Searches for used Jaguars have spiked since its radical rebrand as consumers hunt for ‘Jags they’ve at all times recognized’
- Jaguar’s controversial rebrand might already be working in its favour
- Its dealers are only able to sells used models for the next 12 months
Jaguar’s headline-dominating rebrand, which spiralled to greater heights of controversy yesterday in the wake of the unveiling of its bold Type 00 concept electric car, has had one upside.
There’s been a bounce in searches for Jaguars by car buyers… but not from people wanting new ones.
There has been a 10 per cent increase in motorists looking for used Jags since the iconic British brand unveiled its contentious new identity on 19 November, according to Auto Trader.
The rebrand included ditching one of its most famous logos and launch of a selection of contemporary badges to signal its shift to an all-electric future from 2026.
Within 10 days of the rebrand announcement – including that now infamous fashion-inspired social media advert that lasts 30 seconds but shows no cars – the second-hand car platform measured a 5 per cent jump in Jaguar advert views.
It said the ‘spike in consumer interest’ shows drivers are ‘keen to see what they can still get their hands on from the Jaguar they have always known’.
This will be good news to Jaguar bosses and its dealer network, as the car firm has already stopped selling new models in the UK – and won’t offer any for 12 months until its exclusively-electric relaunch in 2026.
That means its showrooms are reliant on its approved used car stock, which appears to be in higher demand today than it was before the much-debated rebrand.
Auto Trader said it had seen a 10% rise in searches for used Jaguars on its platform over the 10 days following the British car brand’s controversial rebrand unveiling
In an interview with Sky News at the Type 00 concept EV’s unveiling at Miami Art Week in the early hours of yesterday morning (UK time), Jaguar’s managing director Rawdon Glover said: ‘More people have been talking about Jaguar for the last two weeks than – goodness, for so much longer.’
The scale of the discussion about the brand’s electric-only direction and accusations of it disregarding its Century-long heritage has clearly bolstered interest in the combustion-engine cars it will leave behind as part of its ambitious plans.
Auto Trader said 23 November – four days after the rebrand announcement – was the busiest day for Jaguar searches for eight months.
And within ten days of the statement, used Jaguars have appeared in searches 29million times, generating 1.3million advert views.
The F-Pace SUV is the model that’s being searched for most online, according to Auto Trader
Used car buyers are also searching en masse for classic E-Type Jags, likely to see how much they’re going for on today’s market as well as the numbers available
On Tuesday, Jaguar unveiled its Type 00 concept car, which signals the design language of the three electric models that will kickstart the brand’s battery-powered future from 2026
The most popular model was the F-Pace SUV – it’s largest family car – followed by people looking for classic E-Type Jags on the popular website, likely to see how much they’re going for on today’s market as well as the numbers available.
The electric I-Pace – which has also been discontinued and won’t be considered part of Jaguar new EV-only range from 2026 – was the third most-searched model.
Erin Baker, editorial director of Auto Trader, said the wave of fresh interest in second-hand Jaguars is being driven by those looking to snap up examples from the car maker’s heritage that it will essentially turn a corner on.
‘A spike in consumer interest on Auto Trader shows drivers are keen to see what they can still get their hands on from the Jaguar they have always known.
‘I don’t think anyone has a reliable view on how this will go once the first car is available to buy, but it’s a bold reimagining of one of the UK’s most legendary marques.’
As Jaguar prepares to become an EV-only maker from 2026, it will stop making and selling cars for the UK market for the next 12 months. As such, its network of around 80 dealers will only be able to sell ‘approved pre-owned’ models
No new Jaguars for A YEAR
The news of an increase in interest in second-hand Jaguars will appease the company’s network of franchised dealers… for the time-being, at least.
Mr Glover confirmed last month that its footprint of UK showrooms will be slashed by around 75 per cent ahead of the 2026 EV rebrand, cutting its dealer numbers down from 80 currently to around just 20 by the time its next-generation EVs arrive.
In the meantime, dealerships will be entirely reliant on its stock of used cars as Jaguar has already pumped the brakes on production of existing models.
It wound up outputs at its Castle Bromwich plant in the Midlands – where it made the XE and XF saloons, and F-Type sports car – in May.
Production of F-Pace will continue ‘for the foreseeable’ at its factory just 13 miles down the road at the Solihull factory, however this will only be outputs for overseas markets. A spokesperson for the brand confirmed UK-spec production terminated in October.
And while manufacturing continues for the compact E-Pace SUV and the electric I-Pace in Graz, Austria, until the end of the year, its UK allocation has also sold out.
Jaguar says I-Pace availability continues but only for ‘corporate clients into 2025’.
It means Jaguar has halted all car production for the UK market for the first time since WW2.
Production of right-hand-drive F-Pace SUVs (pictured) wound up in October
With production of UK models already ended, it is the first time since WW2 that British motorists cannot purchase a new Jaguar
Glover said the year-long exit from the new car market was part of a scheduled ‘fire break’
When asked if it was a mistake to be taking a 12-month hiatus from the market, Glover said it has always been part of a ‘strategic decision’, with Jaguar wanting a ‘fire break’ period for dealers and customers to prepare for its electric rebrand.
The company has dubbed the year-long exodus from the new car market as a ‘sunset period’.
A spokesman for Jaguar told This is Money last month: ‘As part of a planned sunset period of our current Jaguar vehicles, new car sales in the UK have come to an end as we prepare to relaunch the Jaguar brand from December 2024.
‘Ahead of our future Jaguar collection, we have intentionally created breathing space where the new brand and vision can come to life.
‘UK clients will be able to buy current Jaguar models on an approved pre-owned basis through our UK retail network, and for existing Jaguar clients, servicing, repairs, and warranty work will continue through our Jaguar authorised repairer network.’
