It looks like Land Rover vehicles will soon be made in another country! Tata Motors, the parent company of JLR, plans to produce these iconic vehicles in a new factory in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Tamil Nadu, often called the "Detroit of India," is a major hub for the automotive industry. This region has been booming since the 1990s when Ford opened a factory there, thanks to generous tax breaks. Today, most major automakers have a presence in the state, and there are three major ports around the capital city, Chennai.
JLR began its journey in India back in 2011 by manufacturing the Freelander 2 (known as the LR2 in North America) in CKD (complete knock-down) form at a factory in Pune. CKD manufacturing involves shipping kits from the original plant (in this case, Land Rover's Halewood plant in England) to be assembled locally, taking advantage of tax and tariff benefits. Currently, the Range Rover Velar is produced in a single trim level at the Pune factory, also in CKD form.
Rumours are buzzing that JLR will use the new Tamil Nadu factory to produce fully Indian-made JLR vehicles. While some components, like powertrains, might still be imported from the UK, other parts of the assembly process, including body stampings, interior trims, and final assembly, would be done in India.
This new factory might not only serve the Indian market but also export vehicles regionally or globally. In today's interconnected world, it's possible to sell Indian-built Land Rovers in various markets, including the U.S., alongside models from the UK and Slovakia. However, it's more likely that vehicles from the Indian factory will go to closer markets like Asia, Australia, and Africa to reduce logistics and delivery times.
Although we don't know yet which JLR vehicles will be produced in India, it's unlikely to be Jaguar models, as Jaguar is focusing on being a low-volume, high-end electric brand, which can be handled in the UK. Instead, production might focus on popular, higher-volume models like the Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Velar, or Discovery Sport. These vehicles are more affordable and might be better suited for local production due to tariff impacts. With new electric-forward versions of these models coming soon, the Tamil Nadu factory might focus on the new EMA architecture.
Of course, we’ll have to wait for official confirmation from JLR.
Let's hope they're made to Shielder Chassis standards ;)
