PARIS SHOW-STOPPERS

It’s not often a car maker has the opportunity to launch two landmark new vehicles on the same day, but that’s what Jaguar Land Rover pulled off at this year’s Paris Motor Show, writes Andy Goss, President, Jaguar Land Rover North America.

Just after 8am sharp on the first press day, the all-new 2013 Range Rover splashed majestically through a specially-built water channel onto the stage. It was followed minutes later by the reveal of the stunning all-new 2013 Jaguar F-TYPE.

I loved Jaguar’s Design Director Ian Callum’s introduction to the car. With journalists expecting a long, in-depth design presentation, Ian walked on stage and said in his inimitable way, “The F-TYPE is a car for now. It has its own character; its own time and its own place. I really don’t have to say much else. This car speaks for itself.”

Both of these vehicles speak for themselves. We can’t wait to get them into North America. Our plan is for the Range Rover to go on sale this December, with the F-TYPE a little further away in late spring. Both will have a massive impact on our business.

Just on the news of an all-new Jaguar sports car, we’ve had more than 20,000 hand-raisers wanting to know more about the car; of these, 85 percent are new to the brand. We know this car will bring people into the showroom who have never previously considered a Jaguar.

With the new F-TYPE configurator and pricing announced - the two 3.0-liter V6 models will be priced at $69,000* and $81,000*, and the V8 model at $92,000* - we know that that interest in Jaguar’s newest model is only going to increase.

The week before the Paris show, I was in the UK driving the 380-horsepower V6 and 495-hp V8 versions of the F-TYPE back to back with the latest Porsche 911 and our current XK. All I can say is our car delivers a truly fantastic driving experience. It is a pure, highly-focused sports car with sensational handling and agility.

I must say that I felt an immense amount of pride watching the all-new Range Rover take the Paris stage. Everyone in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd around me seemed to exhale a collective “wow” as it waded through the water to take center stage. I kept thinking if they’re impressed now; just wait until they drive it!

We’ve already gauged customer reaction when we unveiled it to some of our U.S. owners and prospects a couple of weeks back at the Stone Mansion in Alpine, N.J., and a few days ago at an event at the Schweppe Estate in Lake Forest, IL.

There are 100,000 people out there who have bought an existing Range Rover, and I think this all-new version, with its lightweight aluminum body and even greater focus on quality, craftsmanship and luxury, will give people permission to buy another. I know our biggest challenge is going to be meeting the demand.

What was so special for me was seeing the new Range Rover and Jaguar F-TYPE alongside each other on our Paris show stand. Two ground-breaking vehicles showcasing the benefits of our advanced lightweight aluminum construction and the sheer brilliance of our design teams.

The next major milestone for the company will be to bring these two vehicles to the United States for their auto show debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in late November. It’s sure to be a truly modern British Invasion!

*All prices shown are Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Excludes $875 destination and delivery charge, taxes, title, license, emissions and other local fees. Retailer price, terms and vehicle availability may vary. Accessory prices are not included. See your local authorized Jaguar retailer for details.