Moving like Jaguar

JASON O.Soong, executive director of Jaguar Cars Inc. and LRPhils. Motors Inc.

The Jaguar thrives in its new lair.

Undoubtedly, it was a good beginning year for Jaguar in its new home at Bonifacio Global City. Along with fellow luxury car brands Land Rover and Range Rover, the British luxury and sports car is settling down quite nicely, content in marking another milestone in the country’s gracious yet fiercely competitive high-end vehicle segment.

The BGC showroom, officially referred to as the Jaguar/Land Rover/Range Rover Lifestyle and Activity Center, continues to help rev up aggressive sales despite an ever-changing automobile landscape and discriminating customers that accept nothing but perfection.

“Our journey of continuously providing integrity, competence, and sharp focus to our loyal customers remains the same year after year. The move [to a new place] has given us a fresher attitude to achieve the goals that we have set almost two decades ago,” said Willie Soong, chairman and president of Jaguar Philippines.

OUTSIDE and inside the Jaguar/Land Rover/Range Rover Lifestyle and Activity Center at the Bonifacio Global City

The Soongs started its car distribution business some 16 years ago, when its showroom was still along Gil Puyat in Makati City. Last year, the patriarch took a gamble and moved to a bigger facility (32nd St. & 4th Avenue, Crescent Park West) primarily because of the need for more space to display a growing number of car brands under his watch.

The risk paid off. A year later, sales continued to pick up. Perhaps bringing together these brands under one roof had communicated the company’s intent of bringing only the “greatest brands” into the local market.

“The showroom has been geographically and architecturally designed to create good brand exposure and awareness to the thousands of motorists and individuals who pass by the area on a daily basis. It gives the car brands a chance to become more accessible and visible to people and clients who admire looking at Jaguars and Land Rovers,” Soong said.

THE JLR TEAM is composed of (from left) motoring division head Ivy MD Claveria Eliza, chief finance officer Meldy Velez Acosta, marketing director Johnas Christianne Soriano, after-sales manager Ryan P. Trajano, Jaguar Cars Inc. brand manager Benedict R. Garcia, and LRPhils. Motors Inc. brand manager Eliza Gay M. Marquez.

When the car brands made the move last year, it was almost a pledge of the company’s intention to stay for the long haul. The story does not end when a sale is made, Soong said. Instead, it marks the start of a generations-long relationship.

This is why the Soong family has made the effort to make the showroom as comfortable as possible, creating an atmosphere that potential clients and casual car lovers may admire, examine, and caress the luxury vehicles in a most refined environment.

Suffice it to say that, the company has come a long way. It does help that these vehicle brands represent the most iconic masterpieces, thus helping make it a lot easier for Soong and his group to sell. The brands themselves guarantee a secure tomorrow for the company in years to come.

Motivated by the “Live the Dream, Pursue the Challenge” campaign, Soong said that car enthusiasts should expect to see more showrooms

MARC Louis O. Soong, executive director of Jaguar Cars Inc. and LRPhils Motors Inc.

for these premium car brands outside Metro Manila within the next five years.

According to Soong, “We started 1997 for Jaguar, and have survived several economic crises such as the Asian Crisis in the ’90s and the global turmoil of 2008. Yet here we are in this significant milestone. I feel like we are blazing our own path to success, crossing one finish line after another.”