Jaguar, Land Rover marques make return

A little more than half a year ago (in May, to be precise), Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Philippines called it a day and shuttered shop, ending a chapter of the British automobile company’s tale in the country. The closure, as explained by its dealer principals then, was ostensibly brought about by the imminent imposition of the expanded excise tax for new vehicles widely expected to jack up prices of new cars – particularly for more premium marques as in the case of Jaguar and Land Rover. Still, many existing JLR customers heaved a sigh of relief with the announcement that their vehicles would still be able to receive accredited servicing.

As it turns out, the company isn’t in the least quite done with the Philippine market. Last Friday, JLR Asia Pacific Importers signed a deal that appointed Coventry Motors Corporation (CMC), as “the official Jaguar Land Rover importers for the Philippine market with immediate effect.”

In a speech at the Makati Golf and Country Club where the agreement was announced to members of the media, JLR Asia Pacific managing director Robin Colgan said, “ (the) partnership brings about a new chapter in the history of Jaguar Land Rover in the country and presents us with another opportunity to reinforce our strong performance and position in the premium car segment.”

Colgan noted the 6.9-percent GDP growth recently registered by the country – outpacing even the rate of China – as “a clear indication that this is a market that holds remarkable promise and potential for quality premium cars that will meet the needs of a sophisticated and developed consumer base.”

Though established just this year, Coventry is helmed by industry veterans George Barcelon and Gerardo Alejandro, which is expected to enable the company to be well-positioned to further the JLR brand. “Coventry Motors is committed to solidifying Jaguar Land Rover’s strong brand presence in the Philippines and catering to the needs of its loyal customers,” declared the firm in a release. For his part Colgan said, “We strongly believe in (Coventry’s) capability to make incredible headway in growing the Jaguar and Land Rover brands and market share in the Philippines. George and Gerry’s management expertise and industry experience give us the confidence to re-ignite the excitement and clamor for the Jaguar Land Rover brand in the market.”

Replying to a question from this writer, Colgan maintained, “it was a very easy decision” to decide on Coventry, describing the company as being “head and shoulders above many other candidates.”

Colgan stressed that the company displays “a really deep understanding of the premium customer in the Philippines – their expectations in terms of service and facilities, and overall customer experience.”

Furthermore, the JLR Asia Pacific executive said that Coventry is on board with the focus on after-sales service. “The selling part is not our biggest challenge,” said Colgan. “Our biggest challenge is making sure that we have the right team of technicians, after-sales people. We have the right parts, stocking, diagnostic equipment, and tools. That’s a huge priority… The team of Coventry Motors came to us with exactly the same set of priorities.”

Currently headquartered at 1010 EDSA Philippines, Coventry is preparing to open its first dealership in within the first quarter of next year. Colgan assured that existing Jaguar and Land Rover units will be accommodated for servicing. —Photos by Kap Aguila and Manny N. de los Reyes