Jaguar Land Rover's boss in China has confirmed plans to further expand production there with the addition of more locally produced models.
At present, the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Jaguar XF L are produced there, and they will be joined by the Jaguar XE L, revealed today at the Guangzhou motor show.
Guangzhou motor show 2017 report
Qing Pan, president of JLR's Chinese operations, said the firm was looking at the possibility of adding more locally produced models so long as there was a business case for each, and there were no issues around expanding capacity. "There is never a problem of capacity in China," he said.
He also said JLR is set to build electric cars in China in the future, although JLR's first electric model, the Jaguar I-Pace due next year, would not be one of them and it would be imported.
"There's no plan to introduce specific vehicles but we have plans to look at electric vehicles in the future," he said.
JLR has been selling in China for 10 years and it is now its single biggest market, accounting for just under 30% of global sales, and increasing all the time. The premium market in China is up 18% in 2017, with JLR outperforming it with a 25% rise in sales. It has about 600 people working at its Chinese head office.
Jaguar also introduced the XF Sportbrake into China with an unveiling at the Guangzhou show. "It's an unusual body for the market but the market is getting more individual and the demand is diversifying," said Pan on the decision to introduce the car.
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