BMW has its M division, Chrysler has its SRT group and Jaguar has its “R” line to designate performance-oriented products from the rest of the showroom inventory.  

It’s no secret that Land Rover is working on a faster model of the Range Rover Evoque, and Land Rover already builds faster versions of several Range Rover models (like the Range Rover Sport).

In the past, it was simple enough to market these products under the company’s brand, but an expanding product line may warrant a new performance division from Land Rover.

Land Rover’s global brand director, John Edwards, told Inside Line that, “there’s definitely room for performance products” in the Land Rover family, and that a performance oriented sub-brand was under consideration.

Much depends on the company’s growth in the Chinese market, which is expected to become Land Rover’s largest over the next few years. If Chinese customers want more performance, a Land Rover sub-brand may make sense.

It’s possible that Chinese customers will prefer added luxury over added performance, in which case spending the money to re-brand performance products isn’t likely to happen. While a faster Evoque is all but a certainty, a Land Rover performance division remains anything but.