Currently reading: Jaguar Land Rover engineering boss Nick Rogers steps down

Engineer who led development of Jaguar F-Pace and Land Rover Defender leaves after 37 years at JLR

Jaguar Land Rover engineering boss Nick Rogers, who has overseen development of vehicles such as the Jaguar I-Pace, Jaguar F-Pace and Land Rover Defender, has announced he will leave the company after 37 years at the end of this year. 

Appointed to the top role in 2015, Rogers has led JLR’s engineering team at a crucial time in the firm’s history, not only developing the electric I-Pace and launching it ahead of key rivals, but also overseeing the reincarnation of the highly anticipated Land Rover Defender. His latest project to have been revealed is the new Range Rover.

Where Rogers will go, or who his successor is, has yet to be confirmed. A JLR spokesman said: "His successor will be the subject of a subsequent announcement in the coming weeks.’

In a statement on LinkedIn, he said: “For over 37 years, it’s been an honour to work with such an incredible team of people to engineer and launch some of the most desirable vehicles in the world. The most recent launches of the New Defender and New Range Rover especially, as tech disrupters, are a testament to how the JLR family has transformed and grown - the resilience, the determination and the pioneering passion is incredible. 

"Today, after almost four decades, it’s time to hand over a stronger than ever technical team, with a pioneering passion to keep creating disruptive products in this ever-changing world.”

JLR chief Thierry Bolloré said: “I would like to thank Nick for an incredible 37 years with our company. Over the last decades, Nick has experienced, shaped and led so much of the Land Rover – and the Jaguar Land Rover – story. We wish him every success in the future.”  

Rogers joined Land Rover in 1984 as a technician apprentice, working in body engineering and vehicle testing.  He rose through the ranks to become vehicle line director for Land Rover, before being appointed to his most recent role as Jaguar Land Rover’s executive director, product engineering.

Talking to Autocar in 2018, Rogers said: "There has never been a better time to be an engineer: we have to push the boundaries on both petrol and diesel technology, then make sure we have efficient three-cylinder, four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 engines to offer. We also need mild- and full-hybrid solutions ready, and to join the battery-electric revolution.”

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Toby 24 November 2021
Well thank God he's going.
Sack the whole management team.
LR need to build a serviceable vehicle in line with Japanese and other manufacturers.
Stupid ideas of being innovative bring on reliability and servicing issues.
Good riddens to that Gerry Mc Govern goose too.
Toby 24 November 2021
Well thank God he's going.
Sack the whole management team.
LR need to build a serviceable vehicle in line with Japanese and other manufacturers.
Stupid ideas of being innovative bring on reliability and servicing issues.
Good riddens to that Gerry Mc Govern goose too.
Swordscot 23 November 2021

I'm very worried about Jaguar and have the feeling it will be left to wither and die under current leadership. How can it survive if it won't have and new metal for the next three to four years? Not even word on what platform these new cars are expected to ride on. I thought the motoring press would be asking these questions by now. Maybe they know something we don't.