British car giant Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that the original ‘Land Rover’ name for the company’s off-roaders since the firm’s inception in 1948 is being controversially side-lined for use only as an overarching ‘Trust Mark’.
Instead, its range of 4X4 models will be sold with standalone nameplates, with vehicles including the Range Rover, Defender and Discovery losing the 75-year-old Land Rover branding.
Jaguar Land Rover also announced that, with immediate effect, the company would in future be known officially as JLR, which will be its new over-arching corporate identity.
‘House of Brands’ shake-up at Jaguar Land Rover: Its 4X4 models – including the Range Rover, Defender and Discovery, will all lose their ‘Land Rover’ nameplates as part of a new strategy
JLR insisted it was not scrapping the traditional green oval Land Rover badge, but it will be far less prominent and relegated to a secondary role as a so-called ‘Trust Mark’.
The badge will continue to appear on the front grille of its 4X4 vehicles and in the interior and on certain branded parts, JLR insisted.
However, it will no longer appear prominently on the front of retail dealerships.
Instead, across a rectangular black arch, will be the names of the individual vehicles such as Range Rover or Defender, without the ‘Land Rover’ oval, said a company spokesman.
Professor Gerry McGovern, JLR’s design boss, said the move to ditch Land Rover branding from its wider vehicle line-up had been made for ‘clarity’ as customers already referred to their vehicles this way, rather than as ‘Land Rover Range Rover’.
Announcing the latest phase of its restructuring and relaunch, JLR also highlighted a £15billion investment over five years in the brand’s industrial footprint, vehicle programmes and development of autonomous, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
With Jaguar set to become an all-electric premium car maker in 2025 – with a GT grand tourer the first of three new models – the brand said its Halewood plant in Merseyside is to become an EV-only manufacturing facility.
The British car giant confirmed that the original ‘Land Rover’ name for the company’s off-roaders since the firm’s inception in 1948 is being controversially side-lined for use only as an overarching ‘Trust Mark’
The Defender will no longer have Land Rover before its official naming, JLR confirmed on Wednesday
Discovery models will also lose the Land Rover name from its nameplate
The Wolverhampton Engine Manufacturing Centre, which currently makes petrol and diesel engines, will also see changes, being renamed its ‘Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre’.
Bosses also confirmed that the next generation medium-size SUV architecture it launches will be pure-electric, with pre-order books for its battery-powered Range Rover due to open later this year before it arrives in 2025.
It will be built at the EV-converted Halewood factory in a move that ‘further affirms JLR’s commitment to the future of the UK car industry,’ the brand said.
However, the future of its Castle Bromwich facility in Birmingham is less certain.
The manufacturer said: ‘In positive news for the future of the historic Castle Bromwich site, JLR confirmed that its stamping facilities that prepare pressed body metalwork for JLR’s vehicles will be expanded to play a key role in the company’s electric future, by providing body work for next generation electric vehicles.’
But it later noted: ‘ JLR continues to explore options for other parts of the Castle Bromwich site.’
JLR’s Halewood plant in Merseyside (pictured) is to become an EV-only manufacturing facility
The future of JLR’s Castle Bromwich facility in Birmingham is less certain, however. Bosses said they are considering their options
Professor Gerry McGovern, JLR’s design boss, said the move to ditch Land Rover branding from its wider vehicle line-up had been made for ‘clarity’ as customers already referred to their vehicles this way, rather than as ‘Land Rover Range Rover’
Chief executive Adrian Mardell reaffirmed the business’s commitment to its Reimagine strategy, which he said will reposition the company as a highly profitable electric-first, modern luxury carmaker by 2030.
He added that the brand had already made big strides by reducing debt, and increasing the profitability of each car sold.
Many of the 40,000 strong workforce will be retrained for an electric future but he couldn’t rule out changes to the head count.
Mardell said: ‘Two years ago, we launched our Reimagine strategy and since then we have made great progress, including launching two new critically acclaimed modern luxury Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, joining the Defender family, for which there is record demand.
‘We achieved this while navigating the headwinds of the pandemic and chip shortages, and successfully ramping up production of our most profitable models to deliver profit in Q3.’
He added: ‘Today I am proud to announce we are accelerating our electrification path, making one of our UK plants and our next-generation medium-size luxury SUV architecture fully electric.
‘This investment enables us to deliver our modern luxury electric future, developing new skills, and reaffirming our commitment to be net zero carbon by 2039.’
