Jaguar F-Type: Porsche forces local pricing evaluation

“We’re evaluating F-Type in the market because the reality is, publicly known, that our competitors moved progressively and that we just can’t sit still,” Blackhall began.

“We haven’t made any decisions around this yet [but] we’re currently evaluating it.”

Asked directly whether Porsche viewed the F-Type as a threat to its Boxster and 911 Cabriolet lines, Blackhall was unequivocal.

“The results seem to say they took a look at the car [F-Type] and said ‘we’re going to protect our turf’.

“Clearly if our key competitor changes the price relationship in the market we’ve got to think about what we can do to respond – is it more equipment, is it lower price? I don’t know.”

In April this year, Porsche Cars Australia reduced the price of the Boxster to $101,500 (-$5500) and Boxster S to $126,500 (-$6800), while the 911 Carrera cabriolet moved to $228,900 (-$25,700) and the Carrera S cabriolet to $266,200 (-$21,600).

The Jaguar F-Type launched from $139,000 for the 3.0-litre supercharged V6, $171,400 for the V6 S and $202,300 for the V8 S.

“We were comfortable with where we wound up,” Blakhall.

“We thought the car justified the price equation … but when the goalposts move, you’ve got to be a realist and say well we need to evaluate what that means for us.”

The managing director noted criticism of the F-Type’s extensive options list – with such normally standard items such as rain sensing wipers ($510) and dual-zone climate control ($980) – adding that making some options standard may be an alternative to a price reduction.

“They’re the sort of areas you’d evaluate. You’d also look at take rates, and say ‘what’s the take rate? Has it worked?’”

Blackhall maintained, however, that the F-Type has been a huge success for the local arm, with the first allocated batch of cars all sold-out.

“I’m not rushing [to change pricing], but I am evaluating.

“I’m being a bit pre-emptive here because the team has just written that paper, and I’ve got it and I haven’t read it yet…

“It’s an evaluation of what our competitive position is, and we need to digest that and understand what we should do”.