Jaguar of Jaguar-Land Rover fame might enter Iran with three new sedan models, according to well-informed sources.
According to local automotive website Pedal.ir, the three new Jaguar sedan models rumored to be coming to Tehran are XE, XJ and XF that are popular in Europe and China.
However, no official confirmation has been given by any company working in Iran that they will bring in the vehicles.
Another automotive observer says that as part of the contract between an Iranian dealership and the British carmaker, a new showroom on Tehran’s exclusive Parkway corner, in the north of the capital, will be created. Currently, Tehran boasts exclusive showrooms selling Toyota, Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi cars.
Iranians have had a fascination with the brand for decades, but sales stopped after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
About the Jags
All three models are medium to large sedans: XE competes with the BMW 3-series. Its power-trains include a 280-hp turbo four, a 340-hp supercharged V-6 and a 180-hp turbo diesel, all with an eight-speed automatic.
The 2016 Jaguar XF is a midsize luxury sports sedan that slots above the upcoming XE and the full-size XJ. The 2016 XFs comes equipped with a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 340 hp or 380 hp, and 332 lb-ft of torque at launch.
The XJ is one of the official cars of many of Britain’s royal families. With this model comes a standard 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 with 340 hp, a 470-hp V-8 is also available.
However, it remains to be seen how the company can bring in cars with engines this large, as there is now a ban on engines larger than 2.5 liters.
With a diverse profile that includes Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin and Jaguar, Britain has established itself as one of the leading countries manufacturing luxury vehicles, but markets like Iran have remained off-limits until now.
The Rumored Dealership
According to local automotive website Mashin3, Gerami Group previously had sales licenses for Hyundai, Kia and Geely in Iran and are reportedly the same group keen on importing Jaguars.
The report published in June says that the Jaguar showroom will be set up on Parkway Avenue, north of Tehran under the name Rava Ro Khodro.
In addition, Mashin3 noted that if the wider brand makes an entry, Land Rover’s Discovery Sport, Ranger Rover, Ranger Rover Sport and Evoque could also head for Tehran.
The cars will supposedly be priced between 2.5 to 4 billion rials ($72,000 - $115,000).
Financial Tribune contacted Jaguar Land Rover, who also make a range of Land Rover and Range Rover branded vehicles to get clarification on the possible entry of the brand and how they will meet the new strict emission rules for cars imported into the county.
The company did not respond before going to print.
In March 2015, Financial Tribune also reported that Jaguar Land Rover was supposed to be opening a showroom at Iranian Land, an automotive-centric free trade zone on the south side of Tehran. However, funding for that project dried up and no news of the project has been published by the developers.
Earlier this year, the chairman of the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce commented on Jaguar’s possible entry into the domestic market.
Lord Lamont said British carmakers such as Jaguar-Land Rover and Bentley are eager to establish business ties with Iran, Asre Khodro reported in April.
Jaguar is not the first British Luxury car to show interest in Iran. In September 2015, Britain’s handmade luxury carmaker Lotus opened a showroom in Tehran and unveiled the Elise 220 sports coupe to Iranian car fanatics. Only a handful has been sold so far.
Another British car company has also made entry into the Iranian market in recent years, namely MG Roewe (formally MG Rover), which imports certain models of their Chinese-built British-designed sedans and small SUVs.
The expected arrival of JLR in the Iranian market also follows the news of Morattab Khodro that it had ended production of its Land Rover-based Pazhan vehicle.
The Iranian model was a version of the Series IV Land Rover and its production in Iran came about as a result of a partnership with Spanish company Santana Motor.
Morattab Khodro bought the entire production line in 1994 and the related equipment were shipped to Iran.
