Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK's largest car manufacturer, has announced a significant recovery in sales for the latest quarter, following the restart of production after a major cyber attack disrupted operations. The company revealed it sold 95,300 vehicles to dealers in the three months ending March 31, representing a surge of 61.1% compared to the previous quarter.
Production Halt and Resumption
The cyber attack, which occurred last year, forced JLR to halt production across all its UK factories for five weeks starting from September 1. This disruption weighed heavily on sales in late 2025, impacting the company's performance. All manufacturing sites, including key facilities in Solihull in the West Midlands and Halewood in Merseyside, were affected but resumed operations in October.
JLR has confirmed that production has now returned to normal levels following the incident, allowing the company to rebuild its inventory and supply chain. This recovery has been crucial in driving the recent sales uptick, as the company works to overcome the setbacks caused by the cyber security breach.
Retail Sales Performance
In addition to dealer sales, retail sales also showed positive momentum, increasing by 16.2% to 92,700 vehicles compared to the prior quarter. This indicates a broader recovery in consumer demand and market activity for JLR vehicles, despite the challenges faced in the aftermath of the attack.
Year-on-Year Comparisons and Challenges
Despite the quarterly recovery, JLR's sales figures still reflect ongoing challenges. Quarterly sales to dealers were 14.5% lower than the same period a year earlier, with a notable 23.1% drop in the UK market. The company attributes this decline to several factors, including the lingering disruption from the cyber incident, the impact of US tariffs, market difficulties in China, and the planned wind-down of legacy Jaguar models.
In China, sales tumbled by 29.8%, highlighting continued struggles in the Chinese car market, which has been facing economic headwinds and increased competition. Retail sales for the quarter were down 14.3% year-on-year, underscoring the broader market pressures beyond the cyber attack recovery.
Ownership and Future Outlook
JLR, which is owned by India's Tata Group, remains a key player in the global automotive industry. The company's ability to bounce back from the cyber attack demonstrates resilience, but it continues to navigate complex international trade dynamics and shifting consumer preferences. As production stabilises, JLR will focus on mitigating the effects of tariffs and adapting to evolving market conditions to sustain its recovery momentum.
