JaguarLandRover
(JLR) will start assembly of a third model at its factory in India by the end
of this year.
Chief executive officer Ralf Speth said that the
flagship Jaguar XJ will join the XF and Land Rover Freelander models already
being made at the plant in Pune.
Both brands are “struggling” to keep up with global
demand and JLR is utilising all the capacity it can in the UK and India before
new assembly operations open up in China and Brazil.
Local assembly in India is also important as import taxes can double the price of vehicles. The
factory in Pune is owned by JLR parent company Tata Motors and will help meet
growing demand in India.
Speth said: "Our sales grew 21 per cent last year
and we expect to increase that further with more local production. We are also
increasing our dealer numbers up from 19 across 17 cities to 24 by the end of
this year."
Freelander has been assembled in Pune since 2010 and it
was joined by the XF last year. From the end of this year, Pune will make
3-litre diesel and 2-litre petrol versions of XJ.∎
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