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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
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How To Destroy A Great Global Brand And The Cult Of Ferrari
Picked up from Chris Harris.

It's a difficult read, but makes some very interesting points, and it's worth considering how JLR have approached some of the same issues, taken decisions and suffered setbacks.

https://seekingalpha.com/article/4325637-h...of-ferrari

chris harris (@harrismonkey) Tweeted:

This is a fascinating read about Ferrari. I know little about stocks, but this chimes with all the concerns many of us have about the balance between increased volumes to keep shareholders and money markets happy, and making too many cars to remain special

https://t.co/j1hseqbw6x https://twitter.com/harrismonkey/status/1232769071638294530?s=20
Post #817171 27th Feb 2020 8:32am
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Grenadier



Member Since: 23 Jul 2014
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Interestingly, and I say this with no understanding of business/economics or insider experience of the motor industry, I’ve always maintained this is the reason JLR keep going bust. They’re a ‘premium’ brand, but with two inherent failings. They’re not quite as ‘premium’ as Ferrari, McLaren etc, or even Porsche, but they’re also producing too many premium units without the financial support of vast numbers of lower value car sales. So their economies of scale are wrong. McClaren and Ferrari and Porsche can keep things ticking over with low unit numbers at very high prices, whilst BMW, Audi and Merc can sell their premium models in the same numbers as JLR, but have the financial support by selling gazillions of hatchback diesels. JLR does neither, falls in the gap between the two business models, and suffers as a result. For them to survive, they’d need to bolt-on to a mega brand (much like Lambo, Bentley, RR and Bugatti) to rework those economies of scale, as their models aren’t nearly premium enough to follow Porsche’s model, let alone the models of Ferrari, McLaren, Koennesisgahggaheghagfshhahhehegg etc. Just my layman’s opinion. Monsieur Le Grenadier

I've not been everywhere, but it's on my list.....

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Post #817173 27th Feb 2020 8:43am
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discomog



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Grenadier may only consider his opinion to be that of a layman but he's hit the nail on the head. IMHO Thumbs Up Defender 90XS SW
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Post #817177 27th Feb 2020 8:53am
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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
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Goods points well made Thumbs Up

A concept I had not really thought about before was that of Pricing Below Demand - "By carefully constraining supply below the level of demand, and pricing well below what customers would have been willing to pay, the company has historically managed to maintain not only its exclusivity, but it has also reduced the rate of depreciation for its cars compared with other exotic car makers. Effectively, by leaving some money on the table for their dealers and customers, rather than trying to squeeze every possible dollar on incremental profit, Ferrari created the illusion of exclusivity and the obvious result of their vehicles having better stabilized residual values. Additionally, this strategy has helped reduce the cyclicality of their production thereby helping the company avoid the fate of competitors such as Lamborghini and Aston Martin who have gone bankrupt multiple times."

For new buyers, I'm guessing they would like JLR to better appreciate this point.
Post #817187 27th Feb 2020 9:50am
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OsloBlue



Member Since: 14 Jul 2018
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Not too wrong grenadier

High quality low quantity
High quantity low quality

But these lines are now blurred with finance so that Mercedes, Audi and BMW are now affordable and in my opinion their premium status is being lost apart from certain products.

JLRs finance is still unaffordable and is now producing more quantity whilst trying to retain quality. But there is not enough demand for that increased quantity as their products are still unaffordable.

The analogy is when masarati went from very low output to moderate output but quality took a toll. I'm on IG: https://www.instagram.com/osloblue42/
Current: TD5 '110 "Lucinda" Thread here: https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic62562.html
Post #817188 27th Feb 2020 9:53am
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22900013A



Member Since: 23 Dec 2010
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Consider too that big companies like Ford and Mercedes-Benz are big producers of commercial vehicles. Indeed M-B is the biggest commercial manufacturer in the world. That market is much less fickle and will always be there as a fallback if the car market goes quiet. If (really its when) big 4x4s become the cars nobody wants LR doesn't have a fallback as they don't sell anything else. Seems very risky to me. 2011 110 USW
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Post #817192 27th Feb 2020 10:16am
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markb110



Member Since: 22 May 2010
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Let’s not forget the company personal lease buyers

As more companies have moved away from company cars to personal leases the price for Land Rovers is too high for many.

Only once when I was an account manager could I have a sniff at a bottom spec Freelander 2 as long as I had no optional extras. At the time I was allowed a budget of £26,500

When I was doing 36k miles a year a bog standard car was not even something I would consider especially when I could get a loaded S Line A3.

Also even then fleet managers where concerned over miss fuelling due to petrol being put into a diesel tank then going through a super heated cat.

Back then perk drivers were told to take a petrol car, higher mileage drivers were ok with diesel.

So in a nut shell LR have missed out on this market and a possible renewal every three years
Post #817209 27th Feb 2020 11:51am
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Rashers



Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
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Spot on Grenadier Thumbs Up Also a lot of valid points from all of the other replies.

Osloblue, I agree that the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes have become affordable. I think this is at the expense of the likes of Ford.

All of our Contracts Managers had Ford Sierras. LX Models. The Opps Manager had a GL. The Director, a Ghia, or Ghia X.

By the time I left, people were driving around in everything, but Fords. I was unique in having a Focus Estate, but in all fairness, the two Skoda Octavias I had previously were far better than the Focus and I'm not sure I would have had another. We used to run Transits, but they had all been downgraded to Vivaros (which weren't that bad and the engineers liked them).

With Personal Leasing, as has been said before, the value of the car is not important, its how much a month you can afford and that's where the likes of BMW. Mercedes and Audi are coining it in, and perhaps JLR has nothing to offer those people in that price range?
Post #817216 27th Feb 2020 1:16pm
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Zed



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Although JLR present themselves as a prestige brand they clearly are not. They are an aspirational brand. However that is a good thing financially because combined with cheap finance deals it has made it possible for people on middle and low incomes to 'buy' their cars, which in turn has allowed them to shift ever greater numbers. The downside is that because their business model is based around the lease system the quality of product isn't nearly as important as releasing newer model for customers to 'trade up' to. WARNING.
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Last edited by Zed on 27th Feb 2020 2:55pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #817218 27th Feb 2020 1:37pm
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Huttopia



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United Kingdom 
Quality is the biggest issue for JLR in my view. You don't come bottom of the reliability survey by chance, it is due to poor engineering / build quality / customer experience. On my run back from France last week, no prizes for guessing which brand I saw most of on a low loader.

A great shame.
Post #817224 27th Feb 2020 2:38pm
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Tim in Scotland



Member Since: 23 May 2007
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Another issue for LR (less so Jaguar) is that senior management don’t give a toss about the people who buy their products - they dis-own the cars as soon as the dealers take then out if the storage compound after build, their “money has been collected why do we need to care attitude” is another thing that is putting off repeat buyers and when potential new to brand buyers read forums like this and see what current owners put up with they walk away. If Gaydon management got out if their offices and free company cars and were seen to be engaging owners things might change. Just look at the postings that guy Agnew has been putting up on Twitter, he doesn’t want to answer any of the questions that are important to people looking to buy a New Defender, simply ignores them or threatens legal action Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come
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Post #817230 27th Feb 2020 3:11pm
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90 Dreamer



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have you a link to his @ Twitter handle please?? intrigued.....
Post #817231 27th Feb 2020 3:14pm
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Rashers



Member Since: 21 Jun 2015
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Tim in Scotland wrote:
they dis-own the cars as soon as the dealers take then out if the storage compound after build, their “money has been collected why do we need to care attitude” is another thing that is putting off repeat buyers


Remember B/L, Austin, Rover? My Dad bought a Maestro in 1983. What an absolute pile of poo. It leaked, it ran badly, it rusted, the main dealer was about as helpful as a cornered rabid dog. He drove it running like a dog for three years - and well out of warranty before the dealer exclaimed that he needed a new ECU. He swore that he would never buy another car of that marque.

I got a Rover 214 (with a K series engine) about ten years latter. What a cracking little car! It had its issues, but it was generally a good motor and I enjoyed driving it. But, there was no going back for my old man who just tared the brand with his experiences. He wasn't backward in coming forward about telling his experiences to others.

Look what happened to Rover? I couldn't believe they would go under. How many others were there like my Dad who had had their fingers burnt by poor design, poor build quality, indifferent dealers.

Does any of this look familiar?
Post #817234 27th Feb 2020 3:25pm
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Supacat



Member Since: 16 Oct 2012
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90 Dreamer wrote:
have you a link to his @ Twitter handle please?? intrigued.....


Have a look here:

https://www.defender2.net/forum/topic71000.html

All the 1st cars are going to staff...
Post #817246 27th Feb 2020 5:16pm
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90 Dreamer



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Cheers
Post #817267 27th Feb 2020 7:23pm
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