Updated: ‘Pivotal’ subscription service launched by JLR

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has launched a new, premium car subscription service, called Pivotal, to allow customers to swap models when it suits them.

The Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport and all four Range Rover models are included, with the new Land Rover Defender being introduced at a later stage together with two new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque PHEVs.

JLR says a member will also receive a “fresh” car every six months, depending on how many miles they drive. All cars are of a premium specification and less than two years old.

There is a joining fee of £550 inc VAT and if the driver wants to upgrade or downgrade their car outside the six-month vehicle refresh they will incur as yet an undisclosed charge, but a “pause” at three-months is offered.

Available vehicles are placed in four categories – Blue, Indigo, Violet and Ultraviolet – with the monthly rental charge starting from £750 (Blue) for a Land Rover Discovery Sport, Jaguar F-Pace or Range Rover Evoque.

A Range Rover Velar or Jaguar I-Pace is available for £1,150 (Indigo) per month; a Range Rover Sport is £1,350 (Violet) and a Range Rover £1,600 (Ultraviolet).  

The monthly fee includes manufacturer warranty, roadside assistance and comprehensive insurance covering the Pivotal member and one other named driver for personal and business use and foreign travel within Europe.

To be approved, drivers will have to undergo an identity Check, a DVLA check on each driver and a Credit Check using Experian on the main account holder (individual or business).

JLR says that a vehicle can be available within 48 hours, but typically it usually takes 10-14 days to deliver depending on vehicle availability.

Drivers will also need to be over 30 years of age; have proof of no insurance claims for a minimum of two years; no previous motor insurance cancelled or declined; have held a full UK or EU Driving Licence for at least two years; and have no more than six points on their licence.

Isobel Dando, managing director of Pivotal said: “The world is changing, and Jaguar Land Rover is changing with it, adapting to the needs of our customers as well as supplying those who would not normally consider our cars and SUVs. 

“Traditional car ownership may not provide the flexibility required by some in the modern world, and with Pivotal we are able to offer an alternative, premium option.”

Pivotal comes after JLR’s mobility arm InMotion Ventures launched Carpe, its first subscription service in 2018. However, that service was for a 12-month contract with unlimited mileage.

The new service offers an alternative to the traditional vehicle ownership and leasing plans, it says.

Already, 18% of drivers prefer no-commitment subscriptions to paid-up ownership, says JLR. These are predicted to account for nearly 10% of all new sales in the USA and Europe by 2025 – equivalent to some 16 million vehicles.

The early trials have proven this as an effective way of encouraging new customers to try the brands, with 80% of new members not having previously owned a Jaguar or Land Rover vehicle.

Rawdon Glover, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover UK said: “The future of mobility has never been more in the spotlight and our customers are increasingly looking for more flexibility in the way they interact with us.

“We are constantly looking at new and innovative ways to deliver the best solutions for our customers and adding the Pivotal subscription service to our portfolio is the latest in a line of new services that put our customers’ needs first. 

“Through Pivotal and our network of retail partners, even more drivers can get behind the wheel of a Jaguar or Land Rover and we’re excited to see how this new initiative fits in a post-pandemic world where personal transport will undoubtedly be in more demand.”

Pivotal is also backed by InMotion and aims to provide the most flexible all-inclusive premium car subscription service, targeted at the 20% of young professionals who wouldn’t normally own a car.

Pivotal, says the manufacturer, will secure Jaguar Land Rover a place in the mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) market, with the ultimate goal of achieving zero congestion and zero accidents as part of its Destination Zero vision.