Barloworld stuck with Uncle Parks' 'Jag'

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Friday September 17, 2010 00:00

 

Ophaketse 'Uncle Parks' Gaobakwe had already passed away when the amazing car arrived in Botswana a couple of weeks ago and missed on the chance to drive the car whose designs have been inspired by aeroplane architecture.

Uncle Parks' son, Bissau, said yesterday he turned down the offer from Barloworld to buy the car, saying he did not need it.

He says Uncle Parks had ordered the car to celebrate his 70th birthday, as he  liked jaguars. Bissau also confirmed that Uncle Parks was one of the only two Batswana ever to buy the last updated model of the Jaguar XJ in 2008. Local Jaguar dealer sales manager,  Mogomotsi Badimela, while refusing to confirm that Uncle Phaks had ordered the new XJ, however confirmed yesterday that they are now marketing it to prospective buyers and referred any further queries to Bissau.

Barloworld say they are planning an official launch for the car.

However as Barloworld finds themselves having to raise a buyer for the Luxury car which would have brought them a sure P1.2 million, signs are that it is not going to be easy.

The Jaguar sedan is currently turning heads at the Barloworld showroom.

How about this: The new Jaguar does not use car keys to start. Just press a button and it starts, then you can talk to it to do the rest for you. For the uninitiated, the Jaguar XJ is the same model that features on rapper JAY-Z's video for the song, 'On to the Next One'.  The Jaguar marketers chose JAY-Z's song to make the XJ's global entertainment industry debut, according to Mike O'Driscoll, MD of Jaguar cars, on  Jaguar.com.

Now the local Jaguar dealer is spending money on full colour advertising announcing the arrival of the  all new XJ in Botswana, with the first P9,000 full colour advert for the luxury item flighting in the Sunday Standard this week. The local Jaguar dealer did not demand payment upfront from Uncle Parks since he was their loyal customer, having bought four other Jaguars from the dealership.

Sources at the local Jaguar dealership confirmed Uncle Parks would have been the first person in Botswana to drive it. Uncle Parks, passed away in August.