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Narrator
From Tokyo, Japan and Changsha, China, this is down to Business English with your hosts, Skip Montreux and Des Morgan.
Skip Montreux
Hi Des, Good to be back with you.
Des Morgan
Hi Skip, how are you?
Skip Montreux
I'm fine, thank you very much. You know, the last time we spoke, you. You had just returned from Scotland.
Des Morgan
That's a little while ago now.
Skip Montreux
You know, we didn't really talk much about your trip.
Des Morgan
No, we didn't. I guess the topic we were reporting on that day gave us a lot to talk about.
Skip Montreux
It did. So anyway, how was your trip?
Des Morgan
Well, on the personal side it was fine. My family's fine, all my friends are fine. The meetings I attended at my home university were all fine.
Skip Montreux
Just fine. You don't sound very enthusiastic.
Des Morgan
Well, something felt a bit off.
Skip Montreux
Off? Off how?
Des Morgan
It's hard to explain. It just felt like the UK has changed somehow.
Skip Montreux
Oh really? In what way?
Des Morgan
This is just my personal take on it, but the overall public mood felt a bit depressed.
Skip Montreux
Depressed? Depressed over what?
Des Morgan
I don't know, Perhaps it was the steady stream of gloomy government reports coming out all the time about how bad things are.
Skip Montreux
Yeah, if all you hear is bad news, it becomes a kind of self fulfilling prophecy, I suppose.
Des Morgan
But whatever the reason, the UK is definitely going through some changes.
Skip Montreux
What about the business side of things? Is that depressed mood spilling over into industry?
Des Morgan
I would say so. In fact, it's a change, a radical change at one of Britain's heritage brands that I want to talk about today.
Skip Montreux
A heritage brand meaning a company with deep British roots and a long tradition?
Des Morgan
Exactly. A quintessential British company like Bentley or Rolls Royce. You're in the right industry. But the brand I'm thinking of isn't quite as expensive as those two.
Skip Montreux
That pretty much leaves just Land Rover and Jaguar.
Des Morgan
Well, guess, Skip. And it's the second of those two, Jaguar, that will be the focus of my report today.
Skip Montreux
Beautiful cars. They are.
Des Morgan
So let's do it. Let's get D2B down to business with Jaguar. What's changing with the iconic mark and how people are reacting to those changes?
Skip Montreux
You are right about Jaguar being a heritage brand. When I hear the name Jaguar, I immediately think of England as you should.
Des Morgan
Jaguar's British roots go back over a hundred years and believe it or not, the company did not start out as a carmaker.
Skip Montreux
Let me guess, they made bicycles.
Des Morgan
You're not far off their skip. They made sidecars for motorcycles.
Skip Montreux
Motorcycle sidecars. Really?
Des Morgan
William Lyons and William Walmsley founded The Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922. And over time they Branched out into designing bodies for small cars. Huh.
Skip Montreux
That is an interesting piece of trivia.
Des Morgan
It is. Over time, they evolved from making just the body of a car to making their own vehicles under the name SS cars.
Skip Montreux
And when did the Jaguar name start being used?
Des Morgan
In 1935, when they released the SS Jaguar 2.5. Literally. It was also around that time that they introduced the now famous Leaping Cat logo.
Skip Montreux
Is that what it's called? The Leaping Cat? I didn't even know it had a name.
Des Morgan
Oh, it sure does. It was designed by an artist and sculptor by the name of F. Gordon Crosby and it's meant to symbolize grace, performance, power and the ambition to leap forward.
Skip Montreux
Well, it certainly did the trick. I think most people consider the classic Jaguar cars to meet that description.
Des Morgan
The most legendary Jaguar model is probably the E type, introduced in 1961. It was so stunning that even Enzo Ferrari himself called it the most beautiful car ever made.
Skip Montreux
The founder of Ferrari, an Italian car brand, calling a British car beautiful, that is certainly a compliment.
Des Morgan
That was, though, a long time ago and in another era. The brand isn't what it used to be. And that is what I want to focus on today, the changes at Jaguar in recent history.
Skip Montreux
Ok, so what can you tell us about that?
Des Morgan
Back in 2008, Tata Motors, the Indian automotive giant, acquired Jaguar and Land Rover. They combined the two and created what we know now as Jaguar Land Rover, or jlr.
Skip Montreux
Well, jlr, that is much easier to say than Jaguar Land Rover.
Des Morgan
It is. With 33,000 employees and sales of around 430,000 units in fiscal 2024. 2025, JLR is the UK's biggest automaker.
Skip Montreux
And those figures are for both companies combined?
Des Morgan
Yes. However, it's important to note that even though they are under the same umbrella company, they are run as two separate entities.
Skip Montreux
So the issue you are going to discuss only affects Jaguar, not Land Rover.
Des Morgan
That's correct.
Skip Montreux
So what is the issue with Jaguar specifically?
Des Morgan
There are a few issues. Firstly, in 2021, JLR announced that Jaguar would be transitioning their entire lineup from gas engines to electric by the end of 2025.
Skip Montreux
By the end of this year. 2025. That's pretty sudden. I don't think other luxury brands are doing this quite so quickly.
Des Morgan
You're right. Mercedes Benz, one of JLR's main competitors, originally had a plan to go all Electric by 2030. But just last year they announced that they were planning to soften this approach and react to market demands.
Skip Montreux
Well, that sounds like a more measured approach. What about Jaguar's Other competitors.
Des Morgan
According to a report in Car and Driver last year, BMW is expected to continue offering traditional gas powered cars while at the same time developing its lineup of electric models until at least 2035.
Skip Montreux
Again, a more flexible approach. Is Car and Driver an authority on cars?
Des Morgan
Are you kidding me? It's considered one of the most influential sources of automotive media. They have a huge influence on buyers and manufacturers alike.
Skip Montreux
Daz, I live in Tokyo. Driving is not a big part of my lifestyle.
Des Morgan
Well, that would explain it then.
Skip Montreux
In any case, it seems BMW and Mercedes Benz are both taking a flexible approach to transitioning to electric vehicles.
Des Morgan
I would agree. However, Jaguar's abrupt change to an all electric lineup is only the beginning of Jaguar's adventurous thinking.
Skip Montreux
Oh, what else has Jaguar changed?
Des Morgan
That elegant leaping cat logo that we were talking about earlier has undergone an incredible transformation.
Skip Montreux
No way. Really? How has it been changed?
Des Morgan
Previously, the cat figure stood alone and the name Jaguar was written in a
Skip Montreux
sharp, strong serif style font which was instantly recognizable.
Des Morgan
But now the leaping cat is encased in a modern barcode like frame and the font used for the name has been changed to a softer, rounded font. It's still recognisable, but it's very different from Jaguar's previous branding.
Skip Montreux
Ok, so Jaguar has made some design choice changes. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
Des Morgan
True. But this is where things get decidedly weird. Last December, Jaguar released a concept ad without having a car in it.
Skip Montreux
An advert for a car without featuring an actual car. A little strange, I suppose. So if there was no car, what was in the commercial?
Des Morgan
It was a 30 second video of fashion models dressed in brightly colored, futuristic looking outfits walking across what looked like some sort of Martian landscape.
Skip Montreux
Yeah, that does sound very strange.
Des Morgan
And all through the ad were slogans flashing on the screen.
Skip Montreux
Oh, what did the slogan say?
Des Morgan
Things like live vivid, delete ordinary, create exuberance, break molds, copy nothing. And then it ends with the word Jaguar on the screen in that new softer font.
Skip Montreux
Yeah, that, that sounds very avant garde.
Des Morgan
Yeah, well, whatever it was, it certainly wasn't very British.
Skip Montreux
And how did that go down with the public?
Des Morgan
As you can imagine, people were somewhat confused. Until now, Jaguar has been a fairly conservative sports and luxury car brand. Now, out of nowhere, it's trying to rebrand itself to appeal to a totally different market.
Skip Montreux
A radical rebrand at that. Never easy.
Des Morgan
Jaguar CEO Rowdon Glover defended the ad, though. He said that if Jaguar played in the same way that other auto brands do, they would just be drowned out.
Skip Montreux
But they are an auto brand, aren't they?
Des Morgan
They are. And that was exactly what Tesla CEO and fellow automaker Elon Musk pointed out on X. In fact, Musk and Glover had a bit of a snarky exchange over it.
Skip Montreux
Oh, really? What did Musk say?
Des Morgan
He asked one simple question, do you sell cars? And it sort of went on from there.
Skip Montreux
Typical Musk. He is known for making comments like that about companies who promote themselves as being what he regards as woke.
Des Morgan
It definitely had that woke feel to
Skip Montreux
it, but it's not a bad question to ask. Is Jaguar still a car company? Have we seen any of these new electric models?
Des Morgan
Yes. Jaguar has released a prototype and concept pictures of the type 00, which is the base concept for all the models in their electric lineup.
Skip Montreux
Wait a minute, all they have is a prototype and concept pictures? I thought you said they were going to be launching these at the end of 2025.
Des Morgan
Yes, I did say that, but as these things go, there have been delays. They originally targeted late 2025, but that's been pushed back to mid-2026 or even early 2027.
Skip Montreux
OK, so what does this concept car look like?
Des Morgan
It's a radical change from past Jaguars. Based on what it looks like, and if the three models that follow are without too many changes, I think it's fair to say Jaguar's new car design will be polarizing, meaning some people will
Skip Montreux
love it and others will absolutely hate it.
Des Morgan
When the concept photo was first released, Jerry McGovern, JLR's chief creative officer, warned journalists, you will feel uncomfortable and that's okay. He then went on to show Pictures of the Type 00 in bright blue and purple, 2 non traditional Jaguar colors.
Skip Montreux
It's great to try to appeal to new customers, but it's also a bit risky. It seems as though Jaguar might end up alienating its core customer base.
Des Morgan
It rather does, doesn't it? James Ramsden, director of one of London's most well known design agencies, summed up the rebrand succinctly. He told the Guardian newspaper that it was a shame that Jaguar had walked away from one of the most iconic, treasured and beautiful brand designs in generations.
Skip Montreux
That is a pretty strong comment against the new designs.
Des Morgan
He also said that if Jaguar was going to break the mold, they better have a great lineup of new cars full of innovation, which we won't know
Skip Montreux
until the new models are actually on the market.
Des Morgan
The first model of the new lineup, the Saloon, is expected by summer next year. So let's wait and see if this was a bold move on Jaguar's part. Or a case of creative suicide.
Skip Montreux
At the end of the day, that is one of the hardest things in business. Keeping your loyal customers while trying to attract new ones.
Des Morgan
And on that note, I think it's time for us to get D2V down to vocabulary.
Skip Montreux
The first word on our D2V list today is the adjective radical. Something that is radical is extremely different from what existed before.
Des Morgan
Radical collocates in many nouns. You can have a radical idea, propose a radical design, or come up with a radical solution to a problem.
Skip Montreux
But it's especially common when talking about a change.
Des Morgan
A radical change isn't small or slow. It's a change that moves in a completely new direction.
Skip Montreux
In the introduction to today's episode, Des told us he would be reporting on a radical change happening to a British heritage brand. And then he went on to explain how Jaguar was making radical changes to its brand image and design.
Des Morgan
In other words, Jaguar's new designs are extremely different from their traditional look.
Skip Montreux
Can you give us another example using radical in a business situation?
Des Morgan
Sure can. In a B2B setting, you might hear something like, our company is considering a radical change to our pricing model. This means the company is thinking about charging for their product or service in a completely different way.
Skip Montreux
Great example. What's the next word on our list?
Des Morgan
Next we have the idiom a measured approach. A measured approach means doing something carefully and thoughtfully, not too fast and not too extreme.
Skip Montreux
It is almost the opposite of doing something radically. If you take a measured approach, you consider the risks, think through your options, and move forward step by step.
Des Morgan
In today's episode, Skip used this expression when talking about Mercedes Benz. After I explained that Mercedes had announced they would go fully electric by 2030, Skip said it sounded like a more measured approach.
Skip Montreux
In simpler terms, Mercedes isn't rushing into the EV market. Unlike Jaguar, Mercedes is taking their time and carefully making decisions according to what they see happening in the market.
Des Morgan
Can you give us another example using a measured approach in a business setting? Skip?
Skip Montreux
Sure. As you know, AI is everywhere these days. Most Fortune 500 companies are in a rush to implement it in their organization.
Des Morgan
Yeah, there seems to be a lot of pressure to adopt AI quickly.
Skip Montreux
Well, one company that is taking a measured approach to AI is the global investment bank Goldman Sachs. They are choosing to move slowly, focusing on human oversight rather than quickly replacing workers with AI.
Des Morgan
Nice example.
Skip Montreux
Thanks. Moving on, our next and final word on the D2V list today is the phrase to be an authority on something. If someone is an authority on something, it means they are an expert in
Des Morgan
that subject, people trust what they say because they have deep knowledge and experience.
Skip Montreux
Exactly. When you call someone an authority on something, you're saying they really know the topic.
Des Morgan
Well, we can talk about an authority on branding, an authority on leadership, or even an authority on the financial markets.
Skip Montreux
In today's episode, Des said that Car and Driver Magazine is considered an authority on cars and the automotive industry.
Des Morgan
In other words, Car and Driver is a trusted expert in the automotive field. They've been reviewing cars for a long time and their opinions influence both buyers and car manufacturers.
Skip Montreux
Des, I consider you to be an authority on all things British, whiskey, football, even cricket.
Des Morgan
Well, that's nice of you to say, Skip, but I don't consider myself to be an authority on all things British anymore, as I've been out of the country for a long time. But I will still drink a nice glass of single malt once in a while.
Narrator
Would you like to help down to Business English Reach more people wanting to improve their business English skills? Follow down to Business English on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Music, Spotify, or any place podcasts are found. Leave a rating and a review and tell everyone how much you enjoy the show.
Skip Montreux
Thanks very much for that report on all the changes Jaguar is currently going through, Des. It will be very interesting to see how this rebranding works out for them.
Des Morgan
My pleasure, Skip. I wish Jaguar all the best. I could be wrong, but something tells me this could be a misstep. But who knows?
Skip Montreux
We shall see. D2B members and Apple Podcast Subscribers the Bonus down to Vocabulary episode for today's report will be released very soon. In that bonus episode, we will be discussing five additional vocabulary items that we used in today's report.
Des Morgan
These words and phrases are quintessential to do the trick, an entity to be drowned out, and to alienate DTB members.
Skip Montreux
Be sure that you have copied the Members Only Podcast Feed URL from your account page on the D2B website and have pasted it into the podcast app of your choice. That way you won't miss the bonus
Des Morgan
DTV episode and Apple Podcast subscribers, you don't need to do anything. The bonus DTV episode will appear automatically in your podcast feed once it's released.
Skip Montreux
And if you are not yet a DTB member or an Apple Podcast subscriber, but you find down to Business English helpful for your Business English studies, please do consider supporting the show as a member.
Des Morgan
You'll gain access to all our Bonus Vocabulary Episodes Members Only episodes, our interactive audio scripts, along with the complete library of our PDF scripts to become a D2B member.
Skip Montreux
Just visit d2benglish.com membership and sign up today. Thanks for listening everyone. See you next time.
Des Morgan
Bye Bye.
Narrator
Down to Business English Business News to improve your business English.
Episode Title: Jaguar
Release Date: December 5, 2025
Hosts: Skip Montreux & Des Morgan
This episode of Down to Business English takes an in-depth look at major changes underway at Jaguar, one of Britain’s most iconic automotive brands. The hosts explore how Jaguar is attempting a radical transformation into an all-electric, design-forward company—risking both legacy and customer loyalty in the process. Alongside the business news, they introduce relevant business English vocabulary and idioms, and touch on the cultural implications of these sweeping changes.
1. Radical (adj.) (14:11–15:11)
Extremely different from what existed before; used often in the context of big change in business.
2. A Measured Approach (idiom) (15:41–16:59)
Doing something carefully and thoughtfully; the opposite of acting radically.
3. An Authority On Something (phrase) (17:18–18:10)
Someone recognized as an expert in a field; trusted and influential source.
(Discussed separately in their bonus vocabulary episode)
This episode explores how Jaguar, a "quintessential" British brand, is pursuing a radical reinvention—electrifying its entire lineup, overhauling design and messaging, and seeking to attract a new demographic. The hosts discuss the business risks, the critical public and industry response, and the challenge of balancing innovation with tradition. The episode is especially valuable for listeners wanting to expand their business English vocabulary as used authentically in the corporate world.
For further vocabulary and targeted language explanations, refer to the D2B bonus episode for members.