Jaguar Land Rover will build the next generation of its back-to-basics Defender off-roader in India, the boss of parent company Ratan Tata has revealed.
It may even export Indian-built Defenders back to the UK in kit form, to be assembled there by British workers. The aim is to lower manufacturing costs and build vehicles closer to their prime markets, such as booming India.
Tata told Autocar magazine: “We are looking at producing the platform for the new Defender in India.” The idea is to use the same platform as the basis for some Tata car models.
It is the next step in the ambitions of the British-based, Indian-owned luxury car company, to expand into both India and China.
Land Rover already builds some of its Freelander models in India – exported in kit form for final assembly there – after announcing last March that it was to build an initial 2000 cars a year at its plant in Pune.
Executives described the move at the time as ‘dipping a toe in the water.’ But a full manufacturing facility would mark a significant step up.
The next Defender is due around 2015 and the recent DC100 concept shows what the company has come up with so far in that regard, although negative public reaction towards the rather soft-looking, high-tech concept could persuade them to change it somewhat. -Daily Mail & IOL