i54 Staffordshire

19 September 2011, Gaydon

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced plans to invest £355 million in a new engine manufacturing facility in the UK.

Key points

• A new advanced engine factory will be built at i54 South Staffordshire, near Wolverhampton.
• The site will produce a new range of low-emission 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.
• The investment will help develop advanced engineering skills and manufacturing expertise in the UK.
• The project is expected to create up to 750 highly skilled jobs at JLR.
• Thousands more jobs could be supported across the supply chain and wider UK economy.

The announcement follows JLR's successful appearance at the Frankfurt International Motor Show and discussions with UK Government ministers.

The investment was marked by a visit to JLR's Solihull plant by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Supporting future growth

Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of JLR, said:

"As part of our long-term strategy, we will design, engineer and manufacture a new family of advanced engines. This investment shows our commitment to producing highly efficient engines in the UK for future Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles.

We plan to invest £1.5 billion each year over the next five years in new products. Expanding our engine range will help us grow the Jaguar and Land Rover brands around the world while continuing to reduce vehicle emissions."

Mike Wright, Executive Director of JLR, said:

"This project has benefited from strong support from Government, trade unions, local authorities, MPs and our employees. Their contribution has been important in helping us reach this significant decision."

Strong product range

The announcement comes as Jaguar Land Rover continues to expand its product range. Recent launches and updates include:

• The Range Rover Evoque
• The Jaguar XF with a 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine
• Improvements to the Jaguar XK
• Updates to the Land Rover Discovery
• Updates to the Defender
• Updates to the Range Rover

At the time of the announcement, Jaguar Land Rover employed more than 19,000 people in the UK and supported up to 140,000 jobs through its supply chain, dealer network and wider economy.