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In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Daimler head Dietre Zetsche said he sees a possible future collaboration with Tata Motors on its newly purchased Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Daimler own a 7 percent stake in the Indian company.
“If Ratan Tata and Daimler would address the terms of components to be delivered, we would be open to discussions,” said Zetsche.
Hooray; Land Rover is celebrating its 60 year anniversary today under Tata Motors. Land Rover made its first market debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show on April 30, 1948 with the Defender currently known as the Series 1. That’s all nice and dandy, but we’re intersted in something new and something interesting that the Land Rover press release stated today.
We’ve heard many rumors from news sources that Land Rover will put the new LRX concept into production. Today, however, we have the first major hint from Land Rover themselves.
Analysts are saying that both Jaguar and Land Rover have a very bright future under the ownership of Tata Motors. Land Rover will get a shot at a production version of the LRX Concept by 2011 and a facelifted Range Rover and a Ranger Rover Sport by 2010.
However spy photographers have recently spotted what they say is a V12 powered Range Rover. The car was spotted with quad-exhausts a new front bumper layout with larger intakes indicating a big power boost.
One of the many challenges the new owner of Lander Rover and Jaguar will face is how to deal with U.S. fuel economy regulations. When FoMoCo bought the two luxury brands, it avoided paying fines because of the rest of Ford’s product lineup that met fuel economy standards.
Now, government data indicates that Jaguar cars and Land Rover SUVs would miss the current standards by several miles per gallon and Tata will be forced to write checks to the federal government for failing to meet those standards.
Industry insiders are saying that Jaguar’s and Land Rover’s future could be bright under Tata’s ownership. Ratan Tata told Automotive News Europe that he will not transfer production of the two British brands from the United Kingdom to low-cost countries.
“Our plan would be to retain the image, the touch and the feel of Jaguar and Land Rover. We will not tinker with the brands in any way,” Tata said at the Geneva Auto Show.
Now that the Jaguar and Land Rover sale is final, Tata has guaranteed at least the next 5 years of existing product plans. The total amount to be paid in cash by Tata Motors for Jaguar Land Rover upon closing will be $2.3 billion. As part of the transaction, FoMoCo will continue to supply Jaguar and Land Rover with powertrains, other vehicle components and a variety of technologies such as environmental and platform technologies. Ford also has committed to provide engineering support, including research and development, plus information technology, accounting and other services.
Here is what AutoWeek expects is coming from Jaguar and Land Rover during the next eight years:
According to a report by Automotive News, FoMoCo has agreed to sell its UK brands Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors for more than $2 billion. A source familiar with the situation said that the deal was signed today and the companies plan to publicly announce the deal tomorrow.
Ford has declined to comment on the deal, saying “our first responsibility is to communicate with our employees.”
The stylish LRX that blends cues from current and past Land Rovers with a forward desing direction, might see the light of day. As a production model, it will end up as a five-door instead of the show car’s three-doors.
The LRX will be based on the LR2/Freelander platform, similar to how the Range Rover Sport is based on the LR3. The LRX could end up badged as a Freelander Sport. We hope not though, that sounds stupid-silly. Here’s a thought, why not just badge it LRX?
Tata will be taking a one-year bridge loan from Citigroup & JPMorgan to fund the purchase of Jaguar & Land Rover from Ford. The three-billion dollars will also help finance the costs associated with launching the Nano, soon to be the most affordable car in the world.
The purchase of Jaguar & Land Rover may yield some unappealing side effects though. Standard & Poor may downgrade Tata from its current BB+ rating due to the increased debt.
After showing us the Land Rover LRX in white at the Detroit Auto Show, Land Rover is back with a hot, black and silver version for the 78th Geneva Motor Show. According to Land Rover, the new LRX concept is ‘designed to highlight the concept’s suitability for contemporary personalization.’
Power for the LRX concepts comes from a 2.0 liter turbodiesel hybrid capable of running on bio-diesel, with a potential fuel-economy of 60mpg. Land Rover says this powertrain reduces fuel consumption by as much as 30% compared to other 4×4s of comparable size.
On the road, the new ERAD (Electric Rear Axel Drive) system allows the LRX to travel at 20mph on electric power alone without the use of all-wheel-drive. Even during off-road conditions, ERAD provides additional torque when needed. The electrical drive system uses power stored in a dedicated lithium-ion battery pack, independent of the normal 12-volt battery.
Land Rover is quick to point out that ‘no production plans have been confirmed yet for the LRX concept.’ However, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a production model at the end of 2008 or early 2009 due to the positive reaction this concept has been receiving.
Land Rover LRX Concept (Black and Silver):
 
 
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According to Automotive News Tata Motors will announce its purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover on March 5 or 6. Following talks with trade union leaders last week, the dates have been agreed upon Tata and FoMoCo. National officer of Unite Roger Maddison said that Tata had agreed to meet guarantees sought by workers and leaders.
“Everything seems fine as far as we are concerned; it’s just the lawyers working on it now,” said Maddison.
While Jaguar and Land Rover are still on the sales block, Ford is continuing to fund product development programs for the two British Luxury brands. Ford insiders have recently said that the company had frozen funding on future product development when both went up for sale. However, last week top executives denied that funding has not been stopped.
“The business plan we’re showing to prospective buyers had to be backed by product,” said Al Kammerer, product development director for Jaguar and Land Rover. “Ford is willing to support writing down the existing cycle plan.”
Land Rover showed their much anticipated three-door compact SUV concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The Land Rover LRX Concept is said to be a cross coupe that will fit under the Freelander 2 / LR2.
“The LRX concept delivers the powerful message that we are as serious about sustainability as we are confident about the continuing relevance and desirability of our vehicles,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s managing director. “LRX is in every respect a Land Rover, but it’s a very different Land Rover.
We can definitely expect the LRX to enter production before the end of the decade offering a fuel-efficient power management system. The LRX concept embodies the power management systems and other technologies first shown by Land Rover in the Land_e concept in 2006.
Click through for the press release and live images from the Detroit Auto Show.
Land Rover LRX Concept Gallery:
 
 
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