The CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America wants the two brands to merge their dealerships.
The signature British marques, which have been under the same ownership since 2002, have approximately 97 stand alone Jaguar or Land Rover dealerships in the US today, according to AutoGuide. CEO Andy Goss would like at least half of them to merge.
Goss tells the guide that merging the dealers would enhance the customer experience by offering a wider selection, and would also be prudent business. "Forty-five percent of people who own a Jaguar also own an SUV," he said. "It is the same customer base. It would be foolish not to try and get those customers, he tells AutoGuide.
Jaguar Land Rover is owned by the Indian corporation Tata Motors Limited. Jaguar Cars was purchased by Ford Motor Company in 1989, and Land Rover was acquired by Ford from BMW in 2000. Ford merged them together in 2002; and sold them to Tata in 2008.
A plan to merge dealers might be part of a larger plan to grow the brand. Autocar reported this spring that Jaguar Land Rover would, over the course of the next five years, be launching 40 new vehicles, technologies, and products to attract customers away from markets immediately above and below the company.
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