An Unlikely Unison

CAR Magazine has been putting all the pieces of the puzzle together this morning and today it looks like a conspir… er… alliance of transcontinental proportions.

“If, as expected, Tata buys Jaguar-Land Rover in the coming weeks, there are some potentially intriguing industrial consequences. Like Jags being co-developed alongside Alfa Romeos.”

Alfas and Jags? Built under the same Indian roof? Could be, Alfa’s owner Fiat has a partnership with Tata that will eventually see an output of 100,000 jointly built Italindian cars.

PROPITIOUS FOR ONE

The prospect does seem full of potential. CAR correctly points that Tata’s home market is burgeoning for all sectors automotive.

The Germans have already landed which means that the Brits and Italians would do well to get there while brand loyalties remain young amongst a newly wealthy consumer class.

Operating together, Jaguar could give Alfa Romeo the chassis know-how to develop rear-wheel drive sedans (like the one that’s going to replace the ag?d 166). That could mean sharing the XF’s aluminum platform with Alfa – at cost – which would help Jag’s coffers.

But, such a venture would seem to favor Fiat, SpA too heavily, and Jaguar, Ltd too little. Were Tata Motors an honest concern, they will have already been infusing Jaguar with ca$h and hopefully reinvigorating the marque’s overall quality.

Locking bumpers even with niche marque Alfa may only drag singular Jaguar perilously towards mass-market land. That might work for the Indian market, but not in the Western.

Niche brands of the world remain unique! You have only to save your quirks.

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