JLR not to be affected by diesel car ban in the long run

Jaguar Land Rover is unlikely to be affected by the Supreme Court (SC) ruling in the long run. The SC on December 16 had banned the sale of diesel vehicles having a capacity of 2000cc and above, in the NCR, from January 1 to March 31, 2016. This is in a bid to control the pollution situation that is currently plaguing the capital. 

JLR’s current range sold in India exceeds the 2000cc capacity and will be affected by the ruling in the interim period and maybe later too if the ban is extended. However, it is unlikely to affect their prospects in the long run thanks to the Ingenium family of engines which will debut with the XE sedan next year. These four-cylinder mills while being called 2.0-litre units have a capacity 1999cc which takes them outside the ambit of the ban. It seems almost obvious that the automaker will move a majority of its diesel range to this engine from the 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit that currently powers a range of cars in their lineup.  

We spoke to Rohit Suri, President JLR India, during the launch of their InConnect App for the Indian market. He said that the company respects the decision of the Supreme Court, but should have been given some kind of prior intimation so as to be prepared to take action. They are currently reassessing their situation and will react accordingly.