Jaguar Land Rover Carpe: what are car subscription services?

Customers can pick a new model every year
with monthly plan

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Called Carpe, the service allows customers to pick from a
variety of cars across the Jaguar Land Rover line-up, and costs
from £910 a month.

For that figure, buyers can get an entry-level Jaguar E-Pace crossover on a 12-month plan,
while the most expensive vehicle on the service is the Range Rover
Sport HSE for £2,200 per month, says Auto Express.

The Range Rover Evoque can be had from £980 per month, followed
by the Land Rover Discovery Sport for £1,130, and Jaguar F-Pace for
£1,325, the magazine says. The only JLR product not included in the
service is the new Velar SUV.

Although those prices do not include VAT, CNet reports, servicing, insurance through
Allianz, roadside assistance and car delivery are all included.

A deposit isn’t mandatory, but paying out upfront “will
reduce your monthly payment”, the tech site adds. 

What is a car subscription service?

A car subscription service is similar to taking out a smartphone
contract, with buyers able to “snag the latest model each year” by
signing on to a monthly plan, says US motoring
site Autoweek.

Most services include benefits such as insurance and servicing,
which can make premium cars significantly more attainable.

On the other hand, paying full price for a car gives buyers an
asset to sell, limiting the financial impact of vehicle ownership.
With a subscription model, buyers must hand back the car after the
12-month period ends and do not get any compensation.

This means a subscription service is “much more expensive than
just buying a car”, says CNN, but those who want the latest model “have
to pay for the privilege”.

Which manufacturers offer them?

Only a handful of manufacturers, including BMW, Porsche
and now JLR. 

BMW’s service starts at £568 and allows buyers to choose between
models ranging from the Mini Cooper hatchback to the 5-Series
saloon, says Autocar. The company lets customers upgrade or
downgrade cars “at any time”, with no financial penalty. 

Porsche’s subscription model is a little different. Customers
who pay a flat rate of $2,000 (£1,500) a month get access to nine
different sports cars, including the Cayman and Boxter, while upping the plan to
$3,000 (£2,250) lets them choose between as many as 22 different
models, The Sun says.

The service is currently only available in the US, but is
expected to be rolled out across Europe if it proves to be popular,
the newspaper adds.