JLR Eyeing Manufacturing In India; Mini Defender Could Be First Product

The iconic Land Rover Defender might not be long gone, but efforts to resurrect the car in a smaller avatar are reportedly already underway, and that too in India. The car could be manufactured in the sub-continent soon, with exports set to begin within a couple of years.

Codenamed the L860, JLR is discussing internally and also with component vendors about the possibility of making a mini version of the Defender in India by 2019-20, sources informed Economic Times. 

According to the report, a team of engineers has already reached out to vendors to discuss the quality and cost of components the company would need, and is seeking quotations for the potential manufacturing of 50,000 units a year. 

The original Defender was taken out of production in January earlier this year after failing to comply with modern safety and emission norms. But, given the surge in the demand of SUVs over the past few years in India, it might just be the right time to bring in a mini version of the legendary 4X4 here.

Once it passes techno-commercial feasibility tests, the car will be built in the Pune plant of JLR’s parent company, Tata Motors. The car will help the company boost domestic sales and, in turn, improve its global numbers too.

Other products from the British carmaker – like the Jaguar XF and the Land Rover Freelanders – have previously been produced in India, but from knock-down kits supplied from the UK.

The outlet also reports that the new car will be exported to countries where there is a strong demand for SUVs. This move is inspired by the increasing instances of automakers producing premium cars in India and shipping them out.  

Tata had first considered domestic production operations for the JLR brand in India in 2008, when it had acquired the brands from Ford. But the plans couldn’t materialise because of failed feasibility tests. Since then, though, the company has gone on to set up manufacturing facilities in countries like China and Brazil, and it’s a matter of time that India falls in line next.