Tata struggles with the Jaguar and Land Rover brands

It seems unfair to single out these two brands for their mediocre performances because the ongoing global crisis has been a major cause – if not THE major cause – for the fall of the auto industry.

Tata’s purchase of Jaguar and Land Rover, surprising as it was, came as a bold step for the Indian truck-makers to be recognized the world over as a serious player in the global automotive industry.

One year later, Tata’s moment of glory would have to wait, at least for a little while longer.

But despite the mounting losses Tata is expected to take this year, the company understands the challenges involved in rebuilding both Jaguar and Land Rover. The most obvious challenge, apart from selling the cars, of course, is channelling the resources to work on two brands known for their marquee status and high-end technology when the company has been used to producing low-maintenance cars with a just a few basic technologies.

It’s safe to say that the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover hasn’t paid dividends the way Tata had hoped.

But with the way things are going with the economy, Tata can take comfort in knowing that they’re not the only ones that have been put in the same predicament.