JLR seeking another $4 billion in emergency funds as production restarts

JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) is looking for an additional £2 billion ($A4.08bn) in funding on top of a British government-backed £1.5bn ($A3.06bn) loan after a cyber attack forced its factories to shut in August.

The British automaker has begun the hunt for the additional emergency funds to ease the pressure after losses – estimated at £50 million ($A102.4m) per week – stemming from its production halt.

According to Automotive News Europe, JLR has confirmed production will recommence “in the coming days” after it missed its previous target to begin building cars again on September 24. 

The British government-backed loan was intended to support the JLR workforce and the broader automotive industry by limiting the impact of delayed payments from JLR to its suppliers, with around 700 companies affected by the shutdown.

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As well as the temporary closure of four plants in the UK, JLR factories in Slovakia, Brazil and India were also forced to stop making cars as the company grappled with the fallout from the cyber attack.

While Jaguars were not being made – as the historic British brand plans its rebirth as an upmarket rival to Bentley and Porsche in 2026 – production of all Land Rover models has been paused.

The Land Rover Defender is made in Slovakia, while the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque are produced in the Solihull and Halewood plants in the UK, respectively. 

JLR is also expected to produce its yet-to-be-officially named ‘Baby Defender’ at its Merseyside plant in the UK from 2027.