- Land Rover will build Freelander in India.
- Freelander will be built from U.K.-exported knocked down kits.
- Land Rover has sold just 195 SUVs in India during the first seven months of 2010.
MUMBAI, India — British SUV manufacturer Land Rover will start manufacturing models in India next year.
It's expected that the company will start assembly of the Freelander — sold in the U.S. as the LR2 — at a facility in Pune, which is operated by its owner Tata Motors.
Freelanders will be assembled from completely knocked down (CKD) kits exported from the U.K. Vehicles assembled in this way in India attract import duty of 60 percent rather than the 106 percent applied to fully built-up imported cars.
Land Rover currently has minimal presence in India, selling just 195 vehicles in the first seven months of this year, 53 of them Freelanders. Its best-seller so far this year is the Range Rover Sport, which launched into the market at the end of 2009 and so far has found 63 buyers.
Inside Line says: Indian ownership is undoubtedly easing Land Rover's entry into that market as part of the company's increasingly ambitious expansion plans. — Richard Bremner, Correspondent
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oxymoronlife says:
05:38 PM, 04/23/2012
were 2005 landrover freelander made in india and shipped to the caribbean. they are mega problem vehicles, or was the caribbean a dumping ground for defective freelanders?
noobnox says:
05:36 PM, 05/09/2011
Mazda609-
Of course that's what it means, but it's technically not "outsourcing" since the parent company is Indian now. Maybe in 30-40 years when India has a solid middle class (if ever) they'll learn the joys of high worker wages and astronomical benefits cost just like all the western companies. And then I guess Jag/Range Rover will be sold to whichever company is based in a 3rd world country and can afford to pay the workers. Could be the US or UK by then..
tdiluv says:
05:51 AM, 08/13/2010
It will have a tough time going up against the MAHINDRA SUV, the Indian favorite! Also very big in Australia!
alaskanroads says:
10:08 AM, 08/12/2010
Hopefully the quality improves. Maybe in India they can be put together better.
mazda609 says:
08:36 AM, 08/12/2010
Does that mean that the UK workers will be losing their jobs?