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It’s a case of Land Rover first and daylight second when it comes to a year-on-year Australian new car sales improvement over the first two months of 2024.
Up no less than 234 per cent at the end of February compared to the same period last year, key Land Rover and Range Rover models have taken huge leaps from a trickle of registrations in early 2023 to a relative flood so far this year.
For example, the Range Rover Evoque is up 1960 per cent, the Land Rover Discovery has increased 2100 per cent and the Range Rover Velar has grown from cumulative sales of just two units this time last year to 65 in 2024 (+3150 per cent).
At the same time, the brand’s traditionally strong performers like the Land Rover Defender, Discovery Sport as well as the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport have taken big jumps for an overall number to the end of February 2024 of 1042, compared to 312 last year.
According to word from within the brand’s retail network, improved supply has underpinned the rise but the cars being registered currently are fulfilling orders from well back in 2023.
Stock is said to have improved slightly for some models but the shipping of vehicles is “erratic” which means this Land Rover high could transition to a low in coming months.
And while Land Rover is roaring ahead the likes of Jeep is in the (relative) doldrums (-29.2 per cent), with key Mercedes-Benz and Audi SUV and 4x4 models also down (GLE -54 per cent, Q5 -36 per cent).
Meanwhile, Land Rover's Jaguar sister brand is on the down-swing, moving just 581 cars to the end of 2023, a trend set to continue as it globally ends production of its petrol and diesel vehicles in June ahead of a fully-electric transition to kick-off in 2025.
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