Currently reading: JLR to assemble Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models in India

It will be the first time the brand's luxury SUVs have been produced outside of the UK

Jaguar Land Rover will build Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models in India, the first country outside of the UK to produce the brand’s luxury SUVs.

The move will help the British marque fulfil growing demand from Asian buyers. Currently, neighbouring China is JLR’s biggest retail market, with 104,123 sales last year (up 14.4% year on year), and India one of its biggest growers, with an 81% year-on-year increase (4436 sales).

Currently built at only JLR’s Solihull Plant, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models will be assembled – expected to be from knock-down kits – at parent company Tata Motors’ Pune plant, located near Mumbai in western India. 

The plant has been assembling other JLR models for more than a decade, starting with the Land Rover Freelander 2 in 2011. The Range Rover Velar, Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar F-Pace and Discovery Sport are currently produced there.

This will enable a big jump in Range Rover volumes for the region, JLR told Autocar, as well as bringing down prices - currently inflated by transport costs. A production target has not yet been announced.

The brand added: "Locally manufacturing Range Rover in India will enable JLR to better respond to growing client demand for our modern luxury vehicles with shorter waiting times. Locally manufactured Range Rovers will not be shipped outside of India. This additional production for the Indian market will supplement the global production of Range Rover which remains in Solihull."

 

Manufacturing of Range Rovers in India should “send a signal of the confidence we have in India”, Tata boss Natarajan Chandrasekaran told Autocar India.

 

 

The news follows a Reuters report last month that suggested JLR will build cars from scratch, rather than just being assembled from kits, at a new Tata-owned factory in Tamil Nadu, southern India. 

It is not yet known which models could be built there and JLR declined to comment on the Reuters report when contacted by Autocar.

It would make sense for the brand to use the plant for its best-sellers, such as the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Defender models. The Defender is already built outside of the UK, in Nitra, Slovakia. 

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Jaguar's upcoming electric cars are unlikely to be selected for production in India, though, given their billing as low-volume luxury cars and previous confirmation that they will be built in Solihull. The brand's current line-up, built across Castle Bromwich (UK) and Graz (Austria), is set to be withdrawn from sale in 2025.

JLR has recently enjoyed a rebound from years of financial challenges, spurred on by the launches of its three flagship SUVs. Between October and December 2023, it recorded its highest quarterly profit in six years, taking £627 million before tax and exceptional items.

Will Rimell

Will Rimell
Title: News editor

Will is Autocar's news editor.​ His focus is on setting Autocar's news agenda, interviewing top executives, reporting from car launches, and unearthing exclusives.

As part of his role, he also manages Autocar Business – the brand's B2B platform – and Haymarket's aftermarket publication CAT.

Charlie Martin

Charlie Martin Autocar
Title: Editorial assistant, Autocar

As part of Autocar’s news desk, Charlie plays a key role in the title’s coverage of new car launches and industry events. He’s also a regular contributor to its social media channels, providing videos for Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter.

Charlie joined Autocar in July 2022 after a nine-month stint as an apprentice with sister publication What Car?, during which he acquired his gold-standard NCTJ diploma with the Press Association.

Charlie is the proud owner of a Fiat Panda 100HP, which he swears to be the best car in the world. Until it breaks.

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