Jaguar Land Rover opens its first overseas manufacturing plant

Jaguar Land Rover has opened its first overseas manufacturing facility in China. The award-winning Range Rover Evoque will be the first model to be built in a joint venture with Chinese auto company Chery Automobile Company Ltd worth RMB 10.9 billion. This is in fact the first Chinese-British automotive joint venture.

The 400,000 square-metres plant, is located in the Changshu Economic Development Zone north of Shanghai.

They expect to build three Jaguar Land Rover models with total production capacity of 130,000 units a year by 2016 (for the Chinese market only). The facility features highly-automated press shops – including cutting-edge aluminium and steel technologies – along with a steel body shop comprising 306 robots, an energy-efficient paint shop and an ergonomically-friendly final assembly line.

Some interesting information:

• Jaguar Land Rover first established a presence in China just over a decade ago.
• China is Jaguar Land Rover’s single largest market with over 100,000 vehicles sold in the last fiscal year
• In addition to China, Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed plans to create a local manufacturing facility in Brazil and has a local assembly facility in Pune, India.

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce China Limited Edition

V12 / 6.496 cc / 670 PS / 487 lb/ft (660 Nm) @ 6.500 / AWD / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 3,2 s / 0 - 100 mph (160 km/h): 7,2 s / Vmax: 213 mph (342 km/h) / Limited edition (10 cars)

(click images for a larger view)

London Taxis back in production

Production of the iconic London Taxis - the new TX4 model, has resumed at the London Taxi Company factory at Hollyhead road in Coventry, six months after the firm was rescued by the Geely Group. Geely Group Chairman Li Shufu and Business Secretary Vince Cable were present to officially start production.

Pic from their Twitter page

The Chinese owners bought the company for £11.4 million in February this year. With a £150m five-year investment plan, and 65 new jobs in Coventry and new sales staff in London, the company is hoping for a brighter future. - The company has a total workforce of around 170 and aims to produce 10 cars a day.

Bentley Continental GT Design Series China Edition

W12 / 5.998 cc / 610 PS / 553 ft/lb (750 Nm) @ 1.750 - 5.600 / twin turbo / AWD / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 4,8 s / Vmax: 200 mph (322 km/h)

(click images for a larger view)

Bentley Continental GTZ Zagato

W12 / 5.998 cc / 560 PS / 479 ft/lb (650 Nm) @ 1.600 / twin turbo / AWD / 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h): 4,8 s / Vmax: 198 mph (319 km/h)

(click images for a larger view)

Chery to build Chrysler cars

Chinese Chery Automobile and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group signed a strategic cooperative agreement in Beijing today.

Under this agreement, Chery will assemble small-and medium-sized cars under the Chrysler brand name and export to U.S. , the European markets and other countries. The first cars produced is expected to be based on Chery's A1 hatchback and carrying the Dodge badge.

MG plant reopens

The former MG Rover plant in Longbridge, Birmingham reopened today. Three new 2-seater MG TF sports cars were rolled out of the production line at a ceremony marking the official reopening by new Chinese owner Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC).

The ceremony was attended by Senior Chinese government and company officials. Not sure whether any senior British Govt official attended.

At present, the Chinese firm employs just 150 people at the plant. However, the new owners have promised to create 1200 new jobs.

Industry analysts remain skeptical, however. Read the BBC report here.

For your information, the Rover brand name was bought over by Ford.