- JLR will halt production of its own models in China next year, following significant losses.
- A new range of China-focused models will be launched under the Freelander brand.
- Freelander models will be built on a Chery platform and may eventually be sold overseas.
The Jaguar-Land Rover group (JLR) is throwing in the towel in China, scrapping its own models and opting to rebrand Chinese-made platforms from 2026. The move comes after its joint venture with Chery lost $18.7 million in the last fiscal year.
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On Jaguar’s side, production of the XE, XF, and E-Pace, which are currently made at a plant co-owned with Chery, will be wound down in September. Land Rover will end Chinese manufacture of the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport by the end of next year.
Enter Freelander
The Freelander name is set to return, but not as you know it. According to a report from AutoNews, a new range of China-focused models is being readied for JLR and Chery to sell under an all-new Freelander brand. The lineup will be based on the Chery T1X platform, which was developed with the assistance of JLR as far back as 2016. The modular T1X currently underpins several Chery, Tiggo, Omoda, and Jaecoo SUVs.
The first Freelander will feature a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. JLR will have input in the design, but the Freelanders will not only ride on the Chinese architecture, but will be squarely aimed at the market with “Chinese attributes” and “Chinese costs,” making it “perfect for the Chinese market,” according to JLR CFO Richard Molyneux.
It’s thought that Freelanders will continue to be sold alongside larger imports, such as the Range Rover and Defender, higher-priced models which are less susceptible to the price war with local manufacturers.
China Woes
Molyneux told investors that the difficult year is due to most models coming to the end of their life cycle and that other brands are facing similar challenges. Indeed, the Chinese market has been notoriously difficult for foreign automakers to make a mark in. Several brands, such as Audi’s “AUDI” offshoot, are coming up with new ways to appeal to local buyers while leveraging homegrown tech.
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However, last year’s loss came straight after a $47.8 million profit during the 2023 fiscal year. Fortunately for JLR, sales for the first four months of 2025 have begun to pick up, helped by rising US demand. However, for a company that once saw China as its biggest market, China now lies fifth, signalling not only a lacklustre performance but an overall decline in the face of new competition.
Freelander Could Go Global
While far from being confirmed, there’s every chance that the Freelander brand could go global. With JLR’s slightly confusing “house of brands” strategy to create subrands like Range Rover and Discovery, the China-focused Freelander brand could be sold overseas.
“It has the potential to go global,” said Molyneux, which may also fit with Chery’s plans to push further afield into the overseas market. Last year, Chery was China’s largest vehicle exporter, with 1.14 million vehicles shipped.
