Is the Jaguar built by Ford?
In short, no. Jaguar is not built by Ford. The brand is currently part of Jaguar Land Rover, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, which has owned the company since 2008. Ford previously owned Jaguar from the late 1980s until the sale in 2008, but that arrangement ended over a decade ago.
Historical ownership: Ford and Jaguar
To understand how Jaguar arrived at its current ownership, here is a brief timeline of Ford’s involvement with the brand.
- 1989: Ford announces an agreement to acquire Jaguar from British Aerospace.
- 1990–2008: Jaguar becomes part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group (PAG), alongside other prestige brands.
- 2008: Ford completes the sale of Jaguar (and Land Rover) to Tata Motors for about $2.3 billion; Jaguar becomes part of Jaguar Land Rover under Tata’s ownership.
The key takeaway from this timeline is that Ford no longer owns Jaguar and has not built Jaguars since the 2000s.
Current ownership and manufacturing footprint
Today, Jaguar is produced by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a British multinational company owned by Tata Motors. JLR operates multiple manufacturing sites to support Jaguar and Land Rover production, including facilities in the United Kingdom and abroad.
- Ownership and structure: Jaguar is a member of Jaguar Land Rover, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, with strategic oversight by Tata’s automotive division.
- Production footprint: JLR runs production sites in the UK and internationally to serve global markets, including plants in China to supply the local market.
In essence, modern Jaguars are designed and built by Jaguar Land Rover under Tata Motors’ ownership, not by Ford.
Notable clarifications
Some readers still associate Jaguar with Ford due to past ownership. While Ford's influence in Jaguar's corporate structure ended in 2008, the brand’s current direction, research, and manufacturing come under Tata Motors via JLR, with a focus on electrification and new model development across global markets.
Summary
Jaguar is not built by Ford. Since 2008, Jaguar has been part of Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors. Ford’s ownership of Jaguar ended in 2008, and today’s Jaguars are produced by JLR’s facilities under Tata’s leadership.
What company owns Jaguar?
Jaguar is owned by the Indian automotive company Tata Motors. Tata Motors purchased Jaguar (and Land Rover) in 2008, and the two brands are now part of a single company called Jaguar Land Rover Limited.
- Parent company: Tata Motors, which is a global automotive giant based in Mumbai, India.
- Combined entity: Since 2013, Jaguar and Land Rover have been fully combined under the name Jaguar Land Rover Limited.
- Parent group: Tata Motors is the automotive division of the much larger Tata Group, an Indian conglomerate with a wide range of interests.
Why did Ford sell Jaguar?
Ford sold Jaguar in 2008 to help fund its own turnaround plan amid severe financial difficulties and the looming global recession. The sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors was part of a larger strategy to streamline operations, exit non-core brands, and focus on its own core business. At the time, Ford was losing billions of dollars, and Jaguar was also experiencing significant financial losses under its ownership.
- Financial distress: The sale was largely driven by Ford's financial struggles. The company had lost billions in the years leading up to 2008 and was facing a severe financial crisis.
- Focus on core brands: The sale allowed Ford to concentrate on its own brand and implement its global turnaround plan.
- Financial losses from Jaguar: Despite the initial $2.5 billion purchase price in 1989, Jaguar had experienced cumulative losses under Ford's ownership, and the exchange rate and production costs in Britain were also creating strains.
- Strategic realignment: Ford had acquired Jaguar and Land Rover as part of its Premier Automotive Group, but by 2008, the strategy had shifted, and the company decided to sell these brands to focus on its core operations and profitability.
Does Ford still own Jaguar and Land Rover?
Land Rover, along with Jaguar Cars, was bought by Tata Motors from Ford in 2008. The two British brands were joined under Tata Motors to become Jaguar Land Rover Limited in 2013.
Does Ford make Jaguar?
No, Ford does not currently make Jaguar; that was a past arrangement. In 2008, Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors, an Indian company that now owns Jaguar as part of the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) company, notes Jaguar Chandler Authorized Service. Ford had previously acquired Jaguar in 1999.
- Past ownership: Ford acquired Jaguar in 1999, and later purchased Land Rover in 2000.
- Current ownership: In 2008, Ford sold both brands to Tata Motors.
- Company structure: Jaguar and Land Rover are now part of the same company, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), which is a subsidiary of Tata Motors.
- Manufacturing: Despite being owned by Tata Motors, Jaguar vehicles are still designed and manufactured in the UK.
