BMW and Jaguar Land Rover working together on MORE than EVs and engines

As Jaguar Land Rover seek partners, BMW confirms they are already working with JLR on more than electric car components and engines.

We’ve long expected Jaguar Land Rover to make use of BMW’s engines, and especially for the big capacity V8 JLR need to replace the aging, and soon to be defunct, supercharged V8 currently sourced from Ford which features in cars like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Jaguar F-Pace and Jaguar F-Type.

It’s expected to make a first appearance in the new Jaguar F-Type – a car Jaguar has already stopped taking new orders for – and make its way in to the rest of the JLR range in quick sticks.

But the quite long-standing plan to put BMW engines in Jaguars and Land Rovers is just the start of the co-operation between BMW and JLR, with JLR and BMW already working together on electric cars and components too.

But the news that JLR are seeking partners to rebuild and deliver future product has seen JLR courting BMW for a deeper relationship, perhaps not a takeover of JLR by BMW, but a lot of component and development sharing.

Now, that seems to be moving closer, with BMW boss Oliver Zipse adding credence to the rumours. According to The Telegraph, Zipse, speaking at the launch of a new battery research centre in Munich, said:

Co-operation and working together is the new normal in the industry.

We are not only working on electric drive trains and internal combustion engines with JLR, but other components.

He clarified that when asked about a deal with JLR by saying “We have made no decision on it – I cannot comment on something that is not decided“. 

But a deal between BMW and Jaguar Land Rover certainly looks to be in the offing.