Super Jag Shutdown

By William Daniels

Jaguars new export chasing super cars will halt production today – only two days after they were launched . The shutdown decision came as the new range of XJ6s and XJ12s went on display for admiring motor show crowds at Frankfurt, West Germany.

Two strikes at other firms have cut off supplies of vital parts, forcing Jaguar to stop their assembly lines from this afternoon.
About 3000 workers at Jaguar's Coventry plants will be laid off. "It is a tragedy for Jaguar," said a company spokesman.

"These are the best cars we have ever produced.  Reaction to them has been tremendous, and we are all bitterly isappointed at what has happened."

Executives expect that the rest of their labour force will have to be laid off next week. More than 800 new Jaguars a week will be lost. The company had expected to be working flat out to meet a huge demand for the new cars from Europe . The worst effects are being felt from a 24-day strike at Adwest Engineering, of Reading, Berks, which has stopped deliveries of steering units.