JLR to launch 10 new products in India in 2017

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover plans to launch 10 new products in India this year as it looks to accelerate sales growth.

The company will also consider assembling more models in India as part of its strategy to enhance operations here.

"Last year despite the challenges in the market we were among the only two brands (in the luxury segment) to have grown...This year we are targeting double digits growth," Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd Managing Director and President Rohit Suri told PTI.

In order to achieve the growth, he said this year the company is "looking at ten products action to be announced as we go along".

By the end of this month, it will launch the diesel version of Jaguar XE sedan, he said.

"We will also have the new Land Rover Discovery and the new Velar that is expected towards the end of the year," Suri said.

On the Jaguar XE diesel, he said, "We already have the petrol variant of the model. We wanted to be present in diesel as well as we don't want to miss out demand for it."

Commenting on market conditions, he said after the struggles in November and December post demonetisation, growth has picked up again in January to March.

When asked about the company's plans to locally assemble more models in India, Suri said the company keeps on assessing the situation.

"Currently we have five models which are assembled in India. If we can do more, it will be beneficial," Suri said without elaborating.

Asked if Velar could be among the models planned to be assembled in India, he said, "It will definitely be in the long term but not in the near future."

He said the company will first have to assess the market response to the model once it is launched in India.

JLR is also conducting its 'Art of Performance Tour', a series of drive experience events that provides an opportunity to its customers to experience its vehicles under the guidance of expert instructors.