WORLD premium luxury car company Jaguar Land Rover expects China to become its largest market in the next few years, according to Bob Grace, president of Jaguar Land Rover China.

At Auto Shanghai 2011, visitors will be dazzled by the stunning line-up of models from Jaguar and Land Rover, including the world premiere of the Jaguar XJ 3.0, a luxury business sedan specifically developed for China.

Land Rover also formally launches its exciting new Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate, the most powerful and luxurious Range Rover ever produced.

The ever-expanding product offering in China underlines Jaguar Land Rover's efforts to speed up expansion in the world's largest auto market, given the company's ambition to be a much more competitive player.

These two British brands have been increasing in popularity in China, as evidenced by their strong performance in the first quarter of this year.

Jaguar sold 820 units in China for the first quarter of this year, an increase of 39 percent year on year. Sales of Land Rover surged 49 percent to 7,745 units.

According to Grace, Jaguar Land Rover aims to sell over 40,000 vehicles in China this year, which will be a significant growth of 54 percent over last year's 26,000 units

Shanghai Daily interviewed Grace at Auto Shanghai 2011 and he discussed the company's strategy to stand out from the competition as well as its new products. What is China's role in Jaguar Land Rover's global portfolio?

China is the third-biggest market for Jaguar Land Rover, after the United Kingdom and North America. But the gap is closing very, very quickly.

Many forecasters have predicted luxury car sales in China will reach one million units a year by 2018 to 2020. I think we will get there much sooner. Jaguar Land Rover wants to be a significant part of it and ready for this growth. Big cities like Beijing have started to limit vehicle ownership to tackle pollution and gridlock. Will this impact your sales and how will you adapt to the change?

The early indication is that we have to find more innovative ways of communicating with our customers. We are looking at ways of growing our used-car operations to allow customers to trade-in their existing cars. There will be some impact, but for my brand, the market will still be positive. What we have seen from dealers in Beijing, across luxury brands, is that customers who obtain a car registration plate are looking to trade-in vehicles of high value rather than low value. What are your plans for dealership expansion in China?

We established the national sales company in July last year to localize our vehicle sales operations here in China. In 2010 we increased our dealers from 40 to 60 and by the end of the year there will be very close to 100. We built two training academies, one in Shanghai opened nine months ago, and another one opened last week in Beijing. We will soon open our fourth parts distribution center in Guangzhou. We are also working with many Chinese investors to expand our dealership network to bring Jaguar Land Rover closer to our customers and to enable us to offer great sales and customer service experiences. What are the key factors defining luxury cars in China?

I think Chinese customers are looking for a brand that's differentiated. Take the XJ 3.0-liter, for example. It's very much a noble business salute: it's stylish, it's sophisticated, and it's contemporary without being too overt. It's a car for those who want to signal they are not average and for those who have achieved what they want to achieve in their lives. They want luxury details and comfort. How will the Jaguar XJ drive your business in China?

The new XJ gives us access to the largest segment of the luxury car market. Added to that, we will bring in new features including wider rear seats, a massage feature, and heating and cooling in the seats, all for customers who want differentiated luxury in their car. What's the new branding strategy this year?

We have very extensive marketing campaigns. We are on TV across the country and in magazines. But in the next six months, the main focus for Range Rover Evoque will be online media as social media in China is having a fundamental impact. The customer profile of Evoque is much younger, with a greater percentage of women. So we need to change our marketing focus, and clearly here in China, social media is going to be playing a major part. Localization has been a key strategy for luxury car makers to boost their presence. What's the Chinese production plan for Jaguar Land Rover?

Jaguar Land Rover has declared that it's keen to get permission to build vehicles here through a joint venture. We are committed to achieving all the requirements of the Chinese government. We want to bring the latest Jaguar Land Rover vehicles to China and build them here for Chinese consumers. What's your position on rolling out alternative-fuel luxury models?

We are very conscious about our responsibility for the environment. So we've been working very hard when we make our new models to ensure they offer lower emission levels, are more environment-friendly and use recycled materials. You see the Evoque. Well, it's the lightest, most fuel-efficient, lowest-emissions Range Rover ever built. It also has a considerable amount of components that are made of recycled materials.

The aluminum used by the XJ is a clear signal that Jaguar Land Rover tries to produce some of the lightest and most high-tech vehicle bodies in the auto industry. What are the products tailor-made for the Chinese market?

The new Jaguar XJ 3.0 is tailor-made for the new generation of business elites, offering smaller engine capacity and comfortable rear seat space. We have cooling and heating in the rear seats and a massage function. The new XJ 3.0 is also a long wheelbase model.

Range Rover Evoque is the lightest vehicle in its range and offers the best fuel economy. The 2.0-liter engine capacity meets market demand for smaller capacity engines in China.

Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate is also the most luxurious Range Rover ever, with handcrafted luxury interior.

Range Rover Evoque

The Range Rover Evoque is a true SUV designed for a younger, urban and trendy audience. It's still a Range Rover but features the finest materials to deliver true luxury. Customers in China can create their own bespoke Range Rover Evoque with a tempting array of colors, finishes and luxury designs, based on two distinct design themes, Prestige and Dynamic.

Jaguar XJ 3.0

The new Jaguar XJ 3.0 is designed for the new business elites, priced at 968,000 yuan (US$149,000). The long wheelbase model (extra 125mm) has more rear leg room, plus dynamic performance and efficiency. There's a 3.0 V6 engine, an automatic six-speed transmission, and the suspension has been optimized for Chinese conditions to greatly increase driving comfort.

Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate

This flagship model is the most luxurious Range Rover ever, with handcrafted luxury interior. The driver benefits from the recognizable command driving position offering excellent visibility and comfort. Two stand-alone electric rear seats enhance space and comfort for rear passengers, making the Ultimate Edition the definitive chauffeur vehicle.

Jaguar C-X75 concept

The Jaguar C-X75 concept reflects Jaguar's design philosophy of natural, flowing lines and simple, elegant forms. The electric car has a top speed of 330 kilometers/hour and a range of 110 kilometers with zero exhaust emissions. The innovative, lightweight Bladon micro gas turbines quickly and efficiently charge the lithium-ion batteries giving the C-X75 a range of up to 900 kilometers.