Jaguar Land Rover is dead, all hail the carmaker known as JLR. To go along with this change, the role of the Land Rover marque will be diminished.
Adrian Mardell, JLR CEO since the start of 2023, announced the change today as he outlined the company’s electric vehicle strategy for the coming decade.
As part of an accelerated version of the Reimagine strategy launched during the two-year reign of former CEO Thierry Bollore, Jaguar Land Rover will rename itself as JLR.
This move will shift company’s focus away from two historic marques, Jaguar and Land Rover, towards a new “House of Brands” approach which will see it launch vehicles under the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Jaguar brands.
-
Range Rover -
Defender
JLR head of design Jerry McGovern told Autocar “the reality is Range Rover is a brand and so is Defender”.
“Customers say they own a Range Rover. In luxury, you need absolute clarity. Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography doesn’t give it,” he said.
“We love Land Rover, but there isn’t as much equity as Range Rover, and Defender is increasing massively.”
Mr McGovern said Land Rover would become a “trust mark” for the Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery brands.
Presumably Range Rover’s emphasis will be on luxury, Defender will concentrate on off-road vehicles, and Discovery will lean towards “lifestyle” and family crossovers.
-
Jaguar -
Discovery
Prior to today’s announcement, the carmaker had begun to emphasise the Defender and Discovery names, with those sub-brands emblazoned above the grille and tailgate, while the Land Rover has been tucked away in a corner.
As we’ve reported elsewhere, the company’s new mid-size crossovers, such as the Range Rover Evoque and Velar, and Land Rover Discovery Sport, will now be built on a new exclusively electric EMA architecture.
The company will also launch a Jaguar range in 2025, starting with four-door GT based on the separate JEA platform.
