November 6, 2012: Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) is planning to reduce the number of platforms it uses in order to reduce development time and costs. The two companies aim to rationalise seven largely unrelated platforms to just two or three. The shared platforms will serve around 70 to 80 percent of the marque’s core models by volume.
Land Rover currently offer models based on four distinct platforms: Defender, Freelander/Evoque, Discovery/Range Rover Sport and Range Rover. Jaguar currently has bespoke platforms for its XF, XJ and XK ranges.
It is looking to Volkswagen’s fully scalable MQB platform as a case study. But Jaguar’s global brand director, Adrian Hallmark said: “It won’t happen overnight. VW’s MQB platform will take seven years to roll out across the models it will underpin”.
The Volkswagen Group has begun sales of MQB-based cars, including the Golf and A3, but the recently introduced second-generation new Beetle is still based on the PQ35 platform which formed the basis of the Mk5 Golf, launched in 2003.
Jaguar and Land Rover already share a number of costly parts, including infotainment systems, seats and drivetrains.
STUART MILNE, Autocar UK