JLR hikes UK engine plant investment to £500m+

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover has said it is ramping up the investment for its engine plant in the UK by over 40 per cent to more than £500 million (over Rs. 4,100 crore), besides doubling employee strength at the site. In addition, Jaguar Land Rover will invest £2.75 billion in product development which will support the launch of eight new innovative products to help achieve its business growth strategy. These include the Jaguar F-Type and the introduction of the world’s first nine-speed gearbox in its Land Rover product line-up. The new engine plant will be opened later this year with the first engine coming off the production line in 2015. Commenting on the development, JLR Chief Executive Officer Ralf Speth said: “Jaguar Land Rover’s new engine manufacturing centre in the UK is a clear demonstration of our business strategy guiding our investment plans. Not only does it bring our engine supply back to our production doorstep, but it gives us significant new resource as we continue to innovate with new products and markets.”