Jaguar Land Rover posts record sales in 2013

Jaguar Land Rover, the largest car manufacturer in Britain, achieved record global sales in 2013, the Indian-owned luxury carmaker said Sunday. JLR said it sold 425,006 vehicles in 2013 -- up 19 percent on 2012 -- setting new sales records in 38 international markets. Land Rover four-wheel-drive vehicles notched up 348,338 sales in 2013, a rise of 15 percent. Meanwhile, international sales of the luxury Jaguar increased by 42 percent to 76,668 over the last 12 months. JLR, which is owned by India's Tata Motors, claimed Jaguar was the fastest-growing brand in the United States, Germany and India. Sales rose by 30 percent in the Asia-Pacific and China region; 21 percent in North America; 14 percent in Britain; six percent in the rest of Europe and 23 percent in other markets outside Britain. "2013 has proven to be a very positive year for Jaguar Land Rover thanks to continuing strong demand for vehicles across the range," said chief executive Ralf Speth. "Our unrelenting focus on design, technology, innovation and quality has seen JLR reach global consumers in more markets than ever before thanks to its most desirable product line-up." Tata Motors bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor in 2008 for $2.3 billion as part of plans to expand its reach beyond Asia.