DTN News: Tata Jaguar Land Rover Plans To Assemble Freelander2 From Chikhli Plant From November

DTN News: Tata Jaguar Land Rover Plans To Assemble Freelander2 From Chikhli Plant From November

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - August 23, 2010: Tata group firm Jaguar Land Rover is understood to have geared up to start assembly of sports utility vehicle Freelander2 from November this year at Chikhli facility in Maharashtra, used earlier by Mercedes Benz. According to sources close to the development, Tata Motors is currently conducting maintenance work and installing machineries on behalf of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) at Chikhli to start the assembly around November.

"JLR has decided to start assembling vehicles with their cheapest offering in India, which is Freelander2. It wants to start production soon. So it has decided to utilise Tata Motors' almost ready facility at Chikhli," a source said. Tata Motors had earlier given the Chikhli facility to Mercedes Benz on lease. The German luxury carmaker handed over the facility again in December 2009. The plant had a capacity to produce 3,500 units in single shift.

When contacted, a JLR spokesperson told PTI from Gaydon: "It has been confirmed that JLR plans to assemble Land Rover vehicles in India, for the Indian market, from next year... we have no further information to share at this time."

In June, JLR had announced plans to assemble Land Rover SUV in India from next year. Currently all vehicles of the two British brands are imported from their facilities in the UK.

Local assembly of the SUV will result in considerable reduction in prices as currently very high import duty is tagged alongwith the vehicle. Freelander2 is available for a starting price of Rs 33.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Sources said the company will carry out extensive quality checks with the locally produced Freelander2 and this is one of the main reasons for advancing the assembly of the SUV.

"Besides, the company is expecting spurt in demand after the price will be lowered. So not to have long order backlogs, JLR wants to have sufficient buffer," a source said.

Earlier, JLR had said that it would more than double its dealerships in India within this fiscal to increase sales as part of the British marque's plan to focus more on emerging markets.

The company, which currently has three dealerships at two cities in India, will add four more outlets in 2010-11. The company currently sells the entire range of JLR products in India, including XF, XKR and XJ from Jaguar, and Range Rover and Discover from Land Rover's portfolio.

*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: Land Rover Launches New 2010 Armoured Range Rover

DTN News: Land Rover Launches New 2010 Armoured Range Rover *Source: DTN News / Defense Media

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, UK - October 8, 2009: Land Rover is enhancing its existing Range Rover armoured vehicle with the release of the new 2010 Armoured Range Rover. The 2010 Armoured Range Rover has been updated to include an array of new technology, luxury features and drive train performance, whilst offering B6 Level ballistic and blast protection in accordance with European standard EN1522 level FB6. The 2010 Armoured Range Rover retains all the strengths and protection features of its predecessor such as optimum occupant protection, 360 degree under-skin protection, ISOCLIMA glazing for ultimate optical clarity, off road capabilities and a full three-year, 80,000km Land Rover factory warranty on the base vehicle and armour. "The broad range of capabilities provided by the new Range Rover Armoured vehicle makes it the ideal choice for government agencies, security organisations and businesses whose employees are exposed to high-risk situations," says Terry Hill, Director of Global Direct Sales. "The new 2010 Armoured Range Rover is our most luxurious armoured vehicle yet providing comfort, with an assault rifle armouring level, whilst being virtually indistinguishable from the original standard vehicle." The latest Armoured Range Rover benefits from improvements in performance, specifically the new 5.0-litre LR-V8 petrol engine. The engine was developed in-house by the Jaguar Land Rover powertrain team, with the requirements of the Range Rover in mind from day one. The LR-V8 engine has been developed to deliver more power and torque with increases to 375bhp or 276kW (+23 percent) and torque to 510Nm (+16 percent), compared with its 4.2 litre normally aspirated predecessor. New technology improvements for 2010 include:- + All new Thin Film Transistor (TFT)-LCD technology which creates a virtual instrument cluster on the dash and displays the information you need when you need it + World first touch-screen dual view technology capable of showing passenger entertainment and driver information at the same time + The new Surround Camera System (optional), which uses five cameras situated around the vehicle to provide an almost complete 360-degree view on the touch-screen. The screen views help to ensure drivers do not miss objects below their line of sight and also gives vital views at 'blind' junctions + Unique new 2010 Range Rover front lamps make optimum use of Bi-xenon and LED technology + A new, larger, three-bar grille provides an even more commanding on-road presence + A Blind Spot Monitor system utilises side-mounted radar sensors to survey the vehicle's blind spot (optional) The 2010 Armoured Range Rover retains all the strengths and protection features of its predecessor such as optimum occupant protection, 360 degree under-skin protection, ISOCLIMA glazing for ultimate optical clarity, off road capabilities and a full three-year, 80,000km Land Rover factory warranty on the base vehicle and armour. In addition to the high level of standard features of the 2010 Armoured Range Rover there are a range of options. This includes tinted windows, intercom system, an under-bonnet fire extinguisher, tamper proof exhaust, self-sealing fuel tank and independent oxygen supply to ensure a continuous flow of fresh air to the cabin.

DTN News: Tata Introduces Limping Luxury Brands To India

DTN News: Tata Introduces Limping Luxury Brands To India *Source: DTN News / The New York Times By Nick Kurczewski (Click here)

(NSI News Source Info) MUMBAI, India - July 5, 2009: Tata Motors has introduced its Jaguar and Land Rover brands in India, one of the world’s fastest-growing automobile markets. But the celebratory announcement to mark the occasion has been tempered by plummeting sales and the threat of job cuts and factory closures at both brands. Ratan Tata, the chairman of Tata Motors, stands far left with Jaguar Land Rover executives at the brands’ introduction in India. For the first time in eight years, Tata reported an annual loss. The culprit: a $504 million drain inflicted by struggling Jaguar Land Rover on the Indian company’s bottom line. Tata bought the historic brands for $2.3 billion from Ford in March 2008. Unfortunately for Tata, the purchase was soon followed by a collapse in the global economy. Sales of luxury sedans and S.U.V.’s – core to the Jaguar Land Rover portfolio – have been hit especially hard. According to Reuters, during a 10-month period ending in March, Jaguar Land Rover sales fell to 167,000 vehicles, compared to 246,000 in the same period the previous year. Mr. Tata maintained his optimism during ceremonies held last Sunday welcoming the British makes to India. “We at Tata Motors are proud to have these brands,” he said, according to The Economic Times, saying it was a “terrific decision.” Keith Bedford/Bloomberg News Tata Motors is better known for economical cars, like the Nano. Tata Motors says it hopes to sell the ultra-cheap Nano in the United States in two years. But how?

But questions linger as to how Tata — relatively unknown outside of India and a specialist in budget-minded vehicles — can align its operations with two British companies synonymous with prestige, power and a well-heeled clientele. Base versions of the Tata Nano city car start at $2,200 (taxes and fees included), whereas prices for Jaguar Land Rover products in India will begin at more than $120,000. While the Nano has been well received by the media – including my test drive of the range-topping LX version – the fact remains that the tiny four-door has none of the frills (and even less of the social status) typical to Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles. The Indian lineup of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles will include the XF and XFR sedans, sporty XKR coupe, Land Rover Discovery 3 and the Range Rover S.U.V. Tata Motors said it would develop a dealer network for Jaguar Land Rover this year and next. According to a report in The Business Standard, Land Rover is also negotiating with the Indian government to supply military vehicles to the armed forces. That news might provide little relief for Jaguar Land Rover employees in Britain. The Birmingham Post reports that Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain has held talks with Tata regarding the company’s threats to close British factories to stem the flow of red ink. Belt-tightening by Tata could also put a crimp on the development of future models, such as a hybrid version of the Jaguar XJ sedan and an eco-themed XE sports car.

Britain To Remove Vector Vehicle From Afghan Operations

Britain To Remove Vector Vehicle From Afghan Operations

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON - May 2, 2009: Britain is to withdraw the recently purchased Vector armored vehicle from operations in Afghanistan after admitting it is too vulnerable as roadside bombs get bigger. The MoD bought nearly 200 of the protected patrol vehicles for units in Afghanistan and Iraq, rushing the first ones into service in early 2007 to replace Snatch Land Rovers in which several British troops had been killed by roadside bombs. The Pinzgauer is used quite widely in the United Kingdom as a fire engine in smaller towns and villages and is increasingly replacing the Land Rover Defender in the military utility vehicle role despite its high cost of upwards of US$100,000 per unit. A new armoured version called the "Vector" entered service in the British Army in early 2007 as part of an effort to provide safer patrol vehicles for troops in Afghanistan. The 6x6 Vector PPV (Protected Patrol Vehicle), will according to the manufacturer, "Build on the existing proven design, with enhancements that will include a combination of physical protection as well as the use of sophisticated electronic countercounter measures to maximise survivability while on patrol". Yugoslavia has been the first generation Pinzgauer customer in huge numbers. Serbian forces added armor and successfully used these field modifications in Balkans conflicts. Many Pinzgauers were sold to military forces (initially Austrian and Swiss) to be used as non-tactical utility vehicles. Typical military roles are as general purpose utility truck, command vehicles, troop carrier and tow vehicle. Roles very similar to other civilian sourced CUCV vehicles like Land-Rover in the UK, the Blazer CUCV in the US, and Geländewagen in many European countries. Pinzgauer and Trailer of the British Army The New Zealand army has purchased 321 Pinzgauer vehicles in 8 variants to fulfill the Light Operational Vehicle (LOV) role. The Malaysian Army had purchased this model to replaced older Volvo C303 in their inventories. The Pinzgauer was also marketed to the civilian marketplace worldwide for use as campers, farm trucks, ambulances, fire-trucks, and rescue vehicles. Likewise, many ended up being used as tourist vans due to their large passenger capacity and stable, reliable platform. Pinzgauers have been used as tourist transports in Africa, Australia, South America, Hawaii, and other exotic locales. Some are still in use today. Pinzgauers were also marketed to and used extensively by energy companies for oil exploration purposes. A few Pinzgauers were used for off-road racing, including the famous Paris to Dakar Rally and the International Rainforest Challenge in Malaysia. Similar-purposed vehicles include the German Daimler-Benz Unimog and Geländewagen trucks, the British Land Rover Wolf, and the American HMMWV "Humvee". An MoD spokesman confirmed the intention to withdraw the vehicle in a May 1 statement. "Since its introduction to theater, the evolving threat from larger improvised explosive devices on operations has led to a requirement for more medium and heavy capability vehicles to withstand these devices," the spokesman said. "Following the delivery of Mastiff 2, Ridgback and vehicles from the protected mobility package announced [by the MoD] in October 2008, we intend to withdraw Vector from operations in Afghanistan. This will be a phased withdrawal and will not lead to any capability gap." Sources said many of the six-wheel-drive Vectors are already sitting in vehicle parks, unused by troops who have moved to the more heavily protected Force Protection Cougar vehicle, known in British Army service as the Mastiff. Vector has attracted increasing criticism in the media for its vulnerability to roadside bombs. The vehicle has also suffered unreliable front hubs and other technical problems. BAE Systems fixed that problem at its own expense. Defence Secretary John Hutton called the Vector the least successful of the armored vehicles purchased by the MoD under the urgent operational requirements procurement process. "Mistakes were probably made there," he told the parliamentary Defence Committee here April 28. BAE, which acquired Vector builder Pinzgauer as part of a wider purchase of Armor Holding in the U.S., still has to deliver about 20 vehicles it is assembling at its Newcastle factory in northeastern England. The company recently announced it was closing the ex-Pinzgauer site at Guildford and moving the remaining support work on the company's vehicle fleet to Newcastle as part of a rationalization plan in the land sector here. Three armored vehicle plants are closing with the loss of up to 500 jobs. BAE said it would "continue to support the Vector vehicles in British Army service."

Czechs Eye Land Rovers, Pandurs To Upgrade Army / Czech Republic Eager To Buy More Land Rover Vehicles For Foreign Missions

Czechs Eye Land Rovers, Pandurs To Upgrade Army / Czech Republic Eager To Buy More Land Rover Vehicles For Foreign Missions

(NSI News Source Info) PRAGUE - March 2, 2009: According to Defense Ministry sources, the Czech military is interesting in buying a new batch of 79 Land Rover Defender off-road utility vehicles for use in foreign missions by the end of November 2009. The purchase has been given an early estimate of CZK384 million ($17.29 million).

Land Rover Defender vehicles have been used extensively by many of the world's military forces, including the US in some limited capacity, following experience with the vehicle during the first Gulf War, where US forces found the British Army's vehicles to be more capable and better suited to operation in urban areas and for air-lifting than the Humvee. The British Army has used Land Rovers since the 1950s, as have many countries in the Commonwealth of Nations. The British Army replaced its Series III fleet with One Tens in 1985, with a smaller fleet of Nineties following in 1986. Both used the 2.5 litre naturally-aspirated diesel engine. These older vehicles are reaching the end of their service lives, with many being sold onto the civilian market from the late 1990s.

The vehicles would then be used by the Czech rapid-deployment unit in its NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan, as well as by the joint Czech-Slovak EU battlegroup being formed. Saddled with old Soviet- and Warsaw Pact-legacy material following independence and undertaking military missions in Afghanistan, the Czech Ministry of Defense has been making its strongest procurement pushes in the area of armored vehicles.

While the Czech Special Forces have previously purchased Land Rover Defenders that have been used to replace older off-road Russian-legacy vehicles since the 1990s, experiences in Afghanistan have also forced the Defense Ministry to purchase American Humvees, IVECO 4x4 LMVs, and Dingo II armored personnel carriers. The latter two vehicles were purchased last fall through UOR (urgent operational requirement) contracts.

The Czech Republic is also closing on a final contract with Austrian Steyr for the procurement of 107 Pandur II armored personnel carriers worth CZK12 billion ($540 million). That deal has been on-again, off-again since June 2006 but is finally nearing fruition. Czech industry will benefit, with offsets making up nearly 60 percent of the overall program.

Land Rover Evolves From Jeep Out Of Necessity for Civilian Use, After WWII

Land Rover Evolves From Jeep Out Of Necessity for Civilian Use, After WWII (NSI News Source Info) Allenwood, NJ, - January 31, 2009: Maurice Wilks’ Jeep had reached the end, and this war surplus vehicle was so useful on his farm that he really wanted a replacement. He was the technical director for Rover Cars in 1947, and detected a strong demand for utilitarian ex-military 4x4s. He felt sure that a British designed and built agricultural vehicle would have great potential. The first Land Rover was conceived, built and designed within a year and launched in April 1948, at the Amsterdam Motor Show. Innovation and resourcefulness were instilled in the brand right from the beginning, as in post-war rationed Britain, aluminum replaced steel and paint left over from a fighter plane factory was used. With a Rover Cars’ engine, a lightweight chassis and permanent four wheel drive, this really was a unique little vehicle. Land Rover is an all-terrain vehicle and Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) manufacturer, based in Solihull, England, now operated as part of the Jaguar Land Rover business owned by Tata Motors, India. Originally the term Land Rover referred to one specific vehicle (see Land Rover Series), a pioneering civilian all-terrain utility vehicle launched on 30 April 1948, at the Amsterdam Motor Show, but was later used as a brand for several distinct models, all capable of four-wheel drive. Ten years later, Land Rover brought out a new model that featured a long list of modifications. The changes made the Series II easier to drive without sacrificing durability. With a new 2.25 liter gasoline engine, orders flooded in from over seventy countries and an international brand was well and truly established. From the beginning, Land Rover was the choice of pioneers, explorers and anyone with a spirit of adventure. Numerous expeditions ran thanks to the gutsy Land Rover – including the first overland trip from London to Singapore. In this new millennium, at age 60, these trusted Land Rover vehicles can be kept going by replacement parts bought on the Internet. It’s hard to conceive that ordering your rover parts out of the ether, paying for them with a piece of plastic, and having them delivered to your doorstep by a delivery person, would have been imaginable right after WWII. If a range rover headlight is needed, or a Land Rover one, different sorts of headlights have been developed for use in these modern times. These include high intensity discharge and halogen bulbs. The rugged design of Land Rover machines offers tough off-road navigation and elegant interior appearances. But all their parts have to work correctly and be of durable construction. That’s often why people buy Range or Land Rovers like Maurice Wilks developed after WWII – he wanted to keep a rugged, durable and strong vehicle to use on his farm. The Land Rover headlight is among the most important element on the automobile for hazard-free travel on unlighted streets or in stormy conditions or over rough terrain, either in the city or on a farm. When someone buys a Land Rover, they are buying a vehicle with great performance and outstanding looks. The headlamps should be switched out as they appear to become dim or are broken. Keep a vehicle in good condition and any unnecessary driving dangers will be kept to a minimum. Each time the brakes are used on any vehicle, this damaging heat abrades away the brake components until they must eventually be changed - optimally well before the other components start to take damage. As the brake pedal is applied, the land rover pads are pushed against the car's brake rotor and the momentum and energy of the car or truck is exchanged for heat energy. Braking a car requires a number of components cooperating in tandem - the brake pedal, brake rotors, brake lines, and brake pads.