Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is all set to start production of its Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SUVs in India, reported PTI. This will mark the first such step for the iconic SUVs in their 54-year-long history when these luxury cars will be manufactured in a country outside the UK, the home country of the OEM. Revealing this information, Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran lauded Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata for bringing the JLR brand to the Tata Group 15 years ago.

Till now the British luxury car marque has produced the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport in JLR's Solihull plant in the UK and then exported to around 121 countries globally, including India. However, with the rapidly surging demand for luxury cars in India, and seeing the huge growth opportunity here, JLR has decided to start production of these two models locally in India. With this strategy, JLR will achieve the goal of lower pricing of these cars in the country, as the import duty will not be applied if the SUVs are locally built. This will help the OEM to lower the pricing of the SUVs by up to 22 per cent, which would eventually result in a boost in sales.

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With local production, the price of Range Rover Sport, which would be available for deliveries in August 2024, would come down to ₹1.4 crore (ex-showroom) as compared with ₹1.9 crore (ex-showroom) currently. Similarly, the price of Range Rover which will be available in the market from this month-end, would cost ₹2.6 crore (ex-showroom) for the Autobiography version which is currently available at around ₹3.3 crore (ex-showroom).

JLR currently has a plant in Pune which has an installed production capacity of around 10,000 units per annum. The company already assembles Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar F-Pace and Discovery Sport in the plant. 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.

Speaking on this move, Chandrasekaran reportedly said that this is going to be a very very special moment for the Tata Group. "The Range Rover will be manufactured right here in India is just a super feeling. It's a very very special moment and I feel proud," he said. The Tata official also noted that the company would see an increase in sales in the country going ahead. "We will sell more, I am very confident that it's going to be a great journey from here," he reportedly said. Chandrasekaran further said that the local manufacturing of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport in India should really send a signal and show the confidence that the company has in this market.

In an interaction with PTI, JLR India's Managing Director Rajan Amba said the local production of these two SUVs is a big step for the auto company to make the two models accessible to a wider set of customers in the Indian market. "For the first time in the history of the company, the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will also now be produced in India...this is a huge announcement for us as these are our flagship cars and have only been produced in Solihull in their 54 years long history," Amba reportedly said.

He also noted that the step is also an indication of the kind of market India is developing when it comes to premium products. "This local assembly will allow us to take the benefit of the duty structure and to bring the price down of the two models by about 18 to 22 per cent," Amba reportedly added.

In FY24, JLR India reported an 81 per cent increase in retail sales in India at 4,436 units. Citing that, Amba said that the company has calibrated expansion plans to grow business in the country. "Our intent is to double our business in the next three years. We will bring innovative products, leverage the Tata Group ecosystem and bring in the latest innovative products to the country," he said.

Besides local manufacturing of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, JLR has plans to launch six new battery electric cars in India over the next four years, Amba noted.

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