Tata Motors plans big promotion of Jaguar, Land Rover in India

Mumbai: Tata Motors is planning aggressive promotion of its UK acquisitions Jaguar and Land Rover models in India as sale of gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles taper off in the West..

''Land Rovers are present in small numbers in Mumbai currently. Our colleagues at JLR (Jaguar-Land Rover) have chalked out plans for expansion in the country within a one year time frame, which will be followed by the entry of Jaguar,'' Rajeev Dubey, president of passenger cars division of Tata Motors, said at the launch of the new Indica.

Tata Motors, which acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motors in an all-cash deal worth $2.3 billion, is forced to cut production due to falling sales and hence the India push.

British media reports said Tata Motors had cut production of the utility and sports utility vehicle due to a drop in sales. At the main Land Rover production centre at Solihull, two shifts have been scrapped, while three shifts will be cut next month at the Halewood factory where the Jaguar X-type is assembled.

While high oil prices have slowed down sales growth of utility vehicles in the US and European markets, the market for utility vehicles in India is yet to saw a big fall while car sales in general grew at  a robust 23.63 per cent in the first quarter this fiscal.

Sales growth of utility vehicles during April-July, however, was somewhat lower at 16.03 per cent, figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) show.