London: Jaguar production could nearly double to 100,000 in the near term following its takeover by Tata Motors, a leading auto industry analyst said.

Forecasts compiled by just-auto, a leading publisher of global automotive research reports, map out Jaguar's production future for its four main models - the X-type, XF, XK and XJ - and foresee volume rising to a more sustainable number "closer to the magical 100,000 mark".

Tata bought the luxury British car, along with Land Rover, from Ford Motors for $2.3 billion (Rs.91.7 billion) on Wednesday.

Jaguar production dipped to a low of 54,000 last year from 70,000 in 2006, partly because of the change-over from S-type to XF, but also because of the continuing slow-selling of X-type, said just-auto.

"Possible new models in the Jaguar product plan, which await the green light from Tata, could further lift this figure towards 150,000 by 2012-2013," it added.

The analyst group said increases in the near term will mostly come from Jaguar's new XF model, launched this year, "whose production in 2008 will contribute a first full year forecast of around 60,000 units."

Jaguar built 2,000 XFs last year in readiness for this month's market launch.

"That means the hugely significant XF will add around 45,000 units to the company's overall figures as it replaces the S-type, whose production had dipped to around 15,000 in its run-out year," just-auto said.

It said the future of the X-type is in the balance, "but investment plans by Land Rover for its Halewood factory in 2011-12 almost certainly mean the X-type currently built there will run-out in 2010".

Source : IANS