Tata group is the front-runner bidder for Jaguar and Land Rover.
While the brands will now be able to leverage Tata’s extensive supply chain, what does this do to their luxury brand image?
or… is this going to be a story like Japan and Quality…
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
As Ford found out that if you put Ford parts in a Jag to streamline your costs, its not perceived as a Jag anymore, Tata will find that out soon enough if they go the same route.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
Glad I didn’t buy that Jag so I can make fun of Jaguar owners
Before it went bust, the UK’s Rover car company started selling a Tata car under the Rover brand in the UK.
As I mentioned, Rover went bust afterwards 
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
A few years ago, I was very choosey about buying electronic goods made in Europe or USA - but now I find almost every appliance is made in China. Even clothes with good brand names are made in China/India/sri Lanka etc.
Royal Enfield was sold to India way back in the 50's or 60's - it is still maintaining its reputation and is being exported abroad-though in small numbers. So who knows - maybe TATA may make a success of this brand.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
Jaguar is synonymous with 'luxury' brand. I have no clue about Tata Industries of India, but I don't know if Tata is associated with luxury brands, so I bet that Jaguar and Rover brands will lose their luster.
Though you can say having Ford owning the brands for a few years already tainted the 'luxury' part anyway, but suffice to say that there are many luxury brands that are owned by lesser brands - Rolls Royce is owned by BMW, Bentley owned by VW etc. Tata is a relative unknown in this sphere. Jag owners may be kicking themselves right now.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
Tata is a relative unknown in this sphere. Jag owners may be kicking themselves right now.
If you do not know about the Tata group then you should start reading some new papers (any language, any country). Or you could just google 'Tata+takeover' and see what all you get.
I'll give you a small clue. Tata's were the first large company to start the outsourcing trend. And TCS was one of their small tiny ventures!
Tata Motors used to be TELCO once making only commercial trucks. If I remember right they exported to Pakistan also.
Jag owners may be kicking themselves for buying a Jag in these days of $100 oil but that is a different story.
I do wonder however why Tata's bought the Jag - it doesn't give them anything
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
StirCassy, i still wonder what you would discover if you go out and ask the average consumer if they've ever heard of tata. The only 'tata' most north american and european consumers (the market that really matters to Jag and Rover) are aware of is TTFN i.e. Ta Ta For Now courtesy tigger from winnie the pooh.
Also given the Indian call centers' tainted image in western consumers' minds and the media, i doubt this move will make life any better for Jag, Rover or Tata for now.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
If you do not know about the Tata group then you should start reading some new papers (any language, any country). Or you could just google 'Tata+takeover' and see what all you get.
I'll give you a small clue. Tata's were the first large company to start the outsourcing trend. And TCS was one of their small tiny ventures!
Tata Motors used to be TELCO once making only commercial trucks. If I remember right they exported to Pakistan also.
If you read my post again, you will note that I said that "Tata is relatively unknown in this sphere" meaning luxury car market. Of course I know Tata Industries, but I have never seen or heard any of Tata branded cars going around in Europe or US.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
Actually, Tata sells pickups and SUVs in the UK and other European countries… where they are roundly criticised by the press for their crude build.
There was an effort to get around any prejudice by selling a Tata car as a Rover (a domestic UK brand) and that didn’t work either. Again, the car’s shoddy build and crude finishing led to it being a commercial failure.
Here’s a review of a Tata SUV sold in Europe.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
well it is gonna be an uphill task for tata to make these brands profitable. but given their abilities to take over and make profit i dont think it is impossible.
may be its part of tatas long term strategy to for brand recognition. they are coming up with 2000 dollars car in India. they also want to export it. i guess once associated with a bigger brand they will sell more of the cheap cars.
TATAs are becoming bigger and bigger every day. few good brand takeovers can give them brand recognition.
we will have to wait and see how it turns out..
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
tata will keep jag and rover mark seperate, find synergies and try to put their resources behind the brands, as they fix the companies, they will start selling other cars under the jag and rover brand that they would not have been able to sell under tata. thats the play, and it remains to be seen if it will work or if it will be a bad marriage like daimlerhyphenchrylser
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
The real hubba hubba in this deal is Land Rover. In the last few years it has made significant gain with the Range Rover line up, especially the cleverly marketed Sport model. It looks like Tata wants to get in on the land rover/off road side of things and transfer some of that technical know how to their dismal (but surprisingly strong in sales) truck products.
Jaguar just came with the deal. Its like getting married to a trophy wife and having to deal with her ugly friends.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
If you do not know about the Tata group then you should start reading some new papers (any language, any country). Or you could just google 'Tata+takeover' and see what all you get.
I'll give you a small clue. Tata's were the first large company to start the outsourcing trend. And TCS was one of their small tiny ventures!
Tata Motors used to be TELCO once making only commercial trucks. If I remember right they exported to Pakistan also.
Jag owners may be kicking themselves for buying a Jag in these days of $100 oil but that is a different story.
I do wonder however why Tata's bought the Jag - it doesn't give them anything
- It opens the biggest auto market to them
- They will be able to reduce the cost of productions.
- They will be able to get lot of parts and software done by Tata Industries in India.
I am sure they have done their due diligence before spending $2 billion
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
This is not directly related to the topic, but it shows that TATA is very well managed group.
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1156060
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
It is beside the topic of discussion but I would say that TATA is much better than the Reliance group. At least they follow some work ethics, unlike Reliance who are deep into tax evasion and other irregular financial activities.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
- It opens the biggest auto market to them
- They will be able to reduce the cost of productions.
- They will be able to get lot of parts and software done by Tata Industries in India.
I am sure they have done their due diligence before spending $2 billion
Oh I am sure they did plus since Ford was in such distress I am sure they were able to work a decent price.
But my concern is from the changing dynamic where Jag is not exactly the definitions of powerful luxury any more as it once was; Neither is Rover the ultimate in ruggedness. Both are losing brand value from their once high perches.
However there is a pretty big silver line: Both brands have very very seriously suffered for a decade from a lack of investment led innovation. So Tata's ignite the innovation within the lines they can rekindle the brand and take it places.
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
Tata is in lead to buy Jaguar and LandRover
Ford’s Jaguar-Land Rover Division May Go to India
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=auEKt0uOutxM&refer=india
Re: Jag & Land Rover going to Tata Group
New York Times Editorial
The Other Nano
Published: January 16, 2008
What do a ’73 Volkswagen Bug, a navigation system on a new Jaguar and a brand new Nano sedan have in common? Two things: they cost about $2,500 and involve the Indian entrepreneur Ratan Tata.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/16/opinion/16wed4.html?th&emc=th
Mr. Tata is chairman of the Tata Group and currently the leading bidder to buy Jaguar from the Ford Motor Company. Last Thursday, he unveiled the world’s cheapest car — a cute five-door hatchback called Nano that’s powered by two cylinders in back, capable of running at 75 miles an hour and costing about $2,500. Mr. Tata hopes to sell a million Nanos a year in India and to expand to other developing countries. He claims the car meets European emission standards and gets a hybridlike 50 miles to the gallon.
Given the gas-guzzling behemoths that so many of us in the West feel entitled to, it would seem hypocritical to begrudge people in poor countries an affordable car. Much like the hypocrisy of the dealers who have resisted Tata’s bid for Jaguar on the grounds that Indian ownership would erode the brand’s prestige.
The sad fact is that the world has changed since Americans celebrated the egalitarian breakthrough of the Ford Model T. We know now that gas-driven automobiles do terrible damage to the environment, and the notion of loosing millions upon millions of new carbon emitters on our planet is not something to celebrate.
So while we admire Mr. Tata’s business and engineering acumen in creating the Nano, we ardently wish that he would focus his talents elsewhere: creating transportation that is both affordable and doesn’t emit ever more greenhouse gases. That would be something for the whole world to celebrate and buy.