WHITLEY, UK: Jaguar Land Rover reported retail sales of 52,814 vehicles for December 2019, 1.3% up on the previous year.

For the month of December, Jaguar Land Rover retail sales were boosted by China (up 26.3% year-on-year), a sixth successive month of double-digit growth. This offset lower sales in North America (-1.1 %), UK (-2.9%), Europe (-5.3%) and in Overseas markets (-7.6%).

The new Range Rover Evoque continues to perform very well (up 33.2%) and the refreshed Land Rover Discovery Sport is gaining traction (up 19.6%). Sales of the Land Rover Discovery were also up, while other models were lower. For the quarter to December 2019, Jaguar Land Rover retail sales were 141 ,222, down 2.3% year-on-year, reflecting similar market and model trends.

Sales were up in China (24.3%) and North America (1.1%), but were offset by lower sales in the UK (-11.9%) , Europe (-10.1%) and overseas markets (-11.5%). Sales were up for the new Evoque (30.0%) and the refreshed Land Rover Discovery Sport (9.2%) as well as the Land Rover Discovery (4.3%) and the Range Rover Sport (2.5%}, while sales of other models were down. For the calendar year 2019, Jaguar Land Rover retail sales were 557,706, down 5.9% compared to 2018.

This reflects the currently more challenging industry conditions across markets with sales down in China (-13.5%}, Overseas Regions (-14.2%), Europe (-4.9%) and the UK (-1.7%). However, the double-digit sales growth in China over the last six months has been encouraging, as has been the record sales achieved in North America (up 1.8%).

Sales of the newer Range Rover Evoque, Jaguar E-PACE and multiple award-winning I-PACE as well as the established Range Rover Sport were up for the year, while sales of other vehicles were impacted by the generally weak market conditions and model changeover in the case of the new refreshed Discovery Sport.

Felix Brautigam, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Commercial Officer, said: “2019 was a year of two halves for Jaguar Land Rover. Over the last six months we saw a marked improvement in China, where intensive work with our retailers, combined with significant process and product improvements are starting to gain traction. Elsewhere, adverse market conditions continued to affect the industry, but encouragingly in North America we closed 2019 successfully with a new record year.

“Following a record 2018, Jaguar sales were down in 2019. In increasingly challenging market conditions we chose not to weaken the iconic Jaguar brand through chasing volume at any cost. Nonetheless, key product highlights increased interest and, for example, created demand for our award-winning electric I-PACE, World Car of the Year 2019. Sales of our first Jaguar compact crossover, the sporty E-PACE, were also up on the previous year and, in December, we unveiled the new Jaguar F-TYPE to very positive response from the media and market. This underlines the breadth of our portfolio, from agile yet luxurious sedans to sporty crossovers and fully-fledged sports cars. All true Jaguars, cars that turn Ordinary into Extraordinary.

“For Land Rover, our new Range Rover Evoque continued to draw customer demand and sales of the Range Rover Sport increased in 2019. Solid growth for Land Rover overall in the October to December quarter was a promising sign. As we enter 2020 our comprehensively updated best-selling Land Rover Discovery Sport is now available in all regions and poised for growth. We also look forward to the start of retail sales for the New Defender, the world’s most iconic 4X4.

“Innovation for both Jaguar and Land Rover is impressive. We already offer electrification on many of our car lines, be that mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric, and we are on track to provide electrified options on all our new vehicles from this year, giving our customers a wide choice. State-of-the-art driver assistance systems and full connectivity with Software-Over-The-Air capability are also a given with all our new cars. We are confident that our comprehensive strategy, exciting pipeline of market-leading vehicles and innovative approach to technology and mobility will see us continue to progress towards our Destination Zero mission.”

In 2019, 6% of Jaguar Land Rover’s global sales were either fully-electric or with plug-in hybrid electric powertrains. In the UK, for example, 4% of the company’s sales were electric (BEV) and 4% plug-in hybrid, more than double the overall market take-up, with 23% of all Range Rovers and 20% of all Range Rover Sport vehicles being plug-in hybrids. Jaguar Land Rover was the first company to launch a premium all-electric performance SUV, the multiple award-winning Jaguar I- PACE that was revealed in 2018.

In addition, plug-in hybrid variants are already offered on the flagship Range Rover and Range Rover Sport and will be available on the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque, as well as the recently-revealed New Defender vehicles in 2020. All of these vehicles feature mild-hybrid electrification options from launch.