Sections of digital estate up and running, recovery program underway: JLR after cyberattack

Luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on Thursday said parts of its digital infrastructure have been restored and that a phased recovery program is firmly underway, weeks after a cyberattack forced the Tata Motors subsidiary to suspend production across its UK plants.

The company’s statement was issued in response to a clarification sought by BSE following media reports that JLR could face a £2 billion bill as it was not insured against the attack, which has already disrupted operations and triggered significant financial losses.

“As part of the controlled, phased restart of our operations, we have informed colleagues, suppliers and retail partners that sections of our digital estate are now up and running. The foundational work of our recovery program is firmly underway,” JLR said.

The automaker added it has increased IT processing capacity for invoicing and is working to clear its backlog of supplier payments. Its Global Parts Logistics Centre is returning to full operations, enabling dealerships to continue servicing customers. JLR has also restored its financial system for wholesale vehicle processing, which will allow faster registrations and improve cash flows.

“These are important initial steps as our dedicated teams work around the clock alongside cybersecurity specialists, the UK Government’s NCSC and law enforcement to ensure we restart in a safe and secure manner. Our focus remains on supporting our customers, suppliers, colleagues and retailers,” JLR said.

Financial impact

The cyberattack, which struck at the end of August, forced JLR to shut down its IT networks and suspend production at its three UK factories—Solihull and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, and Halewood in Merseyside. The initial production pause was extended twice, first until September 24 and later until October 1.

While JLR has not officially quantified the financial damage, BBC reports estimate weekly losses at £50 million ($68 million), with many of its 33,000 employees asked to stay home during the shutdown. If the reported £2 billion uninsured exposure materialises, the impact would exceed the company’s FY25 profit after tax of £1.8 billion.

Shares of parent Tata Motors closed 2.7% lower on Thursday, though the stock traded flat in early trade on Friday.

JLR remains central to Tata Motors’ performance, contributing nearly 70% of consolidated revenues. The UK-based luxury marque has also been an important growth driver in India led by demand for the Defender and locally assembled Range Rover models. Its portfolio in India includes the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar, Evoque, Defender, Discovery and Discovery Sport.