Marketing Marketing and PR Director Jan Vroemans has great expectations for the new XJ...

At the latest Brussels Motor Show, we had a talk with Jan Vroemans, Marketing and PR Director Jaguar Belgium NV and Land Rover Belux, about the new XJ and its impact on the Belgian market.

“The modernity of the design of the XJ is greatly welcomed.  It is of course very important that Jaguar remains faithful to its fundamental values, as this is seen as an essential ingredient of the image of the “marque”, values which Jaguar seeks to protect and cherish. But equally, one has understood that one must take steps into the future, and carry these values into the next decades. The new styling of the XJ undoubtedly shows this. After seven XJ model generations, the customers started to turn away from the “classic” from language of the car. Underneath its classic looks, the former XJ was one of the most modern Jaguars we had ever built, the body being all-aluminum, which is still considered “high tech” today.

The new XJ embodies the Jaguar values of elegance and grace in a new contemporary styling.  

"Jaguars have always been quite sporting, but also graceful and elegant, and this elegance has been translated over the last fifteen years in a rather traditional form language. But this elegance can also be put in very contemporary shapes, and this has been first proven with the XF. The new XJ carries this now to an even higher level."  concludes Jan Vroemans.    

Practical modernity

We always wanted our cars to be practical and easy to live with despite being packed with state of the art technology. The customer shouldn’t be annoyed with technical aspects of the myriad of functions at his disposal, having to move levers and so on. We attach great importance that the driver finds intuitively his way to make the car function and perform at the very high levels he expects from a car belonging to this segment.

Besides being packed with state of the art functionality and technology, the XJ Jaguar remains nevertheless practical and intuitively easy to use...  

Perspectives for 2010…

We wanted to know what Mr. Vroemans expected for the the coming months in the Belgian Market.

“We have already the XF, a car which is now well-established in our market, equipped with very modern (Diesel) engines, which are very important for our market. We included also a detuned fiscally-friendly Diesel version of this Diesel engine in our range.

As befits a car of this segment, the XJ offers a wide array of equipment and upholstery choices to allow the customer to fully personalize his car...
 

The XJ will come also this year, and many of our clients are eagerly awaiting this car. We have to take into account the present more difficult economic conditions of course, and much will depend on how fast the recession and/or crisis will last and whether consumer confidence returns soon…

We finally wanted to know what the Belgian leasing market will have in store for Jaguar Belgium.

“Of course, in a leasing market the possible resale value of a car is very important, and the Diesel versions of the XF Jaguars are a mere four years on the market, which makes it more difficult to establish a benchmark resale value for leasing car operators. Jaguar cars also have a very strong image, and are therefore not readily chosen as the car for middle management staff. But I prefer (to sell) a car with a strong image over a make where the image still has to be established…” concluded Jan Vroemans.  

The Range Rover Sport was elected "4 x 4 of the Year" by the Belgian 4 x 4 Magazine...

Good market performance for Land Rover…

When we put the question, Jan Vroemans also brought to our attention the good market expectations for Land Rover. Also the more sporting versions of Land Rover are very well positioned, and the marque has established a very good image. “When people think about a SUV or 4 x 4, Land Rover is seen as the ‘authentic’ brand”, asserts Jan Vroemans. “Land Rover has focused positively on luxury, know how and technology, and we have a range of very modern cars, whether it is Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, or Discovery or Freelander. People will always want cars which fit their personality and lifestyle, they want luxury and versatility, and we offer these cars. Both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are now offered in a special “autobiography” version, which is the most luxurious, very personalized version. For the Brussels Salon we launched a special personalized version, the “Scapa Sport” in a limited edition, tuned to the wishes of our clients…

We thanked Mr. Vroemans for this interview.

Hans Knol ten Bensel