As part of its next step in the Reimagination electrification strategy, Jaguar Land Rover has announced it is evolving into a new entity called JLR which it describes as a ‘House of Brands’ creating vehicles under the Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Jaguar nameplates.
The company believes the retirement of the Land Rover name will create more clarity and a clear definition of the brands in the luxury markets that it serves.
The new brand direction was announced by JLR chief executive Adrian Mardell at a company-wide update presentation on April 19 as it embarks on a 15 billion pound investment programme, according to Autocar UK magazine.
JLR chief creative officer Gerry McGovern says the formation of the House of Brands is a natural evolution, with a purpose of elevating the uniqueness of the British marques.
Our ultimate ambition is to build engaging experiences for our clients that will build long-term high equity for our brands and long-term sustainability for JLR,” McGovern says.
According to Autocar UK, McGovern says Land Rover would become a ‘trust mark’ for the Defender, Range Rover and Discovery brands.
“The reality is Range Rover is a brand and so is Defender,” McGovern says.
“Customers say they own a Range Rover. In luxury, you need absolute clarity. Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography doesn’t give it.
“We love Land Rover, but there isn’t as much brand equity as Range Rover, and Defender is increasing massively,” he says.
JLR says it will invest more than 15 billion pounds over the next five years in its industrial footprint, vehicle programmes, autonomous, AI and digital technologies and people skills.
The JLR Halewood plant in Merseyside, UK, will become an all-electric production facility and its next-generation medium-size SUV architecture will now be pure electric. In addition the JLR engine manufacturing centre in Wolverhampton, UK, will be renamed as the electric propulsion manufacturing centre.
JLR says it will retain the flexible modular longitudinal architecture (MLA) on which Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are built offering internal combustion engine (ICE), Hybrid and battery electric vehicle (BEV) options.
Mardell confirmed the first of three reimagined electric Jaguars will be a 4-door GT built in Solihull in the West Midlands, UK. With a range up to 700 kms (430 miles), and with indicative pricing from £100,000, it will be built on its own unique architecture, named JEA.
He says more details of the new 4-door GT Jaguar will be released later this year, before going on sale in selected markets in 2024, for client deliveries in 2025.
