£1.5bn JLR investment to create 1,700 new jobs at Solihull

CEO Dr Ralf Speth announced at the Frankfurt Motor Show that JLR would "deliver an enhanced range of models for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands in new segments and markets". He said the investment and level of job creation was further evidence of the company's commitment to advancing the capability of the UK automotive sector and its supply chain. The first new model to utilise the new architecture will be a new mid-sized Jaguar sports sedan to be launched in 2015. It will feature the first engine to be built at Jaguar Land Rover's new £500m engine manufacturing centre, which will build a new family of high-output, fuel efficient petrol and diesel engines for JLR. The new 1,700 jobs at the Solihull site in the Midlands will bring the total number of UK manufacturing jobs announced by Jaguar Land Rover over the last three years to almost 11,000. Jaguar also revealed its first ever sports crossover concept vehicle – the C-X17 – which was created as a design study to introduce the all-new aluminium monocoque architecture. The concept is said to illustrate the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using the architecture such as the four-seater sports crossover. 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." JLR also said it would "significantly increase spend with the supply base". Unite the union, welcomed the new jobs. General secretary Len McCluskey said: "JLR is a great British success story, and this new investment in jobs and skills ought to maintain its global reputation for world class vehicles."