The order backlog at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) grew to 215,000 cars between October and December 2022 as retail and wholesale sales rose.
The rise of 10,000 units compared with the previous quarter hints that demand for JLR's cars continues to outstrip its production capacity.
JLR has been severely afflicted by the semiconductor chip shortage, which former CEO Thierry Bolloré warned would take “years” to resolve before he stepped down for personal reasons.
Overall, the firm sold 79,591 cars wholesale between October and December, an improvement of 5.7% (4284) compared with the previous quarter and up 15% (10,409) compared with the same period in 2021.
This growth was driven by volume increases in North America and the UK, up 17% (3737) and 13% (1612) respectively.
However, wholesales in China and Europe fell by 13% (1669) and 3% (536) respectively. The former was impacted by Covid, though, said JLR.
North America, Europe and the UK were the firm’s top three markets during the 2022 calendar year, with 81,313, 70,334 and 58,177 wholesales respectively.
JLR’s retail sales for the quarter were stronger still, at 84,827 cars – a 5.9% (4701) improvement compared with the same period in 2021 but 3.7% (3294) down quarter on quarter.
The slight shortfall compared with the previous quarter reflects the difference in timing between retail and wholesale, said JLR.
The Land Rover Defender was JLR's most popular model at retail, with 19,841 sold – up 61.9% (7589) year on year.
It was followed by the new Range Rover (14,076) and the Range Rover Evoque (11,203) – marking a successful quarter for Land Rover at retail, with the brand’s volumes rising 7% (4568) year on year.
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No other marque has the same problems. This is mismanagement by the world's worst automotive CEO Thierry Bollore.
Remember this is essentially just Land Rover as Bollore killed off Jaguar. Gone is the XE, gone is the XF, and gone is the XJ. All killed off by Bollore.
XJ was nearly complete but Bollore killed it off citing that the platform was too old. Same platform was later released as the Range Rover and Sport model. The problem wasn't the platform but because Bollore wanted to kill off Jaguar.
Why?
He said he wanted it to compete with Bentley. A car company a tenth, if that, of the size of Jaguar. Probably less than a 20th the size. And certainly for where Jaguar should be, producing 1 series and A class rivals, a boutique car manufacturer.
To achieve what Bollore wanted was to decimate Jaguar. And he did it by not building any. Stopping the lines from making new Jaguars.
Blamed the chip shortage, but every other marque figured it out, didn't they? And JLR are only able to build a tiny fraction more than last year because of his incompetence.
That's what Autocar should be reporting. The demise of Jaguar at the hands of Thierry Bollore.