JAGUAR | Land Rover | Range Rover Philippines (JLR) reaffirmed its commitment to invest in the future of the automotive industry when it inaugurated the JLR Lifestyle and Activity Centre yesterday on the corner of 32nd Street and 4th Avenue, Crescent Park West Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Philippines.
Highly acclaimed around the globe, Jaguar has become one of the world’s leading producers of beautiful, fast cars, while Land Rover and Range Rover are makers of the world’s most versatile all-terrain vehicles. Quite aptly, the facility exudes luxury and elegance, and does justice to the brands represented therein.
It also serves as a fitting testament to their 15 years of success in the Philippine market.
The JLR Lifestyle and Activity Centre is the result of a carefully crafted plan by Wellington C. Soong, chairman and president of Jaguar Philippines. From its conceptualization to its execution, as well as the choice of its strategic location within the heart of Bonifacio Global City—everything was intended to produce a world-class facility that would truly let the people feel a different experience as they walk through the new building.
“We had to move to a bigger facility due to the increasing number of the brands. Making this significant decision is fundamentally driven by space, and we are lucky to have the chance to have an area which gives us the visibility and prominence for the brands!” Soong said of his reason for transferring to the new location. “And since our brands involve passion and are aspirational, we also want to offer a different, total experience beyond just selling cars. I have always maintained that when we close a sale, it is not the end of a transaction, instead, it signals the start of a long-term relationship.”
Soong is one who always takes a 100-percent, hands-on approach to all of his projects. Thus, it isn’t surprising that his vision as well as impeccable taste are evident in everything that went into the facility.
“Form always follows function—to be able to provide all the people who come to the showroom the visual space and to dramatize the presence of our cars with their distinctive beautiful designs—these are what served as my inspirations for the Lifestyle and Activity Centre,” Soong explained.
The JLR Lifestyle and Activity Centre, which will serve as an office for 75 people, sits on a 2,108.90-sq-m lot, while the building occupies an area of 1,462.50 sq m. The ground floor has two showrooms: a 610.20-sq-m area for the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands and a 646.40-sq-m section for the Ferrari and Maserati brands. The second floor features a conference room, a huddle room, five executive rooms and five office spaces. The building also features a bridgeway with an executive lounge and two storage rooms. All of the furniture systems are supplied by Steelcase.
In keeping with the technological gadgets of the vehicles in the showroom, the JLR Lifestyle and Activity Centre has also been fitted with automated devices. Soong explained: “The motoring brands that we distribute represent the finest in automotive design and engineering excellence. Thus, I wanted to showcase all the benefits of technology, which is why I made sure that the building facilities were fitted with energy-saving features such as induction lighting by Electro-Systems Industries, which are designed to reduce our lighting bill by 40 percent. We also have a building management system for our air conditioning, which makes use of energy efficiently, as well as a very advanced fire safety and redemption system.”
According to Soong, “When all is said and done, the underlying reason for the JLR Lifestyle and Activity Centre is to provide customers and visitors the chance to come up close to our brands in a more intimate manner.”
When asked what else he has in store for Jaguar aficionados after setting up the new facility, he revealed with a smile, “We intend to put in place a Jaguar Owners Club to relive the passion of its historical past.”
Simply purr-fect Mr. Soong!
