Tatas start making Jaguars at Pune

Move made to cut import charges, price hikes

With an aim to make its carlines more affordable to the Indian buyers, Mumbai-based Tata Motors has started locally assembling the Jaguar XF at its new built Chakan facility near Pune.

The local assembly has allowed the company to offer the luxury saloon at Rs 44.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) pitting it directly against the BMW 5 series and the Mercedes Benz E Class.

The Jaguar XF, until now, was imported into India as a fully built unit from the UK. The car was launched in 2010 in the country at Rs 48.37 lakh. However, subsequent changes to import charges and price hikes led to a hike in its prices.

The Jaguar XF is only the second model to be locally assembled in India. In May 2011, Jaguar Land Rover started making the Land Rover Freelander 2 from the same assembly plant. The initial Pune-built Jaguar XF models will feature the 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is coming to the Indian market for the first time.

Rohit Suri, Vice President, Jaguar Land Rover India said, “Our best-selling models in India are the Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Jaguar XF and this has driven the move to build these products locally. So we are now delighted to offer this car as a locally built product with a new engine for this market, which will enable us to provide our customers with a wider choice of competitively priced models."

The Jaguar XF is also offered with 3.0 litre V6 turbocharged developing peak power of 275 hp and 5.0 litre supercharged V8 engines generating peak power of 375hp, a company statement said today.

The car features an array of upgrades available as standard features such as rear view camera, TV Tuner, navigation system, optimized audio and navigation controls, front passenger seat away, touch screen, gear shifting paddles, full size spare wheel, electric sunroof and rear screen electric blind.