MANAGEMENT of Jaguar/LandRover sub-Sahara Africa (JLRSSA) has described its ongoing upgrades offacilitiesas a step in the right direction designed to meet the expectation ofautomobile freaks within the continent.During the current business year, the company said that it had invested about $52 million in facility and human development within its coverage areas.Speaking at an interactive session with journalists recently in South Africa, General Manager of the Group, Mr. Nigel Clarke said that the company was committed to remain the market leader in the Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) segment.Explaining in details the group's developmental strategy in the 13 markets it represents within the region, Clarke said that more than 212 new jobs had been created, while four new facilities had been completed and nine nearing completion.Henoted that the company had made positive impacts with all its products, while a new world class training academy for the brand was currently being constructed in Nairobi, Kenya.Giving an insight into the sales profile of its various products for the 2010/2011business year, he said that the flagship brand of the group, the defender had about 27 per cent increase in sales, Freelanderfive per cent, Discovery 55 per cent and Rang Rover 11 per cent.The Jaguar series, he said, equally did very well with the XJ grabbing the top mark with 94 per cent sales growth, while the XF stood at 62 per cent and the XK attwo per cent.With this development, Clarke said that the company would not relent in its stride for expansion across the region.Specifically, he noted that the defender, which had not made impressive impact in the past few years, was gradually under the new dispensation making tremendous impact in Nigeria.He said that efforts to market the product in Nigeria, was paying off as 60 units were sold recently.He noted that the group was always willing to partner with its dealers across the region towards making the brand acceptable by all Africans who had interest in thevehicle.'During business in the region despite the economic downturn has been impressive, all our vehicles are doing quite well and we hope to cash in on the latest innovations the group is developing to improve our market share in the classic SUV segment.'We are optimistic that the new Evoque will do us proud as the demand for the wonder on wheels has been tremendous since its global launch.'To ensure that we attain that height, we have partnered with our various dealers on facility development and that has paid up as about four of such facilities have been completed, while nine are expected to be completed before first quarter of 2012.'In Nigeria, for instance, we are collaborating with our partners, Coscharis Motors on pushing our brand to an enviable height and that has paid off with the opening of a state of the art facility in Abuja, while another of such edifice is expected to be completed in Lekki area of Lagos before the end of this year,' Clarke said.The interaction with journalists was part of activities lined up for the ongoing Johannesburg Motor Show, where the group displayed some of itsiconic products such as the all-new Evoque, which is expected to hit Nigerian roads before the end of the year.Speaking at the press preview of the show at theNasrec Expo Centre in Gauteng, the Managing Director of the Jaguar/LandRover sub-Sahara Africa, Mr. Kevin Flynn said that the company was determined to remain at the top of the range as a foremost producer in that segment.He said that to ensure this, the group had embarked on series of de.43velopmental strategies towards bring this to bear.According to him, the companyrecorded some remarkable results during the first quarter of this year.The company, according to him, sold more than 62,000 vehicles, while profits went up by 17per cent.Besides, he noted that the company had put in a lot of money into developing their facilities in Africa, adding that Africa was one of the company's major areas of sales.Speaking on the expectation of the company, he said that the group was poised to attain an enviable height with its latest baby, Evoque.According to him, the demand for the Evoque since its global launch some months back was at an all time high of 25,000 units,addingthat Africa share stoodat over 900 units.
Click here to read full news..
