Jaguar blames semiconductor shortages for sale slump
Luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover has blamed ongoing semiconductor shortages for its slump in sales.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, the group sold 80,126 units, registering a total 37.6 per cent downfall on 2020 levels, as Jaguar’s sales went down 48.7 per cent while Land Rover’s fell by 34.5 per cent to 65,719 units.
Despite the slump, in the three months ended 31 December, both wholesale and production volumes increased going up to 69,182 and 72,184 units respectively following an improvement in the chip supply chain.
Total orders were also up, with a 30,000 order backlog from the previous quarter for the New Range Rover and 36,000 requests for the Land Rover Defender.
“The New Range Rover is the embodiment of Jaguar Land Rover’s vision for Modern Luxury by Design,” said the group’s chief commercial officer Lennard Hoornik. “We are delighted that positive feedback at launch has led to a strong order intake for this first all new modern luxury model.
“Semi-conductor supply challenges continue within the industry but our wholesale volumes are improving.”
At the end of the month, the group will report its unaudited results for the last quarter, showcasing a £150m initial estimated cashflow.
Jaguar Land Rover is not the only luxury automotive manufacturer to have suffered from ongoing supply chain issues. Despite ongoing issues, Lexus sold 13,880 vehicles in 2021, registering a 1.1 per cent increase in sales.