Now that Tata Motors has firmed up a deal with Ford to acquire Land Rover and Jaguar, the Indian company can set their eyes on the future. With Ford agreeing to supply the two brands for the next quarter, Tata can work a little more on long term planning for the two new brands without sacrificing efforts to become ready for their acquisitions.
AutoWeek has published a timeline for the two companies through 2016. We begin first with 2009, where it looks like the Jaguar XFR and XKR will continue on, as planned, with a new 5.0-liter V8. The direct-injection petrol engine will be available with a supercharger, getting up to 500 horsepower. 380 hp for the naturally aspirated engine. Meanwhile, over at Land Rover, the updated Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will also get the new V8s from Jaguar. Both Range Rovers will get a bit of an overhaul inside, with new instruments and trim.
2010 should see the entrance of an updated Jaguar XJ, as the X-Type gets put to pasture. Keeping its elite status feel, the XJ will give driver and passengers a bit more room inside. The X-Type, which never quite got the fan base Jaguar expected, will likely go away as the new decade begins. A facelift is also coming to the Land Rover LR3, with an updated interior being included. Upgrades will include a new console and instrument panel. The previously mentioned naturally-aspirated 380 hp V8 will likely be found on this SUV.
A production version of the Land Rover LRX concept should become the sixth model in Land Rover's 2011 lineup. Meant to compete against the MINI Cooper and Audi TT, the diminutive three-door could be a home run for Tata if the current supermini consumers decide they need a slightly bigger vehicle.
Aiming for a $50,000 price point, the production version of the two-seat Jaguar F-Type concept could see its debut in 2012. With Tata at the helm, it would not be surprising to see this car fast tracked and possibly released in 2011. We also would not be surprised to see a new concept or prototype of this car in 2010. 2012 may aso see a seven-seat version of the Land Rover LRX, but meant to keep a bit of sex appeal.
Five years fron now, we would like to see the Jaguar XF Coupe. This could come in 2013, but Tata could also red light the project. At Ford-owned Jaguar, the car was based more on the C-XF concept as a short hardtop. A brand new Range Rover is due out in 2013. Expected to be larger but sportier, design of a new Range Rover could still be modified by the new owners. AutoWeek seems to think a $200,000 Range Rover with alloy body and hybrid powertrain is not unlikely.
The all-new Jaguar XF should show up in 2014 with an alloy body. An all-new Range Rover Sport will likely appear this year as well, but with an aluminum body. Land Rover may introduce the all-new Land Rover Defender this year as well, with Tata planning on putting forth a simple 4x4 for developing markets. Tata could also create a similar 4x4 under the Tata moniker, and share platforms.
Over the 2015-2016 two-year period, Tata should bring us an all-new Jaguar XJ to replace 2010's facelifted the Jaguar XJ. An all-new Land Rover LR3 may come out this year as well.
What Happens Next at Land Rover and Jaguar?
Post-Tata predictions
Jaguar F-Type concept
by Zack Newmark
March 27, 2008 4:01 PM
Filed Under: Corporate/Financial, European, Jaguar, Land Rover, Tata
March 27, 2008 4:01 PM
Filed Under: Corporate/Financial, European, Jaguar, Land Rover, Tata
Comments
wolff
March 27, 2008 4:20 PM
too early to predict.. but way to go Tata.. keep up the work, although u've got a lot of detractors here!! ;)
benz_man
March 27, 2008 7:55 PM
Plans seem great. The new V8 is needed expeditiously. However, the switch to aluminum-space-frames all around was somewhat surprising although it is a great idea in lieu of CAFE and PR. I cant wait to see a 500HP, all aluminum Range Rover HSE!
jai_mav
March 27, 2008 8:06 PM
it remains to be seen how tata will do...but they do have the financial power and raw potential to be a success.
Aesthetics
March 27, 2008 9:53 PM
if ford can't tata can!!! did that sound right?? did i scare anyone with that? even myself? is this a bollywood movie where they do fantastic comedy, or was that a serious movie?? made me laugh either way. over to you TATA. was it tata that really shame the rover badge with the CityRover? they never let road testers near it
Bremen_Koenigsegg
March 29, 2008 11:38 PM
Yes, that was an excellent Top Gear review. And you wouldn't be incorrect in believing Tata has manufactured vehicles so lacking by today's standards that any dignified company would be ashamed. The dignity of Tata Motors, however, is not lacking, and still very much intact. As a developing country-based manufacturer, they are fulfilling the crucial role of providing cheap mobility to its citizens and the other less privileged people of the international community in a similar fashion as the Malaysians, Koreans, and Chinese have done. Cheap mobility is one of the keys to economic development.
mustang5507
March 27, 2008 10:34 PM
Ford did a great deal to help Jaguar in terms of style, reliability, and cred in the market. Unfortunately Ford's tight funds seem to have dragged Jaguar's then cutting-edge cars on too long, and now for some they are not as desirable. HOPEFULLY Tata keeps Jaguar's design, performance, and dependability solid, and their only major influence is monetary. Their Indian market cars look like crap, and I'd hate to see Jag/Land Rover succumb to the seemingly lower build quality and style of those cars!
BabyMilo
March 27, 2008 11:49 PM
OMG IS THAT A CONCEPT?? and i thought that they were just going to put sh*t on wheels! that looks great well done!
norther
March 28, 2008 12:17 AM
finally, a new engine...the 5er. that 4.2 was getting too old. good job jag! but why is the 5.0 aspirated so ewak? only 380 hp? i think it should have more, even the supercharged one. anyhow...everything looks beautiful till now. (p.s. i think marsman comes from "man from mars" ..where creatures levitate, they do not have cars, so they do not know what to say when they see an earthly...CCAAARR !!!)
Bremen_Koenigsegg
March 29, 2008 11:43 PM
As far as the engines go, Jaguar's main interest in not in performance as much as comfort. Prestige cars don't need engines that rev up to 8-grand, seeing as how they're going to spend their lives beneath 4k. What is important is the smooth delivery of power and the flat torque curve. At any rate, you're not exactly going to be found wanting with 380 HP on tap!
Bremen_Koenigsegg
March 29, 2008 11:50 PM
From what I've read, much of the engineering for Jaguar is going to be done by Ford's engineers (I'm not exactly sure) and much of the manufacturing kept in Britain. Mind you, my experience with Asian commerce tells me this is all BS. I'm as worried about JLR's fate as you, but at least Tata has serious financial security at the moment -- something Ford didn't have.
blackdeuce
March 28, 2008 1:39 AM
I agree with Mustang5507, Ford has done a lot to help both companies. Land Rover received sex appeal and a US market, say what you want but Americans love cars, and we buy a lot of them. Jaguar suffered the most when Ford switched their entire focus to building monster SUVs in the late 90s and when the market fell out, they were sunk. Enter Tata. What will happen? Who knows, headlines like “World Cheapest Car� are slightly less than inspiring, but you can’t completely discount them for that! Jaguar has one heavy weight, his name, Ian Callum, arguably one of the best in the business. If Tata takes their profits from putting Asia on wheels, and push it toward Jaguar and Land Rover, watch out!
I realize the timeline is slightly speculative, but it looks promising. New V8 to be shared, Good. X-type dead, GREAT. XF Coupe, SERIOUSLY? If you have the F-Type, XF Coupe, and XK, scrap the sedans and declare war on Aston Martin. As far as the XJ, take a hint from baseball, Juice it up! A flag ship should say MOVE IT OR LOOSE IT, not if you don’t move I will be forced to drive underneath you. Spy Shots indicate a larger frame, I guess we will have to wait and see!
Bristol411S3
March 28, 2008 3:58 AM
There is nothing more tedious than reading how Tata makes crap cars. They make them for the markets they serve, and the sub-contintent does not have expectations (or regulations) of the sort of product we take for granted in Europe. That's how they can sell a new car for $2500.
Are people so stupid that they can't see this before making comments like "they are crap"?
Bremen_Koenigsegg
March 29, 2008 11:58 PM
Well, Jaguars are not going to be sold to developing nations; the focus will be on developed western countries. People are concerned because Tata does not have the engineering background to compete in these markets. Europeans have been introduced to Tata, after all, and the collective opinion is poor.
Aesthetics
March 29, 2008 8:19 AM
well since they brought their cars, the tata indica, to britain and rebadged them rover, it could officially be labelled a crappy crap car for britain. proton makes crappy cars yet tata do worse.
wolff
March 29, 2008 5:44 PM
that was about 6years back!! Tata has become a much larger n better company now.. n yet if u have u the bias.. then Jaguar has been in loss enough to be crap!! :P n thats only for u!! :P
zfh
March 30, 2008 3:01 PM
for the time being ,we wont notice any change,because ford will keep supplying whats left from engines and body frames... ford did a great job with those two cars, and eventually suffered financially.... now the situation is better at tata ,and still Brit team is taking in charge of the jag and range ... so we should stand still and watch.. you never know what will happen..
radmeister
March 31, 2008 11:52 PM
They have 3 months to re-design all the parts supplied by ford and find contractors to manufacture them, and then ontop of that they want to start using space frame aluminum and a new engine. Lets face it this is a joke so many empty claims, tata builds frames out of toothpicks and now they want to move to space age aluminum, yeah ok. I have to agree with Aesthetics this seems like a bollywood comedy, i wonder if the representative from TATA did a little indian dance after he spit out all these lies. They should just worry about finding the parts supplied by ford from other manufacturers/contractors for now. Leave the space age frame and new engine for later, the problem with LR and JAG was not they did not have an aluminum frame or 500hp, it was about image and marketing. Focus on that first then worry about mechanics/performance. Someone that didnt buy a Range Rover Sport with 400hp and a steel frame isn't going to buy one now miraculously because it has an aluminum frame and 500hp, same with an XJR or XKR. And if sales figures were down because ford owned them then wait and watch now, ford is better than tata. Lotsa $$$$ has to be spent in marketing and advertising forget all these false dreams and promises.
benz_man
April 2, 2008 7:52 AM
Its impossible to get all new suppliers in that short amount of time, I'm guessing Ford is going to continue to supply, just at an exorbitant cost to Tata. Oh, and the current XJ uses an aluminum SF. And yes, environmental consciousness plays a large roll in high end automotive purchases in the USA (LS600hL anyone?). So, when a Range Rover can be had in light weight aluminum (aluminium to the Brits LOL) with a 500HP direct injection V8 that sips fuel when not in "full-tilt-boogie" many consumers who would not have considered a "guzzling" Rover (not because they couldn't afford the fuel, but because the environmental damage was appalling) will be enticed by the exquisite details of a Range; so long as Tata keeps the details exquisite...
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