Part 4/14:
One notorious attempt was the launch of the Jaguar X-Type in 2001—a model meant to compete with BMW’s 3 Series. Built on a Ford platform and criticized as a rebadged Ford in Jaguar clothing, it alienated loyal enthusiasts and failed to attract new customers effectively. This exemplifies Lesson Two: Execution Matters. Copying successful ideas without understanding the core brand and executing well leads to failure.
As Jaguar tried to broaden its lineup, the brand suffered from dilution and quality issues. By the mid-2000s, Jaguar struggled with profitability, selling only about 50,000 cars annually from 2009 to 2012. Ford’s inability to turn the brand around led to its sale in 2008 to Tata Motors for just $2.3 billion—less than half of what Ford had invested.