Tata Motors’ owned Land Rover is planing to launch a vehicle below the Range Rover Evoque, our sources have revealed to us. The British automaker is looking to compete against the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 with this compact SUV. The compact SUV project is still in its initial stages of design and the production version will be launched in 2015. Our sources inform us that Ratan Tata himself takes the final call on the styling and has already rejected 17 Concepts of this compact SUV. Land Rover is not only looking at taking market share away from BMW and Audi but is also looking at competing against Toyota, who has been very successful the world over in this segment.
The compact SUV will borrow styling cues from the Range Rover Evoque and will be slightly smaller in size. It will be powered with the same range of engines which power the current range of Land Rover vehicles. The Freelander’s 2.2-litre diesel engine is likely to be the most popular variant on sale, producing 190 PS of power and 420 Nm of torque. This compact SUV will be pivotal for Land Rover to enter developing markets (specially BRIC). Recently Tata Motors has revealed progress on starting a JLR plant in China and this new compact SUV could be manufactured there. The price of this compact SUV could be in the range of Rs. 25-30 lakhs in India, while globally it could start anywhere around £20,000.
Jaguar Land Rover is slowly and steadily making plans to enter other segments. The British automaker is planing a series of vehicles which will bring them big volumes by 2015. There is little doubt about Tata Motors’ strategy of offering numerous variants of its cars. Case in point is how the Manza was spawned from the Indigo, the Vista from the Indica, the Storme from the Safari, the Grande from the Sumo, etc. Ratan Tata believes that offering more models is the only way to survive in the highly competitive car industry.
S Pani August 4, 2012 at 3:22 pm
Something is really fishy here.
Land Rover already has a model competing with the X1 and the Q3, way before those two models were introduced. Its called the Freelander.
If you check the prices of the Freelander 2, internationally, are pretty much on par with the X1 and the Q3, and so are its dimensions. They are both 5 seat premium compact SUVs.
Dont look at the prices in India independently. Two factors make the Freelander considerably costlier in India. The first is that both BMW and Audi have achieved significant levels of localisation, which JLR has just started moving towards. And the second is that BMW and Audi offer what are the base variants of the X1 and Q3 in India, while JLR are offering the two top variants of the Freelander 2 in India.
So what you could be talking about is actually a replacement for the Freelander 2, ie Freelander 3. The Freelander 2 has been around for 6 years now, so is definitely in need of replacement.
Also to add, with its 6 different SUVs, ie the Defender, LR Freelander, RR Evoque, LR Discovery, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover it pretty much covers the entire gamut of premium SUV segments. In fact the Defender and Range Rover dont have much competition at all.
Its the Jaguar brand and not Land Rover which needs to enter new segments.
Faisal Khan August 4, 2012 at 3:29 pm
S Pani, yes there is the Freelander, but Land Rover wants to produce is a smaller Evoque, which would be from the Range Rover line-up. The Evoque is selling very well and then what to cash in on its design. The Freelander is doing average numbers. On its size and space, it is a competitor for the Q5 and X3, so a smaller alternative can rival the Q3 and X1.
S Pani August 4, 2012 at 4:52 pm
I dont think the Evoque can get any smaller than it already is. At 4.3m, the Evoque is no larger than a X1 or a Q3. While both the X3 and Q5 are close to 4.7m long.
Though I agree that the Evoque competes with X3 and Q5 considering the price, but one of the few criticisms of the Evoque is the fact that its rear seat space is comparatively smaller than it competitors.
So again, I really dont see an SUV smaller in size than the Evoque which can be called premium in any sense.
As for the Freelander not doing too well, is the plain and simple fact that it is very outdated. Its in no position to compete with the likes of the X1/Q3 except as a offroading tool. So like I said what they need is to replace the Freelander, ASAP.
Worst case, they may be dumping the Freelander all together, and instead coming up with a slightly cheaper version of the Evoque under the Range Rover brand. And hope that the new Defender which will come up by 2015 will be there to represent the Land Rover brand of proper offroaders.
Faisal Khan August 5, 2012 at 11:24 pm
S Pani, probably the next generation Freelander can borrow lots of styling cues from the Evoque. Next generation Defender has already been seen in concept guise (DC100).
karan August 5, 2012 at 7:20 pm
i don’t think SUV’s can get anymore compact that Evoque..
Faisal Khan August 5, 2012 at 11:30 pm
Karan, Audi could come up with a Q1 (based on the A1) so there is still room for going even more compact.
S Pani August 6, 2012 at 6:51 am
You will be realistically left with a 2 seater “SUV”, with a heavily compromised 2nd row of seats, where barely anybody will be able to fit. Remember, this small SUV will still have to be a premium car to come with an Audi/BMW/RR badge.
And anyway, I really dont see such desperate moves from any of the premium car makers
Faisal Khan September 19, 2012 at 11:49 pm
S Pani, a baby SUV below the Evoque is surely coming, read – http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120918/OEM04/309189756
manoj dalvi December 14, 2012 at 10:44 pm
pleas give me suv price