India is the first country outside of the UK to locally produce the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SUVs.
24 May 2024 | 3185 Views | By Saptarshi Mondal, Autocar India
Jaguar Land Rover has announced that its now going to locally assemble the flagship Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport SUVs in India, thereby bringing down their prices significantly from the imported versions. The Range Rover 3.0-litre diesel HSE LWB is now priced at Rs 2.36 crore (down by ...
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Jaguar Land Rover has announced that its now going to locally assemble the flagship Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport SUVs in India, thereby bringing down their prices significantly from the imported versions. The Range Rover 3.0-litre diesel HSE LWB is now priced at Rs 2.36 crore (down by Rs 44 lakh) while the Range Rover Sport 3.0-litre diesel Dynamic SE is now priced at Rs 1.40 crore (down by Rs 29 lakh), all prices ex-showroom, India.
India, then, is the first country outside of the UK to locally produce the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SUVs, joining the likes of the Velar, the Evoque, the Jaguar F-Pace and the Discovery Sport which are already locally assembled at the JLR’s facility in Pune. Apart from a massive reduction in price, local assembly will also help bring down the wait times on these SUVs by a significant margin. The models produced here will exclusively be for sale in the Indian market.
The Defender, however, which was JLR’s best-selling model in FY2024 with 1,314 units – nearly three times the Range Rover – continues to be a full import. JLR began its local assembly operation in India through a contract manufacturing agreement with Tata Motors in 2011; the Freelander was the first locally produced product.
The Range Rover has been an absolute favourite among Bollywood stars, sports stars and the rich in general, selling 394 units in FY2024 – a significant number for an SUV whose starting price is well north of Rs 2 crore, going up to a maximum of Rs 4.46 crore in import guise. Most Range Rovers in India, in fact, have been known to be specced in their higher-spec LWB guise.
Land Rover hasn’t revealed the detailed price list of the locally assembled Range Rover yet, but has stated the 3.0-litre diesel HSE LWB variant is priced at Rs 2.36 crore while the 3.0-litre petrol Autobiography LWB is priced at Rs 2.60 crore – that’s a whopping reduction of Rs 44 lakh and Rs 56 lakh, respectively, from their import versions. That's also a lot more affordable than the recently launched Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 that's priced at Rs 3.335 crore.
This will surely be a shot in the arm for Range Rover sales, although the short wheelbase (SWB) versions will continue to be a full import, as will the 4.4-litre V8-engined variants. The locally assembled Range Rover will be offered with two engine options – the 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol producing 392hp and 550Nm and the 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel producing 345hp and 700Nm. Deliveries for the locally assembled Range Rover start today, dated May 24.
The Range Rover Sport sold 404 units in FY2024, with import versions costing between Rs 1.69 crore and Rs 2.80 crore. Meanwhile, the locally assembled Range Rover Sport has been priced from Rs 1.40 crore for both 3.0-litre petrol Dynamic SE and 3.0-litre diesel Dynamic SE variants, bringing down the price by Rs 29 lakh for both; a detailed price list for the locally assembled model is awaited.
The locally assembled Range Rover Sport will also be offered with the same 392hp, 3.0-litre petrol and 345hp, 3.0-litre diesel engines; the 4.4-litre V8 SV Edition will continue to be an import. Deliveries for the locally assembled Sport will commence August 16, 2024.
JLR has also announced the opening of the ‘Range Rover House’ in the coastal town of Alibaug on the Konkan Coast that’s curated to offer an exclusive and modern luxury experience to the brand’s discerning clientele. The facility will also have some of the first locally produced Range Rover and Range Rover Sport SUVs on display.