JLR bullish on growing luxury market

Coimbatore: The luxury car market, though nascent in India, is growing rapidly, said Rohit Suri, Vice- President, Jaguar Land Rover India.

The luxury car segment had grown 21 per cent during the first half of the current fiscal compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, he said. “Our company has registered a 30 per cent growth between April and October 2013. The entry level car — Jaguar XF — has been the best selling vehicle. But that does not mean that other cars from Jaguar Land Rover stable are not doing well,” he added.

Suri was in the city for the inauguration of a Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Coimbatore. This is the second Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Tamil Nadu, after Chennai.

The company has a network of 19 distribution outlets across 17 cities in India. It plans to expand the network to 22- 23 outlets before the end of the year. “The proposed ones would be outside Tamil Nadu,” Suri said.

VST Group has taken up the dealership for Jaguar and Land Rover in Tamil Nadu.

The showroom, located at Oddarpalayam in Ondhipudhur, Coimbatore will showcase 12 new Jaguar Land Rover cars, including the recently launched Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Discovery 4 and Freelander 2.

The Coimbatore facility, according to Arun Surendra, Managing Director, VST Motors (VST Group), has been established in a 2-acre plot. “The built-up area is around 30,000 sq feet. This can be expanded as and when the product portfolio grows. While there will be a display of 12 cars in the showroom, the workshop area will comprise 14 bays, including body painting facility,” Surendra said.

The Group has invested around Rs 6-8 crore for establishing the facility.

The showroom will cater to Erode, Salem, Trichi and Madurai markets and also help owners of Jaguar range of cars get their vehicle serviced. Hitherto, they had to take it to Chennai, Surendra pointed out.

The company had sold around 300 new cars in Tamil Nadu in the last 2-3 years. “Fifty of these are plying in Coimbatore region. Another10 -12 cars will be delivered before the end of this month,” added Surendra.

On new models, Suri said the company would roll out 2 -3 new models in the next 24 to 36 months.