Jaguar’s “men in skirts” ads. In May 2025, Jaguar ended its contract with ad agency Accenture Song, months earlier than planned, and promised to bring back more heritage cues in future campaigns.
Betting the Brand on EVs
Jaguar Land Rover’s “Reimagine” plan, announced in 2021, calls for Jaguar to go all-electric by 2025 and move upmarket to compete with ultra-luxury marques. Future models will ride on a bespoke Jaguar Electrified Architecture (JEA) platform and be priced well over £100,000. The company says the strategy is a “do-or-die” move after years of declining sales and thin profits.
Parent company JLR remains financially stable thanks to strong Land Rover sales and record profits in 2025, giving it room to take risks. Executives acknowledge the gamble: if customers embrace the new EVs, Jaguar could stage a rare comeback; if not, the slump could become permanent.
For now, Jaguar sits in limbo, a legendary name with almost no cars to sell, a controversial rebrand behind it, and a high-stakes relaunch ahead. The next 12 months will decide whether its pause leads to a revival or a full stop.
MANILA | After seven years, Ayala Corporation’s AC Industrials has officially ended its distributorship of Maxus vehicles in the Philippines, closing a chapter that started with the brand’s local launch in 2019. The decision, made jointly with China’s SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, was described as a “strategic step” for both companies to refocus on their core strengths amid shifting market dynamics.
Maxus entered the Philippine market under Ayala with vans like the G10 and V80, later adding the G50 MPV, D60 and D90 SUVs, and the T60 pickup. Some models have since evolved under SAIC’s other brand, MG, such as the G50 morphing into the G50 Plus and the upcoming re-entry of the D90. The T90 pickup is also set for a local debut as the TRQ.
For existing Maxus owners, it’s not the end of the road. Aftersales support will continue, with service bookings available via maxus.ph, and contact channels kept open for customer concerns.
Dana Uson, Head of Strategy at AC Industrials Mobility Group, said the company is proud to have contributed to Maxus’ local growth and reaffirmed its commitment to “innovative and sustainable mobility solutions” in the country. Meanwhile, SAIC’s Frank Wu thanked AC Industrials for laying a “strong foundation” for the brand in the Philippines.
Industry watchers weren’t entirely surprised. SAIC took direct control of MG’s Philippine operations in 2023, hinting that Maxus could eventually follow a similar path. For now, AC Industrials will focus on its other motoring brands, BYD, Kia, and Volkswagen, while SAIC continues to grow MG and possibly, one day, revive Maxus locally.
The announcement is rare in the auto industry, where most distributor shake-ups happen quietly, noticed only through shuttered dealerships and disappearing ads. This time, both parties went public—perhaps signaling a more open and competitive landscape ahead.
Lamborghini is in a legal showdown with one of its U.S. dealers, accusing it of selling high-end supercars to unauthorized middlemen — and in some cases, to individuals linked to “drug dealers and pimps.”
At the center of the dispute is Gold Coast Exotic Imports in Chicago, Illinois. The Italian carmaker claims the dealership breached its contract by selling at least 32 vehicles in 2023 to brokers instead of directly to retail buyers or other authorized dealers.
Court filings allege that some buyers had no intention of keeping the cars, flipping them instead for hefty profits. In one example, Lamborghini says a car went to someone previously convicted of fraud tied to laundering money through luxury car sales to criminal networks.
The brand also accuses Gold Coast of demanding off-the-books kickbacks worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in exchange for access to limited-edition models. Since 2019, Lamborghini claims to have paid the dealership over $4 million in incentive bonuses.
Gold Coast denies the allegations, countering that Lamborghini has withheld funds for showroom upgrades, failed to cover marketing costs, and is trying to push out its president, 81-year-old Joseph Perillo Sr. The dealership has taken its grievances to the Illinois Motor Vehicle Review Board.
Despite the heated exchanges, both sides told U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer they are in talks for an out-of-court settlement. If that fails, a trial could take place in December 2026.
This dispute follows another high-profile scandal involving Ferrari’s German dealer Mertel Italo Cars, accused of fraud and swiftly cut off by the brand. For Italy’s supercar makers, the twin controversies highlight the ongoing challenge of keeping their exclusive cars out of speculative or criminal hands — and protecting their carefully crafted image.
Suzuki Philippines has stepped in to help communities hit hard by recent floods caused by Typhoons Dante and Emong, especially in low-lying areas of Laguna. Many neighborhoods near the company’s head office in Calamba were left underwater and cut off from essential supplies.
Through its Marine Department, Suzuki worked with local governments and rescue teams to deliver help where it was needed most. The company deployed an inflatable boat with a 6HP Suzuki outboard motor to Biñan and a poly boat with a 15HP motor to Sta. Rosa. These boats made it possible to reach areas inaccessible to regular vehicles or manual boats, bringing much-needed relief goods to stranded families, particularly in Sikatville where waters reached chest level.
Local leaders and volunteers praised the effort, saying the equipment helped them cover more ground and reach people faster.
Suzuki also launched a Flood Support Program for owners of non-insured Suzuki vehicles damaged by the floods. The program offers a 30% discount on key parts often affected by floodwater—Engine Control Module (ECM), ABS Control Module, Body Control Module (BCM), and SRS Control Unit—helping customers repair their vehicles safely and affordably.
The company said these efforts reflect its belief that mobility is more than transportation—it’s a way to care, connect, and uplift people, especially during disasters.
For more details, customers can visit authorized Suzuki Auto dealerships or check Suzuki Auto Philippines’ official social media channels.
