• MSNBC.com, Wednesday, August 15, 2007 11:15 AM

Jaguar once was among the elite in luxury nameplates. Its name was synonymous with excellence. It's no coincidence that the Big Cat's fall from grace has coincided with its ownership by Ford Motor Co., which acquired the British nameplate in 1989 and now is considering selling it.

When Ford reported gloomy July sales figures this month, it became clear just how far the tarnished Jaguar brand had fallen. All six of Ford's vehicle brands saw monthly sales declines, but Jaguar took the biggest hit, with sales tumbling 43 percent to just 1,136 vehicles. Last year Jaguar's U.S. sales fell 30 percent.

What happened? Put simply, Jaguar hasn't kept up with the times, particularly when it comes to style.

Read the whole story at MSNBC.com »