For Land Rover, An Important Sales Milestone Has Been Reached

Despite fluctuating oil prices and sinking demand for sport/utility vehicles, the Land Rover brand has managed to find its own way in the tough North American passenger vehicle market. Certainly, sales are down compared to recent years, but the British built, Indian owned automaker recently reached an important milestone: the company sold its 500,000 vehicle in the US Land Rover original parts market.

First introduced to America in 1987, the Land Rover brand got off to a slow start, taking a full decade to sell its first 100,000 vehicles. By July 2006, 400,000 Land Rovers were sold in America, so in just the past thirty months, an additional 100,000 were sold BMW original parts stateside.

“Reaching this milestone demonstrates the strength of the Land Rover brand and is a result of a dedicated and passionate retailer network,” said Chris Marchand, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Land Rover North America. “The Land Rover model line-up has undergone a complete revitalization and reaching this achievement shows the growth we have experienced over the past four years. It took us ten years to sell the first 100,000 vehicles and we have sold the last 100,000 since July of 2006.”

The first vehicles sold by Land Rover North America went on sale on March 16, 1987, as the iconic British brand began to import its Range Rover into the United States, move that has been credited with single-handedly creating the luxury sports utility vehicle segment. Since then, all major luxury car manufacturers with a presence in the US market began to produce their own lines of luxury SUVs, but Land Rover continues to show leadership in this highly competitive segment.

For Land Rover, 500,000 units is impressive but the brand is also celebrating another milestone:  its 60th anniversary globally. At present the Tata Motors owned brand offers a wide variety of vehicles including Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover LR3 and Land Rover LR2.

As far as the direction of where Land Rover is headed, the LRX concept offers enthusiasts look that tell much about the next few years. “The LRX Concept is a glimpse into the future for Land Rover,” said Chris Marchand, executive vice president, marketing and sales, Land Rover North America. “New technology, environmental awareness and outstanding design are key elements in the success of the next generation of SUVs.”