JLR to ramp up model range substantially

The Tata-owned premium automotive car brands Jaguar and Land Rover are planning offensive that seems to rival Nissan's "one launch every six weeks" target - no less than thirty different launches are expected within the next five years. This includes new model lines, variants of existing models and and facelifts as well. To help this plan, Tata Motors has doubled the investment in capital expenditure and product development from Rs 6,292 crore to Rs 1.26 lakh crore per year. The former figure has been the budget for the last five years or so. 

Among the new products scheduled for launch are the new Defender whose concepts were displayed at the Auto Expo this January; a small sedan that will compete with the BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-Class, a convertible SUV based on the Evoque, and hybrid variants of existing models. Also in the pipeline are region-specific Range Rovers - modifications unique to China are a given, considering it is the second-biggest market for the brand after the USA. It is also one of the two biggest growth markets, the other being Russia, as is evident by the near-doubling of sales in the Chinese market over the last nine months compared to the equivalent period the preceding year. 

The current profits are being pumped right back in to JLR for expansion of production facilities and the development of new models, something which was lacking sorely during the last few years under the ownership of the cash-strapped Blue Oval.