Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reported a robust rebound in quarterly sales as the UK's largest automotive manufacturer shakes off the lingering effects of a crippling cyber attack that halted production last year.
In the three months leading up to March 31, the Tata Motors-owned carmaker shipped 95,300 vehicles to its dealer network. This represents a staggering 61.1% surge compared to the previous quarter. Consumer-facing retail sales also enjoyed a healthy bump, climbing 16.2% to reach 92,700 vehicles.
The positive trajectory marks a significant turning point for the company. Beginning on September 1 of last year, a major cyber attack forced JLR to shut down assembly lines for five weeks across its manufacturing hubs in Solihull, Halewood, and near Wolverhampton. Company officials have confirmed that production capacity has finally returned to "normal levels," despite a brief, unrelated pause at the Solihull facility late last month caused by a supplier parts shortage.
However, the impressive quarter-over-quarter growth masks a broader annual slump. Compared to the same period last year, total sales to both dealers and individual buyers remain notably depressed.
Year-over-year retail sales experienced a 14.3% decline, while global dealer sales fell by 14.5%. The domestic market took a particularly hard hit, with UK dealer sales plunging 23.1%. Furthermore, ongoing market turbulence in China resulted in a sharp 29.8% drop in regional sales.
JLR attributes this year-over-year downturn to a combination of international headwinds and internal restructuring. Specifically, the company pointed to the impact of stringent US tariffs, continued economic friction in the Chinese market, and the strategic phase-out of older legacy Jaguar models as primary drivers of the broader annual decline.