Tata Motors to widen JLR range, boost China sales

Tata Motors is planning to widen its premium Jaguar cars offering and step up its network in China, which has emerged as the third-largest market for its Land Rover vehicles.

"The current range of vehicles has seen resurgence in demand, and the challenge before the company today is to deliver enough vehicles to meet market demand," Chairman Ratan Tata said in the company's annual report.

Tata Motors, India's biggest truck maker whose products also include the Nano, the world's cheapest car, had bought the UK-based Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford in 2008 for $2.3 billion.

Sales of Jaguar Land Rover sales in the June quarter rose nearly 60% to 57,153 units.

In May, Tata had said it expected to boost sales in China to about 20,000 Land Rovers and 5,000 Jaguars in 201011 and also said it would start assembling cars in the country.

Tata said the company was planning to launch a station wagon, an entry level Jaguar and a new roadster. Also in the works is a new Range Rover sport utility vehicle, while hybrid vehicles will be introduced progressively.

In India, Tata will be launching a new cross-over vehicle, two new passenger vehicles and a new range of heavy trucks, he said.

At 0508 GMT shares in Tata Motors, valued at $10 billion, were down 0.6% at Rs842.30, while the main index was up 0.1%.