Tata cuts Land Rover production
Land Rover sales are tanking along with the rest of SUVs sold here in the States and in Europe, but strong sales in China and Russia are keeping Tata's new luxury SUV brand to within 3% of last year's sales volume. Encouraging sales in emerging markets isn't enough, however, for the Indian automaker to keep from cutting production to hedge against a further worsening of market conditions. In an effort to keep production in line with sales, two shifts have been cut from the Solihull Land Rover plant and 300 workers have been moved to the Castle Broomwich Jaguar plant. Tata is also executing production cuts at the Halewood Jaguar factory where the perpetually disappointing X-Type is produced.
With Land Rover making up all the profits between Tata's two newly owned British Marquees, the Indian automaker is keeping a keen eye on production to make sure the luxury SUV brand continues to bring in profits. If sales begin to slip further, we'd expect Tata to make more drastic cuts, and quickly. Thanks for the tip, Mayur!
[Source: Times of India]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rwcmick 5:36PM (8/25/2008)
You've been reading too much Harry Potter. It's Castle Bromwich not Castle Broomwich, but thanks for the chuckle. I need that!
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ugg.tryptophan 5:43PM (8/25/2008)
+1
ugg.tryptophan 5:41PM (8/25/2008)
thank you tata
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Zane 5:43PM (8/25/2008)
How about introducing the LRX asap? The RR and RRS are nice but I think they should axe the LR3 and bring that beautiful concept model to life.
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trevor2k 6:48PM (8/25/2008)
LRX is fastracked already - should see it by end of 2010 as 2011 model.
LDMAN 12:22AM (8/26/2008)
Problem is that RRS rides on the LR3 platform, so if LR axes LR3 they will also compromise a lot of potential revenue generated by RRS. LR3 is not a bad vehicle it is a good off-roader but is just too ugly, overweight, and suffer from having a small fuel tank.
Paul M. Watson 6:16PM (8/25/2008)
The X Type is a fine ride these days. It just looks like your grandpas trousers is all.
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rwcmick 6:56PM (8/25/2008)
The X-Type is still sold elsewhere, they just pulled it from the U.S. market.
imoore 6:13PM (8/25/2008)
Tata is doing what is necessary to keep the plants running. But I thought the X-Type was already cancelled. What gives?
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Mehul Kamdar 6:18PM (8/25/2008)
Tata need to kill the X type and focus on the XF and on updating the XJ. The Range Rover also needs to be updates / replaced fast. When was the current version introduced? Ten years ago? They can do it and they just need to hurry up a little.
While they are at it, the LRX would also be a fantastic addition to the range.
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trevor2k 6:54PM (8/25/2008)
Range Rover gets refreshed (for the last time) in the 2010 model year and will be replaced in 2012. And it was introduced end of 2002.
Land Rover has a notoriously long product life cycle. Toyota will refresh a vehicle every 3 yrs and replace after 6. Land Rover refreshes every 4-6 and replaces at 10 or so - however all that may change now that they are in the hands of Tata. Under Ford's ownership they at least kept up to date with electronic gadgets (bluetooth, nav, etc...). They never led the field, but they kept up - for the most part.
PJ 7:30PM (8/25/2008)
With the change in the NA and Euro market climates, staying within 3% of last year's sales volume is actually pretty amazing. China and Russia must loves them some Range Rovers.
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Chris 11:02PM (8/25/2008)
All the better to run the Tibetans over with I believe