Though they may have been owned by Indian conglomerate Tata Motors for more than a year, British brands Jaguar and Land Rover announced today that they will officially be on sale in the South Asian nation later this year. Naturally, Tata Motors will serve as the official importer for the historic British brands.
In a statement released to the media, David Smith, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said, “We are delighted to be formally entering the Indian market, an economy which is still growing appreciably, and able to offer our premium products to a whole new group of customers. It is an important strategic move for Jaguar Land Rover and will enable us to realize our competitive potential in this significant market.”
The first showroom will open in June in Worli, Mumbai at Ceejay House. For the time being, it will serve as the main retail unit before others are opened, all of which will sell both brands together.
Jaguar and Land Rover make up Tata Motors’ newly-formed Premier Car Division (quite similar to Ford ’s Premier Automotive Group that once consisted of Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin , Volvo and Lincoln ).
Both vehicles have been sold in India before, but not with heavy corporate marketing or plans for an extensive, European or North American-style dealership network.
