Jaguar Land Rover plans to build cars from scratch in India

Jaguar Land Rover cars are in demand in China and other emerging markets and the company recorded increased sales and profits during the past year. They are also working on a new small luxury car which will compete with BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes Benz C Class. This new Jaguar car will be launched by 2015.

JLR is seriously mulling over local production of cars from scratch in India, reports ET. Jaguar XF and Land Rover Freelander production in India has already begun. JLR currently assembles these two models in India while engines make their way into the country from UK. Assembly of Range Rover Evoque is also scheduled to commence soon.

XF and Freelander 2 are JLR’s best-selling models in India, where it sold 2,288 cars in the year to March 2012, up 157% from the same period in the previous year. Local production will work to the company’s benefit. It will enable the company to avoid high import tax on completely built cars, which was raised from 75% to 100% in the current Union Budget 2013.

Globally, JLR will be presenting their new 9 speed automatic transmission Evoque and electric Land Rover Defender at the Geneva Motor Show, starting tomorrow.