JLR to narrow gap with BMW on Defender push

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) aims to close the gap with BMW, India's second-largest luxury carmaker, by boosting local production of its best-selling Defender SUV, according to Rajan Amba, MD of JLR's Indian unit. Amba stated that JLR, currently the third-largest luxury carmaker in India, aims to climb the ranks between BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The local assembly of the Defender is expected to increase annual volumes by 20%, with JLR selling around 3,000 units of the Defender each year.

To attract a broader customer base, JLR has slashed prices on select Defender variants by up to ₹34 lakh. The 3.0-litre petrol and diesel X-Dynamic HSE variants are now priced at ₹1.18 crore, down from ₹1.52 crore, a reduction of about 22%. The 2.0-litre petrol X-Dynamic HSE variant is priced at ₹99 lakh, from ₹1.135 crore. India will be the second country, after Slovakia, to assemble the Defender locally.

Amba highlighted that the price cuts are anticipated to make the SUV more accessible to a wider range of buyers, including those who previously found it out of budget. With an annual production capacity of 12,000 units in India, JLR's confidence in the Indian market is evident, despite its relatively small contribution to global sales. JLR expects India's luxury car market to grow by at least 15% this year.