It is that time of year when 2016 models are rolled out by most manufacturers eager for the publicity to get customers placing orders for their latest updated products.
High flying Jaguar Land Rover, known as JLR, is one such organisation and the two British brands that have benefited hugely under the ownership of the Indian conglomerate of TATA.
One of the best summaries I have read about JLR came from their CEO Ralf Speth who said the firm “needed certain growth but not utmost growth and it is a boutique for connoisseurs who want something different rather than high street”. He added “we won’t sell millions”.
However JLR has trebled in size to almost half a million annual sales since TATA took over the company in 2008 and there is more investment and higher production capacity already in the pipeline. The all-new engine Wolverhampton based plant will gain a further £450 million investment to increase production of their new 2.0-litre diesel Ingenium engines and the expected new 2.0-litre petrol units. The workforce is scheduled to double to 1,400 employees as well. Currently a new Ingenium engine is produced every 36-seconds
Over the last five years JLR has taken its global workforce up to 36,000 employees, increasing to 40,000 in 2016 and they have invested more than £11 billion in new product creation and capital expenditure.
Although the UK is the cornerstone of Jaguar Land Rover’s business, the company has recently signed a letter of intent for a potential additional production facility in Slovakia. The company also produces vehicle in China, India and Brazil as well as their three UK vehicle production plants of Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull as well as the new EMC engine plant at Wolverhampton.
In 2014 JLR sold 462,678 vehicles globally – an increase of 9%. Of that Jaguar achieved 81,570 sales and Land Rover 381,108 sales. Around 80% of JLR production goes to 180 global markets. In the UK it is really good news because for the first 11 months of this year registrations of Jaguar models were 22,035 vehicles – an increase of 29% over the same period last year. Land Rover sales to date are 61,608 vehicles – a 17% increase. Who buys them? Well Jaguar has a 50/50 sales split in the UK between retail and fleet/user-chooser business customers. For Land Rover the ratio is 60/40 retail to fleet/business-user chooser clients.
Chris Newitt JLR’s UK sales director told the media last week “we have a clear view for sales growth in addition to bringing new and exciting models to market. To do this we have in place a new strategy for our retail network. We have implemented an intensive training programme for dealership staff and a new corporate identity for all of our dealerships is being rolled out which will be completed by 2018. This represents a £750 million investment by JLR and the dealer network.”
So what’s new for 2016 on the model front? The hero new models will be Jaguar’s first ever SUV – the F-Pace with ordering now open and prices starting from £34,170 with petrol and diesel engine options. First deliveries to UK customers will be in June 2016. Already there has been 100,240 web-based configurations by global customers for the new F-Pace and the launch limited edition of 200 units for the UK has sold out as collectors seem eager to own Jaguar’s first ever SUV.
From the Land Rover stable will come the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible arriving in the Spring with the option of 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines with prices starting from £47,500.
To set the taste-buds in motion JLR last week rolled out to the motoring media some of their other 2016 models. These were the recently introduced XF D-segment saloon, the XE C-segment saloon, the XJ standard and long wheelbase E-segment limousine saloons, the latest updated Range Rover Evoque and the relatively new Land Rover Discovery Sport both with their new JLR 2.0-litre Ingenium turbodiesel engines.
Having covered the recent media launches and written about the Jaguar XE, XF ranges and the Land Rover Discovery Sport I opted to rediscover the Jaguar XJ and the best selling Range Rover Evoque models. The Jaguar XJ is first and the Evoque road test will follow in due course – but before 2016 arrives. Miles Better News Agency
