British luxury car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is planning to invest GBP1.5bn to develop an all-new technically-advanced aluminum vehicle architecture in its future models.
With this move, the company is seeking to offer an enhanced range of models for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands in new segments and markets.
This latest investment will generate 1,700 new jobs at the company's site Solihull, UK. This will bring the total number of UK manufacturing jobs announced by Jaguar Land Rover over the last three years to almost 11,000.
As part of the project, the company will use the investment to develop an all-new architecture, construct a state of the art aluminium body shop and trim and final assembly hall.
The first new vehicle to feature this architecture would will be an all-new mid-sized sports sedan from Jaguar. To be launched in 2015, it will be the most efficient, advanced and refined premium sports sedan ever seen in the C/D segment, the company said.
This new car will be equipped with the first engine to be built at company's new £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre near Wolverhampton.
JLR chief executive officer Ralf Speth said the introduction of a world class all-new aluminium vehicle architecture means the company will be more competitive, flexible and efficient delivering exciting new products for its customers around the world.
"Jaguar Land Rover is a business driven by design, technology and innovation and this investment and level of job creation is yet further evidence of our commitment to advancing the capability of the UK automotive sector and its supply chain," Speth added.
JLR UK business secretary Vince Cable said: "This all-aluminium architecture project typifies the type of innovative and high value R&D that the UK excels in and Government is supporting through the automotive industrial strategy."
Besides this, the carmaker has also unveiled its new four-seater sports crossover concept vehicle, C-X17, developed using its all-new aluminum monocoque architecture.
