This coming April, Jaguar Land Rover North America said that it will announce new interior standards for its retail network. Andy Goss, who heads up the North American arm of the company, said last week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, that dealers must make the changes to their stores “as soon as possible.”
Goss also remarked that many of the existing Jaguar Land Rover franchise facilities “are too old looking,” and that there hasn’t been a formal corporate identity standard in place for both brands’ retail outlets for a very long time.
He also said that the new standards might cause some dealers to consider selling their franchises rather than invest in the required upgrades, however as the group pushes for greater volumes in North America, there is a plan to add further stores and for more existing franchises to sell both Jaguar and Land Rover products at the same location.
According to Automotive News, a first step toward that process has been the merger of the previously separate Jaguar and Land Rover dealer councils into a single entity, with all 12 members requiring to own locations that sell and service both brands.
During a recent interview with Lindsay Duffield, president of Jaguar Land Rover Canada, Canadian auto dealer also learned that both brands plan to significantly grow their presence in our market. Jaguar Land Rover Canada has been investing heavily in R&D and is in the process of upgrading the existing Canadian retail network, by remodeling stores and adding new locations. New products, such as the 2013 Range Rover, Jaguar F-Type two-seater and recently introduced Jaguar XF and XJ all-wheel drive models are also expected to help both brands increase their presence and explore new segments in the Canadian market.
