JLR’s September-Quarter Sales Drop on Cyberattack, Model Phase-Out, and US Tariffs

Wholesale sales of Tata Motors Ltd.’s UK-based subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover fell 24% on year in the September quarter, while retail sales declined 17%, as a major cyberattack halted production in the final month of the quarter. Sales were also hit by the planned phase-out of legacy Jaguar models and higher tariffs on cars exported to the US, the company said Tuesday.

Wholesale sales during the quarter stood at 66,165 units, excluding those by its China joint venture Chery Jaguar Land Rover, while retail sales, including the joint venture, were at 85,495 units. “It has been a challenging quarter for JLR. In the first two months, our performance was robust and in line with our expectations,” Chief Executive Officer Adrian Mardell said.

Retail sales declined across all markets — the UK fell 32%, North America 9%, Europe 12%, China 22.5%, and West Asia and North Africa nearly 16%. The company said the UK was most affected by the cyber incident and the Jaguar model phase-out, while reduced sales of domestically produced vehicles in China were partly offset by higher imported car sales.

Jaguar Land Rover said it will resume manufacturing in phases, starting Wednesday with its engine plant in Wolverhampton, followed by its facilities in Nitra and Solihull.