Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) India, in a landmark move, on May 24, announced that they would be locally assembling its iconic Range Rover and Range Rover Sport at the brand’s plant in Pune. This is a first in the 54-year history of these models. Until now, they were only produced at JLR’s Solihull plant in the UK and exported to 121 global markets, including India. This marks the first time these luxury SUVs will be produced outside the United Kingdom.
The move is expected to reduce prices by a significant 18%-22%, while still keeping them in the ₹1.5 crore and above category, said Rajan Amba, managing director and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover India.
The Range Rover Sport is expected to be available for delivery as early as August this year. Jaguar expects the local production would bring down the waiting period for the two Range Rover models over the next year. The locally manufactured Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will be available in both petrol and diesel variants.
The company has plans to double its business in the next three years, introducing innovative products and leveraging the Tata Group ecosystem. JLR also plans to introduce six new battery electric vehicles in India over the next four years.
JLR India reported an 81% increase in retail sales last fiscal year, with 4,436 units sold.
The company already assembles its models, viz. Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar F-PACE and Discovery Sport in Pune.
With the addition of the two models, JLR India will now be rolling out a total of six models from the Pune-based facility it shares with Tata Motors.
N Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata Group, expressed his confidence in the decision, expecting it to boost sales in India. Rajan Amba, JLR India MD, shared this optimism, stating that local production will make Range Rover and Range Rover Sports more accessible to Indian buyers.
The Made in India Range Rovers are expected to be more affordable than ever before as well. The Range Rover family in India includes the New Range Rover (starting at Rs 236 Lakh), Range Rover Sport (starting at Rs 140 Lakh), New Range Rover Velar (starting at Rs 87.90 Lakh), and Range Rover Evoque (starting at Rs 67.90 Lakh), all prices mentioned are ex-showroom in India.
The local production of Range Rover models in India is likely to have several implications for employment in the country apart from the luxury car loving people. The establishment of local manufacturing facilities requires skilled workers, technicians, and engineers. Jaguar Land Rover’s Pune facility will need a workforce to assemble, test, and maintain the vehicles. This could lead to job creation for local residents.
