Jaguar plans radical overhaul

Jaguar Land Rover needs to bring new models to market more quickly, consider collaborations with other makers and become more internationally focused, Tata vice chairman Ravi Kant has told Autocar.

His comments add further weight to speculation that the company will be going on a new model offensive in the next few years, expanding its product line up for both Jaguar and Land Rover.

Speaking to Autocar last night Kant admitted that the company, especially Jaguar, has been too slow to react.

"Our key advantages should be speed to market and agility, that should be the DNA of any small company," he said.

Kant revealed that he and new Tata Motors boss Carl-Peter Forster are currently undertaking a strategic view of JLR’s model line up and how the company should expand. Jaguar is a particular focus as Tata decides what to launch after the XE sports car, expected at the end of 2012.

Kant admitted that a small Jag is being considered: "We’re having a debate about a small car. It has to happen if you want to keep the brand alive. We need an entry-level car."

Kant also conceeded that he is not ruling out the possibility of collaborating with another car maker to produce a baby Jag, as it’s believed that a BMW 3-series rival could not be spun off of the new sports car platform.

The future of Land Rover is also under debate as insiders admit that - while Range Rover has a clear strategy - the Defender, Freelander and Discovery are too disparate going forward.

Insiders admit that it’s possible that the Disco may not be replaced.

Kant, though, reckons that JLR has room for huge expansion and admits to do so JLR’s ‘mindset’ should be ‘less British’.

"Britain only accounts for 25 per cent of JLR’s market, what they want is not necessarily what everyone else wants," he said.

Chas Hallett

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