Jaguar Land Rover says the new Range Rover Velar will be built in the UK as a sign of “confidence in British manufacturing”
Jaguar Land Rover has said the new addition to the Range Rover family, the Velar, will be built exclusively in Britain, as a sign of the "firm's confidence in British manufacturing".
The model, which launches later today, will be built at its Solihull manufacturing plant in the West Midlands.
JLR, which has plants abroad in China, Brazil, India and soon Slovakia too, said it was a "further show of support" towards the British car industry.
Read more: Lazy people rejoice: Jaguar has a way for you to pay for petrol in the car
"The expansion of our product range and building this British designed and engineered car in the UK is a sign of our confidence in British manufacturing," said Dr Ralf Speth, JLR's chief executive. "We are leading the global premium car industry with our commitment to our home market and our heart, soul and headquarters will always be in the UK."
The car was first teased last week, with its official launch today at the Lode Lane plant, reaffirming the company's commitment to its West Midlands operations.
The Velar will sit between Range Rover's Evoque and Sport models and will be the third model to be launched at the Solihull plant in just two years.
Since going on sale in 1970, the Range Rover group has expanded to now include the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque.
They account for 85 per cent of all premium cars produced in Britain and contribute £10bn to the UK economy ever year. Production of all JLR models at its four UK manufacturing plants directly supports more than 40,000 British jobs now, with a further 250,000 in the supply chain. In the past six years, the firm has more than doubled its workforce.
Read more: Jaguar Land Rover sold more than one car every minute last year
It looks like the new model could also go head-to-head with a rejig of one of its ancestors, the Land Rover Defender, which fracking entrepreneur Jim Ratcliffe has vowed to lovingly recreate.
JLR stopped production of the iconic SUV in January last year, and Ratcliffe has said he will create a new vehicle which embodies the spirit of the Defender.