Land Rover brand will not be killed off, says spokesperson
But Range Rover won't be referred to as 'Land Rover Range Rover' under new brand strategy
The Land Rover brand “remains as the cornerstone of our business” and “will not disappear”, a spokesperson for JLR has confirmed, contrary to reports that the 75-year-old nameplate will be dropped by the car making group.
Under the new House of Brands marketing strategy, Jaguar Land Rover is being renamed JLR and there will be a new focus on differentiating the various brands under its umbrella, including Defender, Range Rover and Jaguar. In practice, this will mean the likes of the Range Rover will be known simply as that, rather than the “Land Rover Range Rover”, Driving.co.uk has been told.
The spokesperson added that ‘’the iconic name is too well established and revered around the world” to kill off, given its illustrious heritage and cachet.
Jaguar Land Rover fought to protect Land Rover intellectual property, including one against Chinese brand “Land Wind”. Following a three-year legal battle, in 2019 a court in Beijing ruled that Jiangling Motor Corporation’s (JMC) Landwind X7 had copied five specific features of the Range Rover Evoque, which led to confusion among potential customers.
Simplifying the names of cars could make sense for JLR, particularly in the example of the Land Rover Range Rover and related models, such as the Evoque and Range Rover Sport. However, when pressed on how the new strategy will apply to other models, the answer was less clear. The new Land Rover Defender will simply be known as the “Defender”, though it will retain a Land Rover badge on the rear.
The current Range Rover and Defender are branded as such prominently on the nose of the car, though smaller Land Rover badges are included. This strategy is set to continue.
Defender will appear as a separate brand on a House of Brands website at LandRover.co.uk, alongside Range Rover. Jaguar will retain a separate website.
An official statement read: “We want to reassure clients that Land Rover will remain the trust mark that underpins the world-leading capability offered across Range Rover, Defender and Discovery vehicles, building on 75 years of technological and engineering expertise.
“As a House of Brands, Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Jaguar now step forward as individual marques, projecting their individual purpose, desirability, and personality. Under this approach, we will amplify the unique character of each of the brands, accelerating the delivery of our vision to the Proud Creators of Modern Luxury.
“We are not losing the Land Rover name; its spirit is – and will continue to be – a crucial part of our DNA.”
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