Jaguar Land Rover invests £65 million in a new paint system, enhancing customization options while aiming to reduce emissions in production.
Coventry: Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has invested £65 million in a new paint system. This system will give customers a wide range of color choices. The new tech will be set up in their plants in Slovakia and the UK. The goal is to attract luxury car buyers and cut down on emissions during production.
Andrea Debbane, JLR’s Chief Sustainability Officer, mentioned that paint shops are very polluting. She noted that many customers want to personalize their vehicles. JLR is expanding its facilities to offer thousands of new paint options while being sustainable and efficient.
Debbane also pointed out that paint shops use a lot of energy, making up about 80% of their emissions. This investment is a big chance for JLR to improve. High-end buyers now expect more color choices, wanting cars that reflect their personal style.
JLR has seen a rise in requests for custom colors, especially for the Range Rover SV. With this investment, their Castle Bromwich site and the Nitra facility in Slovakia will produce over 17,000 custom-colored vehicles each year while using less energy and water.
Customers looking for a unique touch can visit their local Land Rover dealership. They can match almost any color shade they want. Once ordered, robotic arms spray the vehicle, and a Smart Oven system dries the paint.
However, bespoke paintwork comes at a high price. While standard metallic paint costs around £1,000 extra, custom paint on a JLR model can add £70,000. This means a full-size Range Rover could cost about £270,000.
Looking ahead, 2025 will be an exciting year for JLR, especially with the re-launch of the Jaguar brand. For the 2026 model year, they plan to compete with luxury brands like Bentley and Porsche, offering all-electric models.
The first promotional video for the re-launch stirred some controversy. It didn’t show any vehicles and removed some classic elements, like the leaping cat logo. It’s still unclear what models Jaguar will offer when production resumes in late 2025, but a new version of the Type 00 concept car is expected.
