Tatas to launch Freelander SUV on September 22

Less than three months after UK’s luxury automotive brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, introduced their models in India, the company is gearing up to launch its cheapest product, Freelander 2, here on Tuesday.

Jaguar and Land Rover are owned by Tata Motors. Although pricing details were not available, sources said the sports utility vehicle (SUV) made by Land Rover would carry a price tag of Rs 35 lakh or less (excluding local taxes).

Freelander is a compact, yet premium all-wheel drive vehicle, sold in large European markets such as the UK, France, Italy and Spain, as well as China.

Sources said the vehicle, earlier proposed to be launched in the early half of October, was in the final stages of passing its homologation tests in July.

The SUV will attract an import duty of more than 100 per cent, as it will be sold in India as a completely built unit. The Freelander is sold at about Rs 17 lakh (£21,295) in the UK.

Tata Motors sells three models of the Land Rover brand in India — Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery 3. The Discovery 3 is currently the cheapest of the three models, sold at Rs 63 lakh, while the other two cost up to Rs 85 lakh (all prices ex-showroom Mumbai).