JLR launches new Range Rover in India, sales to start from January

New Delhi, November 30, 2012: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has rolled out its new Range Rover for the Indian market with a sticker price ranging between Rs 1.72 crore to Rs 1.9 crore (ex-showroom Delhi). The all-new SUV has been re-engineered to become more competitive as a genuine luxury car on-road as well as becoming more capable off-road. The new model is lighter, more frugal, more spacious and significantly more refined, according to Land Rover.

The fourth-generation Range Rover sports a lightweight all-aluminium monocoque body which, according to Land Rover, is the world’s first SUV to do so. Weight savings through the chassis and driveline contribute to a saving of 350kg compared to the outgoing vehicle. Efficiency has also been improved with the LR-V8 supercharged model accelerating from 0-100kph in 5.4 seconds.

The new Range Rover will be available in India with a 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo diesel engine that develops 334bhp as well as a 503bhp 5.0-litre supercharged petrol V8. The base variant -- the V8 diesel Vogue -- is priced at Rs 1.72 crore. The V8 diesel in Autobiography trim costs Rs 1.79 crore, and the supercharged petrol V8, available exclusively in Autobiography trim, bears a price tag of Rs 1.84 crore (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi). Land Rover will start selling the 3.0-litre V6 diesel powered variant in India from June 2013. Rohit Suri, vice-president, Jaguar & Land Rover India, says the new Range Rover is expected to have a two-month waiting period and will start selling from January 2013.

The new Range Rover marks the second product rollout for JLR in India after the Evoque’s launch a year ago. The popular Evoque was believed to be in short supply and had a waiting period in India but since the ramp up globally with three-shift operations, the waiting periods have come down. Suri says there is no waiting period at present.

In FY’12, the carmaker sold 2,830 units and notched 157 percent growth with the new Evoque pitching in towards India sales. The company’s sales volumes have doubled in the last three years, according to company officials. At present, JLR has 15 dealers in the country and will be adding another 8-10 more by 2013-end. Suri says: “New dealerships will come in Tier 2 towns like Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar in Orissa where we see great potential for growth.”

JLR owner, Tata Motors kicked off assembly operations of the Land Rover Freelander II model at Pune last May. Suri is optimistic that JLR will look at assembly operations for other models as well, depending on local demand.

SHOBHA MATHUR