JLR has named Mark Cameron as the new CEO of its North American operations, putting him in charge of the automaker's push to expand in the United States just as a wave of new vehicles prepares to hit showrooms.

Cameron currently serves as global managing director of the Defender brand and brings 15 years of experience at JLR, part of a 32-year career in the auto industry. He will officially take over as North American CEO on September 1.

Cameron will report to Lennard Hoornik, JLR's Chief Growth Officer, who praised the executive's track record in a statement. Hoornik said Cameron's success with Defender positions him well to speed up growth in North America as JLR works to strengthen the Range Rover, Defender, Jaguar and Discovery brands. Hoornik added that the company's goal is for the North American region to match the size of JLR's entire current global business within five years.

The appointment comes on the heels of JLR's announcement last month that it plans to lean heavily into the North American market to boost revenue. CEO PB Balaji told investors the company is "pivoting" toward the United States, which already represents JLR's most profitable market and accounts for 28 percent of its fiscal-year sales.

In June, JLR said it was targeting "double-digit revenue growth" in the medium term, largely by capitalizing on its House of Brands strategy launched in 2023, which separated Defender, Discovery and Range Rover into standalone brands alongside Jaguar. Balaji reiterated that the ambition is for U.S. operations to eventually equal the scale of JLR's entire global business.

That growth won't come without obstacles. JLR's sales dipped in the first quarter of this year, and tariffs on imported vehicles are squeezing profits. To address the lack of U.S. manufacturing, JLR is partnering with Stellantis to build a new Defender model domestically, based on the Electrified Modular Architecture (EMA) platform with hybrid and electric powertrain options.

That same EMA platform will underpin the upcoming Range Rover GT, the fifth model in the Range Rover lineup and the brand's most car-like design to date, resembling a raised Jaguar more than a traditional Land Rover. It will launch as an EV before a hybrid version follows.

JLR's product pipeline also includes new versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, both built on the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform supporting multiple powertrain types. Land Rover will continue offering mild-hybrid, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric options, while Jaguar shifts toward an all-electric future.

Jaguar is set to unveil its new Type 01 model in New York this October, featuring three electric motors generating over 986 horsepower, 959 pound-feet of torque, and a 120-kilowatt-hour battery expected to deliver around 400 miles of range.

Source: Motor1.com

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