Jaguar Land Rover buys out Bowler

JAGUAR Land Rover has purchased British off-road performance manufacturer Bowler in a move that the auto giant says secures the future of the niche operation and will see it play a key role in creating new models through JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO).

Established in 1985, Bowler has been associated with Land Rover from the word go, with the relationship formalised in 2012 via a brand partnership.

With Bowler now officially under the wing of JLR’s SVO division, managing director Michael van der Sande said the immediate focus was on ensuring “continuity of support for Bowler employees and customers during this transition to Jaguar Land Rover”.

“For almost 35 years the Bowler name has stood for innovation and success, with a reputation forged by its participation in the world’s toughest off-road motorsport competitions,” he said.

“Adding the Bowler team’s skills and experience to those of SV, Vehicle Personalisation and Classic is a key step in our strategy to create an exciting and diverse portfolio of products and businesses within Special Vehicle Operations.”

SVO is the division of JLR responsible for producing and developing the high-performance and luxury variants of the respective model ranges as well as servicing the needs of classic models and enthusiasts.

While now fully owned by JLR, Bowler will continue to operate out of its Derbyshire premises.