Jaguar plans to drastically reduce the number of its franchised dealerships in a move toward more online sales, according to news reports.
United Kingdom-based automotive news site Car Dealer reported that the British luxury vehicle maker could reduce the number of Jaguar dealers in its home territory from about 80 to 20 in the next two years, though Jaguar said it’s not ready to reveal details of its plans for “retail partners.”
The publication said dealers who lose their Jaguar franchises could continue as Land Rover stores. It said Jaguar revealed its plans to dealers at an investors meeting, details of which were shared with Car Dealer.
The planned changes come as automotive dealers fret about more online sales along the model of Tesla and other electric-vehicle startups that largely bypass the traditional franchise system. The Covid pandemic made such sales more common and normal to consumers as many dealerships were forced to close during the height of lockdowns.
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