Jaguar Land Rover China: New brand and new models

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