[bsa_pro_ad_space id=14]
Days before its 75th anniversary, the Land Rover nameplate is being given a back seat by JLR in favour of new sub-brands based on popular models.
British car-maker Jaguar Land Rover is renaming itself as JLR as part of a new marketing plan to move emphasis away from the Land Rover badge – and make Defender and Discovery nameplates offshoots of the brand.
Senior executive Gerry McGovern told employees Defender and Discovery names were strong enough to become brands in their own right, alongside Range Rover and Jaguar under the new JLR umbrella.
Land Rover celebrates its 75th birthday on 30 April 2023, with the first model making its debut at the Amsterdam Motor Show.
While the Land Rover badge will continue to be fitted to the grilles of certain models, the name is expected to disappear from showrooms.
“The reality is Range Rover is a brand and so is Defender,’” Mr McGovern said, according to a report from the UK’s Autocar.
“Customers say they own a Range Rover. In luxury, you need absolute clarity. Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography doesn’t give it.
“We love Land Rover, but there isn’t as much equity as Range Rover, and Defender is increasing massively.”
The company says Land Rover will continue to live on as a “trust mark” – a term typically defined as an official certification seal or authentication badge.
As part of the announcement, JLR says it will invest £15 billion ($AU27.8 billion) over the next five years in autonomous driving systems, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and vehicle programmes, among others.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to its electric-car transition, announced in February 2021.
The first solely electric Range Rover will be available to order in the UK from later this year, after the project experienced a number of delays two years ago.
Read more about Ben Zachariah
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=15]