Jaguar Land Rover reports sale of 42,000 units in China in 2011

The British premium marquee Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) owned by Indian auto major Tata Motors, has reportedly announced that the manufacturer sold 42,063 vehicles in China in 2011. The sales figure represents 61 percent growth for the manufacturer.

Jaguar Land Rover

According to reports, JLR's strong Chinese sales performance last year is in no small part due to the manufacturer's increased efforts to improve product localization. The reports quoted Bob Grace, director of the manufacturer's China Operations as saying that the manufacturer was committed on making even further strides in 2012. He added that JLR will expand its Chinese product line in the new year.

It was also reported that JLR set new sales records for every quarter of last year, and its total sales amount for the first three quarters of the year was already more than the amount sold in all of 2010. Among its two brands, Jaguar sales grew 123 percent from 2010, with 945 Jaguars sold in December alone. Meanwhile, sales of Land Rovers, boasted by the introduction of the new Range Rover Evoque continued to grow steadily with a total of 36,087 units sold in 2011, according to reports. Source: Wheels Unplugged

2011: Record-setting sales for Jaguar Land Rover China

Jaguar Land Rover has expanded its lineup in China and introduced models tailored to local consumer tastes.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) China sales exceeded 42,000 units for the first time in 2011 as it equaled, then surpassed, its previous sales record in just the first nine months of the year.

The company has registered exponential growth in deliveries since first entering the China market, when only a few hundred vehicles were sold.

Surpassing its 2011 target for exports to China of 40,000 vehicles, the auto company also made a significant contribution to Sino-UK economic and trade cooperation.

Its final tally of 42,063 vehicles represents growth of 61 percent over 2010, outperforming the overall average in the China luxury auto sector.

Jaguar set a single-month high with 945 cars sold in December alone.

Land Rover delivered 36,087 vehicles last year, a 54 percent sales increase over 2010.

Commitment to China

"JLR China's strategy and investments have led to breakthrough growth and have established us as one of the leading luxury car manufacturers in this market," said Bob Grace, the company's president.

"Building on our momentum, we will continue to pursue strong and steady growth and fulfill our long-term commitment to China. In this endeavor, we will provide our customers with more value and strive to contribute to an even more prosperous and sustainable auto industry in China."

With vehicles specifically developed to meet Chinese consumer "wishes and needs," Grace highlighted the XJ 3.0 developed for the new generation Chinese business elites.

With cutting-edge designs and luxurious comfort, the model was responsible for almost half of Jaguar's sales, rising about fivefold over 2010.

With its first 12MY model off the production line already sent to its Chinese owner and performing nearly on par with the XJ in the market, the newly-launched XF model, equipped with a dramatically-new design and full upgrade options, further underscores the brand's dedication to Chinese customers.

The Range Rover Evoque won the award for most anticipated model of the year due to its higher engine efficiency, cutting-edge design and tailored features.

The smallest, lightest and most fuel-efficient Land Rover ever produced, it received more than 8,500 pre-orders in six months and won nearly 30 prestigious auto awards by the end of the year.

The Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition and Freelander Christmas/New Years Limited Edition stood out among other special edition products, demonstrating the company's engineering prowess and affirming it's a commitment to offer exclusive luxury specials for Chinese consumers.



Customer relations

JLR has expanded its infrastructure while exploring customer-friendly and innovative approaches in the market.

The auto manufacturer has now signed up 113 authorized dealers across the country, while new training academies, distribution channels and collaboration with leading auto companies have contributed to greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

As a trendsetter in the emerging markets, the company created unique marketing campaigns in projects like the "Evoque Effect" miniseries movies and Range Rover Evoque test drive, the biggest in Asia. Getting closer to its consumers and taking the lead in community-wide efforts are essential to JLR's global development.

Protecting the environment, fostering local talent and giving back to the community, JLR has leveraged its expertise and brought substantial resources to China.

The auto manufacturer's projects include a CO2 offset program whose contributions in China over the past year were valued at more than 24 million yuan.

JLR's first school-enterprise partnership in China - the Apprentice Training Program - has fostered development of highly skilled local auto industry talent. Partnering with other organizations, JLR offers care to disadvantaged groups through donations to cleft-lipped children and to AIDS prevention programs.

Source: China Daily

Jaguar Land Rover to invest £100 million in China factory

Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover is planning an investment of £100 million to build a factory in China, according to the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald newspaper.

JLR CEO Ralf Speth said the company will make 50,000 cars a year in China, with production starting as soon as the carmaker finds a suitable Chinese partner. So far, Chery Automobile has confirmed it has already submitted details regarding a cooperation with JLR to government authorities, with the two manufacturers likely to begin working together soon.

Jaguar Land Rover sold 37,000 vehicles in China in the first 11 months of this year, with most of the sales (32,000 units) being Land Rover cars. According to JLR China senior sales manager Tom Bury, JLR’s sales performance this year exceeded expectations. Growth rates in the Chinese luxury segment are still far above the industry average.

In May this year, JLR owner Tata Motors said it will begin Chinese production of Jaguars and Land Rovers within two years. JLR has since started talks with several automakers in the past, Jiangling, Geely, Changfeng and Great Wall. Finally, JLR agreed a deal with Chery Automobile, China’s best-selling car brand.



JLR wants to introduce 40 new models over the next five years, most of them for China. The UK-based manufacturer will continue to expand its dealer network in China, aiming to have a total of 100 dealerships by the end of the year.

Source: INAUTONEWS

Chery and Jaguar Land Rover to jointly unveil new platform in 2016

Chery and Jaguar Land Rover's proposed joint venture is set to see results as soon as 2016, when the joint venture is scheduled to unveil its new automobile platform, Economic Observer News reported today.

Although the proposed cooperation between Chery and Alfa Romeo three years ago did not come to fruition, the Chinese manufacturer is not deterred in its quest to find a European partner. News of the upcoming automobile platform implies that the Chery-Jaguar Land Rover joint venture is going smoothly.

There have been several reports that the JV would create a brand new business model, with all intellectual rights to the model belonging to the Chery name. FAW, SAIC, Dongfeng and GAC have all attempted similar business models in the past, with varying degrees of success. This is something which both parties have refused to comment on.

"Chery specifically needs experience with making luxury vehicles," an analyst (who wished to remain unnamed) who spent several years following the manufacturer's progress said. He added that without anything new to show, the venture will have a hard time gaining the National Development and Reform Commission's approval.

Source: Gasgoo - Global Auto Sources

JLR may develop Jaguar-based car with Chery logo

Jaguar Land Rover Plc (JLR) has agreed in principle with China's Chery Automobile to develop a luxury car based on its Jaguar models that may carry a Chery or a new marque in order to win Chinese government approval for a manufacturing venture, a Chinese newspaper reported on Wednesday.



Britain-based JLR, a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors Ltd, had previously explored cooperations with Chinese partners, including Great Wall Motor Co Ltd , but made little headway.

"The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) made it very clear that in order to get approval for the project to go ahead, the two sides must have substantial cooperation, not just adding new capacity," the 21st Century Business Herold said, citing an unnamed source.

The NDRC has the power to approve or block major foreign joint venture projects.

A proposed tie-up between Chery and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd to make Subaru vehicles in China hit regulatory snags because the deal was ruled to lack substance, according to the source.

The newspaper said a car co-developed by JLR and Chery would carry either a Chery logo or a joint venture logo and the two sides might also collaborate on green vehicles.

Chery and JLR executives could not immediately be reached for comment.

Source: Reuters

Jaguar Land Rover at 2011 Guangzhou Auto Show

Jaguar XF (Left) and Jaguar XJ at 2011 Guangzhou Auto Show

Among the shiny nameplates that brought their latest and best products to allure local customers is British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar.

Jaguar reported a 91 percent surge in China sales in the first 10 months this year as it delivered 4,400 cars. As a niche brand, those four digits already make China its third-biggest market globally after the US and the UK.

But the company's management is not satisfied - they aim for long-term, sustainable growth in the lucrative market.

In the view of Anthony Bradbury, the newly appointed executive vice-president of Jaguar China, the auto legend has great products, so the imperative now is to develop broader brand awareness in the country.

An Oxford University graduate with major in music - yet fascinated by the car business - Bradbury joined Jaguar Land Rover in 1998 and has led in several key projects in marketing and communications. He stepped up to the new position in China just five months ago.

"We are still not as well-known as some of our competitors," he said. "That's why one of my priorities is to work on building the brand."

"What we find is when people know enough about Jaguar, when they come to our showroom, see our cars, sit in them, touch and feel the luxury, drive them, they will often buy. But not enough people yet know about Jaguar.

"This is probably the biggest challenge," Bradbury said, noting that the company will continue to build awareness of the brand so luxury consumers put Jaguar on their shopping list.

In an effort to take the "authentic British brand" to more Chinese cities and closer to local customers, the company has been working hard in expanding dealerships, mostly in big and medium-sized cities.

Together with Land Rover, Jaguar now has about 80 dealer outlets in China, and the figure is about to exceed 100 as the contract for its 100th dealership in the country was signed recently.

Bradbury said that in the southern market alone, Jaguar's dealerships will grow by 50 percent in fiscal year 2011 that ends in March 2012.



Tailored model  

In addition to dealership expansion, tailored models are also driving sales in China, Bradbury said.

The company currently imports the XF mid-sized executive sedan, the XJ full-sized saloon and the XKR high-performance sports car to China.

The XF contributed the biggest sales until April this year, when Jaguar launched the new XJ equipped with a 3-liter engine at Shanghai auto show. Previously the XJ was only available in China with a 5-liter power plant.

"That is a car that started our tailored-for-China product strategy," Bradbury said. "It has an engine and suspension that are tuned and refined to carefully match Chinese consumer requirements."

Sales of the 3.0-liter XJ jumped from the start. The company now sells almost the same numbers of XF and XJ models in China - a unique market structure for Jaguar worldwide.

"Probably at the end of this year we will be the biggest market for the XJ," Bradbury said.

That statement carried an element of uncertainty, but he said he is entirely sure that "China will be the most important market for the XJ in the long term and the model will be the heart of the Jaguar brand in China".

Fewer XKR sports cars are sold in the country in comparison to the XF and XJ, as the luxury car market in China is still dominated by sedans and the sports car segment remains underdeveloped.

Still, sales of the model have quadrupled so far this year over the same period in 2010, according to Bradbury.

Bradbury said that as roads continue to improve and people have more understanding of sports cars, the models will become more popular in China.

The company has taken initiative to hold city tours and track days across the country to promote sports car culture and gather more fans.

Front of the queue

In company discussions about product allocation, China is always at the front of the queue, Bradbury said. "We understand how important supporting China is as a sign of our long-term investment here."

Despite increasing competition, he is convinced that Jaguar is well placed to ride the strong growth in China's luxury car market, which continues to outpace the overall market.

Bradbury said his confidence in the brand comes from its unique nature. "We are not a me-too brand - we are a brand with rich British heritage, with an understated style, with elegance and nobility."

"We'd like to say at Jaguar that we are a breed apart," Bradbury said, noting the importance of maintaining its differentiation in the marketplace.

"Hopefully this more individual positioning will give us a strength. So as the market become more competitive, we will always stand to be something that is a little bit different, a little bit more desirable."

But Bradbury declined to give a sales target for the brand in China next year. "We tend to not discuss future sales targets only because if you do, whatever the number, it won't be precisely right."

"We want to continue to grow," he went on to say, "but it is not just about selling more cars, it is really important that we grow in a way that is sustainable and ensure the right infrastructure is in place to serve customers."

Source: China Daily

China overtakes US in Land Rover sales

China has pipped the US to become the second single largest market for Tata Motors-owned Land Rover. In July-September, the sport utility vehicle (SUV) maker sold 9,235 units in China, compared to 9,010 units in the US. The UK is the single largest market for Land Rover.



The firm, famous for the legendary off-road prowess of its large, luxury SUVs, saw a jump of 79 per cent in retail volume in China, as the world’s most populous nation bought more Land Rovers than the combined volume of the US and Canada. In fact, just days after the Range Rover Evoque was open for pre-sales, China accounted for a fourth of the 30,000 pre-launch bookings.

China’s worldwide share rose to 16.5 per cent, from 10.3 per cent in the corresponding quarter last year, with total sales, both Jaguar and Land Rovers, rising to 10,869 units, according to data disclosed by Tata Motors. Tata Motors officials said the company was talking to a local partner in China, who could participate in setting up a local assembly unit to bring down costs further and make products more affordable.

Ralf Speth, chief executive officer, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), said, “Discussions with a potential partner in China for an assembly operation is on. The demand for JLR products is strong in China, and we expect them to remain strong in the coming days.”

JLR is betting on emerging markets like China, India and Brazil, as the European region continues to battle with its debt problems and the US economy slows.

“The situation in Europe is really very complex. Nobody at this moment can predict what’s going to happen from a financial point of view or from a political point of view,” said Speth.

Retail volume for JLR in Europe (excluding Russia) was down two per cent at 26,271 units in the first half of the financial year, with Jaguar sales declining by 25 per cent. Retail sales in the UK, JLR’s biggest market in the world, fell by 8.5 per cent to 25,663 units during the same period.

While Tata Motors’ assembly plant in India is already operational, where it makes the Freelander SUV, it is believed the country has already bought the first lot of the Evoque launched earlier this month, carrying a price tag upwards of Rs 44.75 lakh.



Tata Motors hopes to keep the momentum, with continuing market roll-out of the Evoque and Jaguar XF, in addition to the launch of the 2.2-litre diesel version of the luxury sedan. Other refreshed products of JLR will also hit markets in the ensuing quarters.

“The fact that despite having an average model age of 6.7 years, Land Rover volumes are still strong. Starting with the launch of the Evoque, all its brands are to introduce new models in the next five years. With its average model age declining to 2.5 years by 2015, we expect JLR volumes to increase from 243,000 units in 2010-11 to 290,000 units in 2012-13,” stated a Credit Suisse report.

Source: Business Standard

Range Rover Evoque Launched in China; Priced Competitively

Range Rover Evoque launch in China

Under the slogan of ‘Hello Beijing‘ Land Rover’s most fashionable car to date rolled out from under the curtain and positioned itself to take on the Chinese market. The Evoque has been priced at just over 620,000rmb for the five door and 630,000rmb for the three door version, as Chinese consumers generally have a terrible aversion to all things diesel only the 240bhp gasoline engine is being offered in China for the time being.

The British made Evoque is actually very well positioned in the Chinese market, in the same pricing segment you have the box like German made Mercedes GLK which starts at 440,000rmb and rises to 618,000rmb and BMW have the American made X3 at 540,000rmb rising to 700,000rmb, below it you have the Chinese made Audi Q5 which weighs in at around 400,000rmb. Of course, the BMW and Mercedes offerings are giving six cylinder engines with similar power outputs as the Evoque, but the Evoque’s major selling point is its high power coupled with high fuel economy – then again, consumers that have 600k RMB to blow on a car will not worry about fuel costs in the short term.

The Evoque is likely to boost Land Rover’s sales in the Chinese market by a large margin and will give consumers a welcome break from the usual German luxury SUV’s and slightly odd looking Japanese luxury SUV offerings. Should Land Rover put models such as the Evoque into production in China in the next few years, then we could potentially see the Land Rover brand expand considerably.



Source: China Car Times

Jaguar Land Rover: China will be top market

With its large population and increasing wealth, China is the top market for many foreign companies today - a lineup British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover is about to join.

Phil Popham, group sales operation director for the company, said in a recent interview at its China headquarters in Shanghai that he expects "in the not-too-distant future" China will be the automaker's No 1 market.

"As a result, China is taking a significantly more influential role in our business in terms of product engineering and design to make sure that we have products that are right for the emerging consumer," he said.

The company, owned by India's Tata Motors, delivered about 32,143 vehicles -27,761 Land Rovers and 4,382 Jaguars - in China in the first 10 months this year, up 60 percent over the same period of 2010.

Combined sales of the two brands are expected to hit 40,000 units by the end of the year, said Bob Grace, president of Jaguar Land Rover China.

Grace declined to forecast sales figures for 2012, but said that he expects to see "significant growth".

The upcoming Range Rover Evoque, or Jiguang in Chinese, will give a massive boost to sales volume next year, he added.

The smallest and most fuel-efficient Range Rover model, the Jiguang will hit the market next week. After pre-sales began in April in Shanghai, about 7,000 orders for the model have been received, according to the company.

Instead of relying on a single product, Grace said that Jaguar Land Rover will bring in quite a number of interesting new variants to capture the attention of consumers next year.

"There will be cars that will be tailored to the Chinese market more than they are today," he said, but added the plan has to stay a secret at the moment.

Coming out of a global recession that hit the car market hard, Jaguar Land Rover is now profitable and reinvesting every single pound it earns back into the future of its business, Popham said.

The automaker announced earlier this year that it will invest 1.5 billion pounds ($2.4 billion) every year from 2011 to 2015 to roll out 40 new and revamped products globally.

But the company is not just investing in products - it is investing in infrastructure all over the world, Popham said, noting that Jaguar Land Rover now sells in 177 countries and regions.

Heavy investment is also pouring into China. Grace said that a new training academy will open in western China early next year following the two existing academies in Beijing and Shanghai.

Another parts distribution center, its fifth, will be set up next year. It already has warehouses in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Suzhou.

Its dealership expansion has also been rapid.

"In China the key thing we have been working on over the course of the last 16 months since we took control of distribution here was really getting closer to customers," said Bob Grace.

Before the automaker set up a national sales company to manage its China import channel and dealerships, it had some 40 outlets. Today it has 80 in operation.

"We built that network with very strong input from Chinese partners," Grace said, adding that its 100th dealership in the country had been appointed in Zhengzhou, capital of the central province Henan.

China's luxury vehicle market has been in the fast lane for the past two years and the momentum continued this year.

German automakers Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which have local production in the country, have benefited most from the growing demand and taken a majority of the market.

And they are all building more capacity at their local facilities to meet the increasing demand, which is expected to continue for the next couple of years.

Analysts generally believe that local production gives luxury manufacturers an advantage in price competition because imported vehicles are heavily taxed in China.

Jaguar Land Rover is still awaiting government approval to set up a joint venture in China with a local automaker, which Popham described as a "long-term, complex" process.

While some customers think locally produced vehicles do not have the same quality as imports, Popham noted that Jaguar Land Rover "will be absolutely stringent in terms of standards to ensure that a vehicle built here, the UK or anywhere else in the world is consistent and meets the expectation of customers in their perception of our brand."

Earlier this year Jaguar Land Rover opened an assembly plant in India, its first factory outside the UK.

Source: China Daily

Jaguar Land Rover China: New brand and new models

Jaguar Land rover China - New Models and new Brands with Chery JV in China

Reports from China reconfirm our reported JV between Jaguar Land Rover and Chery and say JLR are planning new models for China and a new brand.

It’s been clear for some time that Jaguar Land Rover are eager to cement a joint venture (JV) with a Chinese car maker so they can have a beachhead in to China’s rapidly growing car market. And that JLR JV seems almost certain to be with Chery.

Part of the deal for Western car companies seeking to do business in China is not just a partnership with a Chinese company, but a sharing of technology and a range of cars badged up with the Chinese partner company’s brand. So with a deal with Chery likely to be given government approval in China soon, speculation turns to what exactly all this means for JLR.

Reports in China now say that a new brand will be created to push a range of Jaguar Land Rovers produced by Chery (we’ll refrain from the obvious Rand Lover – well, maybe not) and that there will be models specifically for the Chinese market. But what will they be?

It probably depends on whether the new models aimed just at China are badged with the new brand or the Jaguar or Land Rover monikers, but there seems to be a few obvious choices.

In one way Jaguar are already producing a China-only Jaguar in the XF. Jaguar dropped their old V6 petrol in to XFs bound for China when it stopped being EU compliant (and it’s just under 3.0 litres – an important import tax point for China), but any China specific JLR car is likely to be more than just an engine.



Probably the most likely candidates are stretched versions of the Freelander 2 and the Jaguar XF. There were plans for a long time to stretch the Freelander 2 (which, certainly in the West, have probably been supplanted by plans to make a stretched ‘Grand Evoque’) but they never happened. So perhaps that’s a good starting point for China with plenty of the work already done.

For Jaguar, a stretched XF to give the Chinese more room is probably a no-brainer. BMW already do a stretched 5 Series for the Chinese market, so pitching a LWB XF in to the mix is probably a given.

Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess. But with the size and importance of the Chinese car market it’s clear JLR will be doing whatever it takes to make their mark.

Source: China Car Times

Jaguar Land Rover's Chinese sales for first three quarters grow 60%

Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover China announced that its total sales in China from the beginning of the year to the end of the third quarter totaled 29,377 units, the Beijing News reported today. The figure is 60 percent higher than last year and has allowed Jaguar Land Rover to complete its yearly target far ahead of schedule.


Since the establishment of an independent Chinese sales company, the two brands have been seeing strong consistent growth in the country. Of the total orders so far this year, 25,557 were for Land Rover vehicles, while the remaining 3,820 units sold were Jaguars, representing year-on-year growth of 60 percent and 77 percent, respectively. New models performed especially strongly, with sales of the Range Rover Evoque (pictured) near 6,500. Jaguar Land Rover is also rapidly expanding its sales network in the country, with construction on its hundredth Chinese dealership in Henan's capital of Zhengzhou having officially started.

Source: Gasgoo Autonews

Chery, Jaguar and Land Rover seek OK for China JV-paper

Chery Automobile and Jaguar and Land Rover are seeking regulatory approval to set up a joint venture in China, the China Business News said on Monday.



The two companies have basically finished discussions for a manufacturing tie-up, the newspaper said cited an unnamed source.

Chery spokesman said he had no information about it, so did a representative from Jaguar and Land Rover.

Chery and Fuji Heavy Industries had planned to make Subaru vehicles in China. But they have been unable to get regulatory approval due to potential conflicts with Beijing's industry policy.

Jaguar and Land Rover, controlled by Tata Motors , had also been looking for a Chinese partner and had contacted a slew of auto makers, including Great Wall Motor Co .

Source: Reuters

 

All models will be launched in China soon: Jaguar Land Rover

The new Jaguar XF was unveiled at the Chengdu Auto Show

As British luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover makes its most aggressive moves ever and rolls out about 40 new and revamped models in the next five years, the good news for Chinese fans is that a majority of them will be brought to the country, said Bob Grace, president of the company's China operation.

Earlier this year, the manufacturer owned by India's Tata Motors announced that it plans to invest about 1.5 billion pounds ($2.37 billion) every year for the next five years in new products.

"That will see us bring a lot of new models to China - they are all luxury vehicles with the latest technology, the cars that Chinese consumers are demanding," Grace told China Daily in an interview at the Chengdu Motor Show.

Some of the new models will be tailor-made for Chinese customers, who often prefer to ride in the backseat rather than driving themselves, Grace said, noting that the company will pay a lot more attention to rear seat comfort, including reclining and massaging seats as well as entertainment devices.

Like most of international luxury carmakers, Jaguar Land Rover already offers long wheelbase model in the Chinese market, a version of the Jaguar XJ.

The carmaker displayed its full range of Jaguar and Range Rover models at the Chengdu Motor Show, the most important auto exhibition in west China, which is expected to attract more than 350,000 visitors from September 16 to 25.

Grace said that the company plans to double its number of dealerships next year in western China, "an area that we expect to see significant growth".

Jaguar Land Rover has sold nearly 27,000 vehicles so far this year in China, an increase of 60 percent over a year earlier.

China is now the third-biggest market for Jaguar Land Rover worldwide, and is about to become the second largest, the company said.

Nearly 6,000 orders have been placed for the new Range Rover Evoque since pre-sales began in April.

On the verge

"The luxury car market in China is on the verge of becoming the biggest in the world," Grace said, "Jaguar Land Rover is very well positioned with the range of products to take advantage of that."

Grace estimates that China's luxury car market will grow more than 20 percent this year, much faster than the 5 percent growth in the overall auto market.

He also noted that the luxury SUV market will increase even more, a segment that the Land Rover brand is well positioned to tackle.

"Over the course of the next three to five years, we will see our business go from strength to strength," Grace said with confidence.

In the Chinese luxury market where German brands prevail, Grace believes that Jaguar and Land Rover, with unique brand heritage, contemporary design and differentiated luxury, could be an allure.

A most recent example of its "distinctive, not me-too" vehicles is the Range Rover Evoque, or Jiguang in Chinese. The company began pre-sales of the latest and smallest Range Rover model in China at the Shanghai auto show in April and has received nearly 6,000 orders so far.

"Consumer reaction to the Range Rover Evoque has been phenomenal everywhere across the world, not least here in China," Grace said.

The model just rolled off the production line in Liverpool, England in July this year.

The automaker now imports its Jaguar XF, XJ and XK, as well as Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Freelander 2, Discovery 4 and Defender under the Land Rover brand to China through a national sales company that was established in July last year.

More vehicles will come to China in the coming years include the Land Rover DC 100, DC 100 Sport and Jaguar C-X 16 concepts that were debuted at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, Grace said.

Training talent

Along with rapid business expansion in China, Jaguar Land Rover have established training academies in Shanghai and Beijing. The company plans to open a third in south or west China in the first half of next year.

Jointly with a local vocational college, the automaker launched an apprentice program in the beginning of this month.

Cultivating local talent is one of the company's goals for long-term sustainable development in the strategic market, Grace said.

"There is probably more talent in China than anywhere else in the world - the biggest issue is to make sure they understand the expectations of luxury customers."

Grace said that luxury customers in China today are much more globally aware and expect the type of high-level services they received in hotel and airlines when traveling around the world.

By the end of this year, Jaguar Land Rover will have about 100 dealerships in China. To ensure quality growth, the company has strict criteria in choosing new dealer partners.

They must have luxury brand experience, be good at customer relations and have skilled talent in their management, Grace said.

Big step

The biggest step Jaguar Land Rover will take in China is local production of its cars with a joint venture partner.

"We will bring latest technology to China in the short term as imported vehicles, but over a period of time, we will start to localize some key models," Grace said.

"Building vehicles here in China is a natural extension of wanting to develop the marketplace. It will allow us to manufacture cars tailored to the local consumer with faster access to the marketplace."

He did not reveal the details of the plan, only saying that the company is working "very aggressively" on the process.
Source: China Daily

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Jaguar Land Rover to pick Chinese partner by year-end

FRANKFURT: British luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) expects to decide on a local partner for production in China by the end of this year, its chief executive said.



"We're absolutely in our glide path to make the decision by the end of this year... but we cannot say when we will be able to start production in China," Ralf Speth told reporters at the Frankfurt auto show on Tuesday.

He added that the timing of a production start in China depended on official approval by Chinese regulators.

JLR, a unit of Tata Motors , is best known for its range of large sport utility vehicles such as the Range Rover and high performance sports cars like the XJ.

Nonetheless, Speth said he did not expect any problems achieving the European Union's strict target for carbon dioxide emissions by 2020.

"We see absolutely no problem reaching the 95 grammes per kilometre. We want to reach that."

He said JLR currently achieves almost no synergies with parent Tata Motors but the two companies were in talks to jointly use the lower end of the British carmaker's engine range.

Source: www.EconomicTimes.com