Car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has reported a substantial recovery in sales for the quarter ending March 31, following the resumption of full production after a significant cyber attack. The UK’s largest car maker stated it sold 95,300 vehicles to dealers during the three-month period, marking a 61.1% increase compared with the previous quarter. Retail sales also saw a healthy boost, rising by 16.2% to reach 92,700 vehicles.
Production Stabilises After Cyber Incident
The reported sales recovery comes after a challenging period for JLR, which is owned by Tata Motors. A major cyber attack on September 1 led to a five-week halt in production at the firm’s key plants in Solihull, Halewood, and near Wolverhampton. JLR has confirmed that production levels are now back to “normal levels” following the incident. However, the company did experience a temporary pause in production at its Solihull plant at the end of last month, attributed to a parts issue involving a supplier.
Persistent Headwinds Despite Quarterly Gains
While the quarter-on-quarter figures demonstrate a strong rebound from the cyber attack’s immediate impact, JLR’s sales performance remains challenged when compared to the same period last year. Both consumer and dealer sales were down year-on-year, with retail sales declining by 14.3% and sales to dealers falling by 14.5%. Regionally, the UK market saw a 23.1% drop in sales, while China experienced a significant 29.8% tumble amid ongoing market struggles.
The company attributed these year-on-year declines to a combination of factors, including the impact of US tariffs, persistent market challenges in China, and the planned wind-down of legacy Jaguar models. This indicates that while JLR has successfully navigated the immediate aftermath of the cyber attack, it continues to contend with broader economic and strategic pressures affecting its long-term market position.
