X-TYPE Ad Campaign

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 13, 2003; Jaguar is spotlighting the all-wheel drive benefits of its X-TYPE sports sedan with a dramatic new advertising campaign entitled 'Claws'.

"The X-TYPE is the only car in its class with permanent all-wheel drive as standard," says George Ayres, Vice President, Marketing, Jaguar Cars North America. "By using animal imagery we are showing that the X-TYPE's claws are always out, gripping the road even in the worst weather."

The bold new 30-second TV commercial, breaking today on network prime-time programming, shows four sets of needle-sharp claws bursting through the road surface to reflect the X-TYPE's outstanding four-wheel grip.

The campaign, which runs throughout the first quarter, includes programming placements on the 2003 Academy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, NBA coverage, ABC Nightly News, and Dateline. Regional and local ads will compliment the national coverage.

The TV campaign will be backed by a print version of 'Claws' appearing in major national newspapers, including USA Today. It will also feature in the key automotive titles like Car & Driver, Road & Track, Motor Trend and Automobile, as well as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, Fortune magazine's Fortune 500 issue, GQ and Vanity Fair.

"With its sophisticated Traction 4 system, the X-TYPE is unique in its class in being the only car to have all-wheel-drive as standard. The 'Claws' campaign communicates that message in a truly dramatic way," explains Ayres.

Since its U.S. debut in September 2001, the X-TYPE has become Jaguar's best-selling model ever, and continues to break sales records. Last year, 33,018 X-TYPEs were sold, accounting for an impressive 12 percent of the highly-competitive compact-luxury segment.

The car has also been hugely successful in attracting new buyers to the Jaguar brand. For more than 90 percent of buyers, the X-TYPE was their first Jaguar. And of those, 47 percent were women - the highest percentage in this segment.

For 2003, the all-wheel-drive X-TYPE also became even more attainable. The lead-in 2.5-liter V6 model with five-speed manual transmission was priced at a highly competitive $29,950 - $645 less than the 2002 model. Prices of the X-TYPE 3.0 V6 start at $36,950.

"In all our owner surveys, standard all-wheel drive, and the peace of mind it provides has proved to be one of the strongest reasons for purchasing a new X-TYPE," says Ayres.

Technically, the X-TYPE's Traction 4 system uses a planetary center differential with a viscous coupling. In poor weather, the viscous coupling automatically, and seamlessly, transfers power away from the slipping wheels to those with the best traction.

The system sets the Jaguar apart from front- and rear-wheel-drive models in this segment. Also the viscous coupling technology provides more positive power transfer than various traction control systems that rely only on brake action to manage torque distribution.

"With the X-TYPE we really do feel we have a gripping story to tell," says Ayres.