WHY LAND ROVER'S DAYS ARE NUMBERED

Land Rover is struggling in the high-class SUV market, even though the company all but invented the SUV as a status symbol. As the SUV supplanted both the middle-class minivan and the upper-class sedan, Land Rover’s dominance in the world of high-class SUVs faltered and has not recovered since. Sales have become so bad that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR, itself a subsidiary of India-based Tata Motors) is (sort of) phasing out Land Rover as a brand. Jaguar Land Rover appears to be doing a similar brand-shuffling to what Stellantis did by separating Ram from the rest of Dodge while making vague claims that the Rams were still Dodges at heart. JLR issued the spectacularly wishy-washy statement that "We are not losing the Land Rover name; its spirit is—and will continue to be—a crucial part of our DNA."

No matter what kind of marketing-speak JLR applies to the latest in Land Rover rebranding, Land Rover has been a weak fighter in the SUV game for several years. Despite the not-quite rebranding, Land Rover's product line remains out-of-date. JLR offers hybrid variants of Land Rover's products but not a single electric vehicle. Whether JLR's management wants to admit it or not, the days of the 1mpg road tank are ending. Slipping a few hybrid powertrains among a product lineup that was up-to-date fifteen years ago is not enough.

Updated on 7th September 2023: Although Land Rover has announced an EV slated for 2024, there are still concerns regarding the brand's effort, design, and image. As we drive full speed into a more eco-conscious future across the auto market, Land Rover will either rise to the occasion or fall further down the totem pole.

Land Rover Is Way Behind In EV Manufacturing

Land Rover will deliver an electric model in 2024.
The company seems to be shifting culturally heading into the latter of this decade.

Although Land Rover is making strides to be more eco-conscious, the brand has fallen behind many of its competitors. For instance, the company announced the release of an all-electric Land Rover in 2024, with pre-orders starting this year. However, this would be a first for the brand, with many other competing SUVs already on the road with zero emissions. That said, Land Rover has been moving somewhat fast into gas-free design this year, with plans to expand its electric fleet by the end of the decade. What once was a staple in pop culture for many reasons seems to not be a trendsetter anymore.

Another market that Land Rover hopes to enter is the hybrid and plug-in hybrid one. With hybrid models already underway and announcements of new PHEV technology, we could be seeing a cultural shift in the company. After all, it'll need it to survive into the next decade. One of the main issues with Land Rover is the outdated culture and management, which has led to slow sales and a poor reputation. Quality and design are all a car manufacturer has: Land Rover must step them up.

On top of that, Land Rover has invested in new electric platforms for EVs, which could indicate a new theme of design is coming to the brand. The US market needs the most work, especially since Land Rover fell from grace in recent years. Let's hope it can rise from the ashes.

Land Rover Was In The Right Place At The Right Time

Land Rover saw its prime during the pre-recession period in the U.S.
As eco-friendly vehicles became the norm, Land Rover didn't adapt.

While SUVs have been commonplace for decades, their current rise in popularity didn’t pick up speed until the last years of pre-recession prosperity. People began to want vehicles that made them feel invincible, and many also took personal offense at the tightening of fuel-efficiency regulations. For a tiny but passionate subset of the car-buying public, terrible gas mileage was practically a point of pride. (This little group of anti-efficiency crusaders would later evolve into today's coal rollers, who impress no one but themselves.) After years of merely coexisting with sedans and trucks, the SUV’s time had come.

Land Rover was the perfect place to seize the upscale SUV market and seize it Land Rover did. Land Rover may not have invented the concept of SUV-as-conspicuous consumption, but the company was a dominant force in the world of genteel off-roaders for a long time before the current SUV boom. For several lucrative years, no upscale strip mall was complete without several identical Range Rovers in the parking lot. Land Rovers were rugged enough to allow people to pretend they might someday go mudding on the way home from work (even if almost no one ever did). They were showy but not flashy and big enough to fit all the kids.

Additionally, Land Rovers were British and, therefore, European, which imbued them with that “continental class.” On top of that, their all-American, road-hogging appearance helped Land Rovers avoid the jokes about unreliable and stodgy British cars. Land Rovers quickly became one of the most ubiquitous high-status SUVs that one encountered in front of strip malls that have boutiques instead of discount outlets.

Land Rover Did Not Keep Up With The Competition

Land Rover has failed to keep up with competing brands like Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and Porsche.
As other luxury car brands have perfected SUVs, Land Rover lost its domination.

One might think that Land Rover would have an enduring place among upper-class family tanks. Indeed, today’s wildly profitable SUV market was practically handed to Land Rover. But every other automaker in the business saw the change coming too. Companies like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche have aggressively taken over the posh SUV market. The many new electric car companies (it seems like another new one is incorporated every week) have grabbed what space is left in the electric SUV market before Land Rover could bother to push out an EV. The Rivian R1S, in particular, looks like something Land Rover could have done.

Land Rover is outdone in every measurable way by both new companies and automakers that previously had devoted little (if any) attention to luxury SUVs. Whether one cares about performance, interior amenities, or simply how good the car looks when parked in front of the house, a Land Rover is no longer the top choice.

To be fair to Land Rover, the company may have simply never recovered from an ongoing series of takeovers and selloff. Since the collapse of British Leyland, Land Rover has been passed from BMW to Ford before getting sold to Tata Motors. It is difficult to maintain a consistent product or vision when the management can’t stay in the same hemisphere.

Land Rover’s Current Lineup Is A Little Too Generic

Land Rover has a bland design to its current fleet.
The SUVs are no longer timeless or eye-catching like they were pre-recession.

Land Rover’s current lineup consists of three SUVs (with hybrid variants) and nothing else. The three models (Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery) are difficult to tell apart unless they’re parked side by side. Aside from small details like LED headlights, current Land Rovers still look like they were designed before the Recession hit. Land Rover’s SUVs are neither "timeless" nor interesting. Instead, they are outdated.

While Land Rover has what automotive historians love to call “a storied history,” you can't see it in the current lineup. Jeep has a similar history to Land Rover that dates back to lovingly remembered World War II military transportation. But while Jeeps still look like Jeeps with their iconic "Jeep faces," Land Rovers look like any other SUV.

As the years go by, Land Rover hasn't taken risks in terms of aesthetics. Although this company has always been understated, Land Rover must recreate its original charm and grab from pre-2008 archives. EVs could be the perfect way to do this.

In light of the recent boom in luxury trucks, it is stunning that Land Rover never introduced one. The luxury truck is no longer a shocking novelty. High-fashion trucks have become the latest profitable entry in a long history of turning utility vehicles into high-fashion statements to flaunt in the drop-off line of a private preschool. With the F-150 Lightning, Ford has proven that customers are willing to pay six figures for an electric truck if it has leather and a big enough screen. In theory, Land Rover could easily take one of its SUVs and replace the backseat with a truck bed— and (given enough daring) make it all-electric. But, like so many other missed opportunities, Land Rover hasn’t done it. One has to wonder if anyone at Land Rover is interested in bringing it into the present decade.

It'll Be Interesting To See How Land Rover Embraces The Electric Future

Land Rover has missed many opportunities to reinvent itself in the electric market.
The current leadership does not seem to want to extend design budgets or take risks.

Land Rover could regain its strength in the world of lower-upper-middle-class family haulers. Like Jeep, Land Rover has a military background that gives it a rugged and patriotic sheen. And, while its current models are the status symbols of a bygone decade, they are nevertheless competent examples of outdated upscale cars. But while Land Rover has all the makings of another corporate success story, getting there would require company leadership to drastically expand the design budget. The company's refusal to produce even one all-electric vehicle, whether it's due to stubbornness or simple laziness, is only making its product line look more obsolete.

If Land Rover can make a long-range luxurious electric SUV, that could be a nice re-entry into many driver's minds. The 2024 electric Land Rover looks promising, with pre-orders underway.

Although the future doesn't necessarily look amazing for Land Rover, perhaps the addition of a 2024 EV could help boost traction. If the company can redirect and find its groove again, we could witness the rise of a once-American and global classic. It's happened before; let's hope Land Rover can pull it off.

2023-06-06T22:09:26Z dg43tfdfdgfd