New XFL to be first locally built Jaguar in China

The Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover continues to bet big on China, one of its strongest growth markets. In March 2016, the luxury carmaker clocked 43 percent year on year growth. Now, it has confirmed plans to introduce the first Jaguar vehicle to its joint venture plant in China. 

Developed exclusively for Chinese customers, the all-new Jaguar XF Long wheelbase (XFL) is the third vehicle to be built by the company's joint venture, with Chery Automobile Company Ltd, in less than two years.

From the all-aluminium Jaguar XJ, F-Type, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport to the new aluminium intensive modular architecture that supports the Jaguar XE, XF and F-Pace, advanced lightweight technology has been a crucial element of Jaguar Land Rover strategy's throughout its history. It continues to lead the industry in the development of advanced aluminium architectures today to reduce weight in order to improve fuel efficiency, emissions and handling of its vehicles.

According to Murray Dietsch, president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, "Jaguar Land Rover is a world leader in the production of aluminium vehicles and is one of the largest producers of aluminium bodies globally."

"The arrival of the all-new Jaguar XFL brings the best of this experience and technology to Changshu. It is an important milestone for the team at Chery Jaguar Land Rover."

The XFL will be built in China's first purpose-built aluminium body shop based at the state-of-the-art Chery Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing facility in Changshu. The body shop is spread across 50,000 square metres and contains a fully flexible production line including more than 300 robots.

Inaugural sales of the China-made Jaguar XFL will begin in the second half of the year and further details will be released at the Beijing Motor Show at the end of the month.  

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