Chery Jaguar Land Rover debuts new SUV

Sino-British joint venture unveils locally produced coupe-style Jaguar E-PACE at Auto China 2018, with model set to hit the market later this year

Chery Jaguar Land Rover has debuted its coupe-style SUV Jaguar E-PACE at the Beijing auto show, which will fulfill its promise of localizing five models in the world's largest market within three years.

The Chinese-British joint venture is now producing four models - the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Jaguar XFL and Jaguar XEL - and 200,000 cars have rolled off its production lines so far.

The E-PACE, which will hit the market later this year, inherits the dynamic sports car design and extraordinary performance of the Jaguar F-TYPE, while ensuring excellent everyday practicality.

The exterior of the Jaguar E-PACE is as dynamic as a sports car, with the fastback, body lines and detailed taillights all reflecting its race track heritage.

The Jaguar-patterned lights and Jaguar paw prints inside the compartment fully demonstrate the unique personality of the E-PACE.

The space can meet the demands of a family of more than five people at the same time, and four 12-volt power supply points and five USB interfaces are fully configured to meet young people's connectivity needs at all times.

As the newest member of the PACE family, the Jaguar E-PACE is also equipped with advanced dynamic driving technology.

For example, the standard four-wheel-drive system and the new Ingenium engine guarantee the pure sports pedigree of this Jaguar. Even more commendable is that the fuel economy of this model is equally excellent, said the carmaker.

The automaker said it is built for the young generation who hope to express their individuality and have their eyes on premium quality. The model will help the Chery Jaguar Land Rover to enter the new segment of A-class SUVs, whose market share of 12.6 percent is expected to grow to 14.4 percent by 2025.

"China is now our biggest market and has some of the most discerning customers in the world, which is why we are developing and engineering cars in China for Chinese customers to meet their specific needs," said Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth.

Thanks to its close observation of China's premium car market, Chery Jaguar Land Rover has been able to introduce a series of state-of-the-art products that Chinese customers feel most excited about.

Statistics show that Chery Jaguar Land Rover sold 20,448 cars in the first quarter of the year, soaring 26.8 percent year-on-year and accounting for around 60 percent of Jaguar Land Rover's total sales in China.

"The ever-growing sales verify our accurate insights and understanding about the China market," said Chris Chen, deputy president of the carmaker.

The start of 2018 marks the beginning of the second Chery Jaguar Land Rover five-year plan in China and the joint venture said it will further strengthen its localization strategy.

"We are now standing at a new starting point, and will strive to keep our mid-and-long-term competitiveness and lead the Chinese market," Chen said.

The carmaker has expanded the capacity of its plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province by 70,000 vehicles a year, 50 percent of its previous annual capacity, and the newly added facility has started trial operations.

"Abiding by the company's Customers First value, the China-made models boast world-class quality, reflect genuine British refinement and ensure an extreme driving experience," said Murray Dietsch, president of the carmaker.

Chery Jaguar Land Rover said its core competence lies in its intelligent manufacturing capabilities. Its more than 10 billion yuan ($1.58 billion) manufacturing plant in Changshu, Jiangsu province, is the first of Jaguar Land Rover's car manufacturing facilities outside the United Kingdom.

Equipped with world-class, full-scale production facilities and technologies, it is one of Jaguar Land Rover's most advanced and efficient manufacturing sites in the world.

The Changshu plant has introduced Jaguar Land Rover's world-leading aluminum technology and China's first purpose-built aluminum body shop.

The site is also home to Jaguar Land Rover's only engine plant outside the UK. Unveiled in July 2017, it produces Ingenium 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines for localized models.

The facility set a record when the engine plant started production within 32 months of vehicle production on the same site.

The carmaker said the upgraded intelligent manufacturing system is a powerful testimony to Chery Jaguar Land Rover's commitment to support the Chinese government's Made in China 2025 initiative.

"I believe our collaboration and achievements are an industrial blueprint for growing trade between China and the UK," said CEO Speth.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/26/2018 page15)