All-new Evoque tailor-made for Chinese market

Chery Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, British premium carmaker Jaguar Land Rover's Chinese joint venture, launched its all-new Range Rover Evoque on Wednesday in Shanghai.

The latest model highlights the joint venture's new manufacturing techniques and intelligent technologies, as well as its confidence in ushering in a new stage of development, the company said.

"Developing a new market segment for intelligent, high-tech, luxury and all-terrain SUVs, the allnew Range Rover Evoque is tailor-made for fashionable urban young people who love cutting-edge technologies and regard themselves as independent and adventurous," said Murray Dietsch, president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, at the launch event on Wednesday.

"The all-new Range Rover Evoque is a model that is close to its customers, as we have listened to the Chinese customers' needs in the past four years. And the new model will be a sales success," Dietsch added.

His words were echoed by Chris Chen, vice-president of Chery Jaguar Land Rover, who said that the all-new Range Rover Evoque has been completely upgraded, paying close attention to Chinese customers' requirements.

Offering four variants with prices starting at 355,800 yuan ($51,261), the new model is equipped with a raft of advanced technologies and materials, as well as a compelling powertrain.

The all-new Range Rover Evoque sports an Ingenium 2.0-liter engine and 48-volt mild hybrid system, which allow the model to have a maximum power output of 249 PS and a peak torque of 365 Nm, while having superior acceleration capabilities with enhancements to fuel efficiency and refinement.

The model features the all-terrain technology with the innovation technology - ClearSight Ground View, taking its off-road capabilities to new heights.

Adopting a great deal of high-strength steel, as well as some aluminum magnesium alloy and composite materials, the all-new Range Rover Evoque has a greater car body strength, which increased by 13 percent compared with the previous-generation model, according to the automaker.

The all-new Range Rover Evoque is the first Land Rover model to adopt the latest Premium Transverse Architecture, or PTA, which is the latest manufacturing platform independently developed by Jaguar Land Rover.

With all the features, the new model is set to stand out from other intelligent and luxury sport utility vehicles and demonstrate that Chery Jaguar Land Rover opens a new chapter of its development, according to Dietsch.

Adhering to the global standard of Jaguar Land Rover, Chery Jaguar Land Rover ensures the global uniform quality of the all-new Ranger Rover Evoque with its world-leading intelligent manufacturing system and achievements made in localization, according to the automaker.

Chery Jaguar Land Rover's Changshu plant has a total annual production capability of 200,000 vehicles, and is notable for its intelligent and flexible manufacturing capability. The plant is capable of handling more than 300,000 kinds of individual optional configurations to meet the requirements of different customers.

The internet of things has been widely applied in the plant as well. The advanced radio frequency identification system, or RFID, is used in welding, painting, assembly and logistics processes, to ensure traceability of production and quality control.

The assembly workshop has adopted an advanced pick-to-voice system, which guides the workers to sort the materials via voice broadcast.

The system helped improve material sorting efficiency by 20 percent.

The welding workshop, which boasts 331 ABB robots, can finish one car body in two minutes.

It has also introduced laser as well as radar-based tools to ensure precision in production.

The plant partnered with China Unicom, a telecom service provider, in April, to introduce 5G communication technology into its intelligent manufacturing and intelligent driving research and development.

In addition, a sound quality management system has been set up by the carmaker, which covers procedures from planning to the process of supervision and post-sale feedback to solving and preventing potential quality problems.

With its huge capability and sophisticated production system, the plant lays a solid foundation for the joint venture to better compete in the Chinese market, according to the automaker.

Looking ahead, the carmaker will keep integrating localized voices with global system strength in an effort to offer British products and experiences that exceed customers' expectations, vice-president Chen noted.

Chery Jaguar Land Rover was jointly set up by Chery Automobile Co and Jaguar Land Rover in 2012, and is the first Sino-British joint venture for high-end automobiles in China. The joint venture has localized five models from both Jaguar and Land Rover brands, which are the previous-generation Range Rover Evoque, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Jaguar XFL, the Jaguar XEL and the Jaguar E-PACE.

zhangdandan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/05/2019 page19)