Giant Killer

摘要

David used a sling to fell Goliath. Jaguar plans to use aluminum. Jaguar made just 81,570 cars last year; Audi, BMW, and Mercedes built between 1.6 million and 1.8 million each. Yet Jaguar has bravely decided to take on the German Big Three in the heart of their volume, profit, and competence-with a small premium sedan. Jaguar tried this once before, of course, with the pitiful Mondeo-based X-Type, an expensive lesson that proves half-measures against these rivals are doomed to end in embarrassing failure. This time, Jaguar has essentially bet the business - around $3 billion-to help ensure the success of the all-new Jaguar XE and is hoping its aluminum construction will give its new cars one killer advantage over the (mostly) steel competition.