Chinese order 10,000 land rovers

[haven]

The Chinese government just placed orders for 10,000 Land Rovers. Since there are several Chinese manufacturers that make military-style 4x4 utility vehicles, I'll assume that the order is for the more luxurious Discovery and Range Rover models. Delivery of the vehicles is to be stretched out over the next three years.

There's no word yet how the Chinese plan to use the vehicles. Perhaps they will be used as transport for government officials in the provinces of China, where the roads are not as good as in the large cities.

China is Land Rover's 5th largest market.

Here's the article that is the source of this news.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/chinese-balm-for-jlr/12/54/350467/

 

[peter]

I love land rovers. :sombrero:

 

[Life_in_4Lo]

huge boost for Tata and India. Too bad it didn't happen while it was still British owned. Wonder what the real story is behind the buy.

 

[1speed]

huge boost for Tata and India. Too bad it didn't happen while it was still British owned. Wonder what the real story is behind the buy.

My first thought would be reverse engineering/copycatting but you wouldn't need 10,000 of them to do that!

 

[Antichrist]

Most of the vehicles will be sold to private individuals by dealerships across China. JLR has found an enthusiastic market for its products in China’s fledgling entrepreneurial elite. The company said: “This has been a fast-growing market for us, becoming our fifth biggest in three years, starting from almost nothing.”

JLR sold about 13,000 vehicles in China last year, so the order would not be remarkable outside a time of recession. What is probably more important is the assumption of the Chinese that the company will still be in business in three years’ time.​

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a2995746-0523-11de-8166-000077b07658.html

 

[I Leak Oil]

I bet the Chinese will get diesel Defenders.
Jason T.