I think the wide threaddrift is related to the fact that we find it too horrible what is happening. A small company is deprived of its livelihood because a car manufacturer who has nothing to do with his tradition but his name is throwing up. And that is why we have avoided the bad subject. This thread is actually not about SUVs but about the survival of a small company that is conscious of tradition. I would never describe Suffolk as a kit car company but as a manufacturer committed to the old Jaguars. Even if it has been said before many pages of this thread, I will gladly repeat it. JLR is fighting against the values of its own past that it has not nurtured itself.
Jaguar is not the company it once was and is all about generating cash for the parent company. Let’s hope Morgan don’t go the same way and lose much of what makes them special.
Not sure how to take that. JLR was alway a company that was interested in making money. They were never a charity! All companies are there to make money. MMC is just as interested in making a profit now vs. before they were sold. That part never changes and you would be hard pressed to find any company who is doing what they are for the sake of the buyer. Never happens, unfortunately for us.
As a simple example, VW Group does look to all the brands to turn a profit and contribute to the bottom line. However hypothetically, Audi AG can report massive profits across the global brand yet Audi UK is deep in the red. Without boring you with all the details, Audi AG could very well be happy with that for many reasons.
In fairness to Jaguar, their new owners have been VERY hands off and have just let Jaguar get on with it. I recall the parent company's CEO stating something along those lines.
it's quite sad that Suffolk are no longer. I was quite interested in pulling the trigger on their C Type last year! However, as with all things, there is always two sides to every story and a company as large as Jaguar don't normally comment on such matters.
In regards to Jaguar fitting abasing the values of it's own past - it is their past and any company has the right to intellectual property/design etc. I am certain that if a company in China came out with a car that looked the spitting image of Morgan at a fraction of the price, this whole forum would be up in arms. Or if I set up a company to build a 'classic' 4/4, MMC's lawyers would be at my door in an instant.
Without all the facts, I don't think it's fair to place full blame on JLR. Again, it's very very unfortunate but JLR should and has the right to their company designs/name etc. Many Ford Cobra replica companies pay a license to allow this to continue. Perhaps the business case wasn't viable for Suffolk to invest such a thing. Here's hoping they can regroup and find another niche to fill.
