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Jaguar Land Rover invests $1.5B to build factory in Slovakia

Jaguar Land Rover will invest 1 billion pounds ($1.5 billion at current rates) to build a new factory in Nitra, Slovakia. Construction will commence in 2016, and the site will have an initial capacity of 150,000 vehicles a year when the first of them roll out in late 2018. JLR expects to employ 2,800 people there. JLR won't yet say what vehicle it will build in Slovakia, other than it will be an all-new aluminum model. The 2018 timing for the plant's start of production seems to coincide with the launch of the radically different next-gen Land Rover Defender, though. Earlier reports suggested that JLR also considered locations in North America, particularly Georgia, and Europe for the new factory. However, the company signaled the Slovakia choice earlier this year when it signed a letter of intent with the government there in August. The automaker then did a final feasibility study before committing to the site. The new factory continues JLR's recent manufacturing expansion. The company opened an engine plant in the UK last year and a factory in China. There will also be one soon in Brazil, and it will reportedly bid to buy the Silverstone Circuit as a new headquarters. JAGUAR LAND ROVER CONFIRMS NEW FACTORY IN SLOVAKIA • New world-class premium manufacturing facility confirmed in Nitra • The next stage of the Company's plans for sustainable global growth • Today's announcement also supports long-term investment in the UK Bratislava, Slovakia – Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed that it will be the first British carmaker to open a manufacturing facility in Slovakia. The announcement follows an agreement between the company and the Government of the Slovak Republic to build a new plant in the city of Nitra, western Slovakia. The new world-class GBP1 billion premium manufacturing facility will eventually employ around 2,800 people. Today's announcement follows Jaguar Land Rover's recent confirmation to double its investment in its engine plant in the UK to almost GBP1 billion – the largest injection into a new British manufacturing plant in decades creating several hundred new jobs. Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover commented, "Jaguar Land Rover is delighted today to welcome Slovakia into our family. The new factory will complement our existing facilities in the UK, China, India and Brazil and marks the next step in the company's strategy to become a truly global business.

Chip Foose cooks up a custom 1974 Jaguar E-Type for SEMA

Avert your eyes, purists. California-based designer Chip Foose traveled to the 2019 SEMA show to unveil a resto-modded 1974 Jaguar E-Type built at the request of a customer. With a custom design and an American heart, the roadster took over 2 1/2 years to make. Finished in Green Sand, the E-Type was in seemingly good condition when it took up residence in Foose's shop in April 2017; it looks strikingly similar to a 48,000-mile example sold by RM Sothebys in January 2017. Many would drive it as-is, but its anonymous owner had something completely different in mind. Foose and his team modified nearly every part of the convertible's body. Builders punched out a scoop in the hood, extended the rocker panels, made the trunk lid about five inches longer, and gave the rear end a more tapered look accented by flush lights and quad exhaust tips. Even seemingly minor details were hugely important for the enthusiast who commissioned this build. While E-Type headlight bezels are readily available online, the ones on the SEMA car are hand-shaped from brass. Custom-built wheels put a modern spin on the E's original wire knock-offs. The interior looks period-correct thanks to leather upholstery, analog gauges, and a wood-rimmed steering wheel, but the list of changes is longer than the E-Type's hood. Jaguar's emblematic drop-top had a rather busy-looking dashboard topped with a padded cap and peppered with a galaxy of buttons, knobs, and switches. Foose's build adopts a cleaner, simpler design with gauges arranged in a cluster behind the steering wheel, and a chrome strip that runs across the entire dashboard. His team installed new carpet and bucket seats after concealing a modern sound system. To us, the new-look interior has more of a 1950s vibe than the original E-Type's. The changes are more than skin-deep. Tilting the hood forward reveals a Chevrolet-sourced, 6.2-liter V8 engine tuned to 525 horsepower replaces the 272-horsepower, 5.3-liter V12 this Jag came with when it was new. It shifts through a four-speed automatic transmission. Upgraded brakes and a redesigned suspension help keep the additional power in check, though performance numbers aren't available. It hopefully still has its original toolkit, as a factory-made reproduction costs nearly $1,000. There's no word on who commissioned this E-Type, but keep an eye out for it the next time you go to cars and coffee. The V8 exhales through a custom exhaust, so you might hear it before seeing it.

Why Land Rover's reluctant to show concepts: Chinese clones

While the Chinese auto industry continues to grow and expand with new and original products, a number of automakers still refuse to play by the rules. Rather than coming up with original designs, these automakers shamelessly copy designs from other automakers, slapping their badge on the front as if it were an original product. According to Auto Express, Land Rover has grown tired of dealing with these frauds to the point that it's essentially stopped showing concept cars in order to stave off these clones. One of the most notable and brazen examples of these Chinese copycats is the LandWind X7. While that car looks like an obvious ripoff of the Range Rover Evoque, complaints by Jaguar Land Rover were dismissed, and the X7 hit the market for about a third of the price of the Evoque. Further efforts by JLR have done nothing to halt or change the car's production. It seems Chinese authorities are more interested in protecting the home team than upholding copyright laws. Land Rover design boss Gerry McGovern said the automaker was "wary of showing new concepts" because they just give these competitors time to work up a copy. Land Rover's latest model, the Velar, debuted in Geneva in production form. Skipping concepts may not stop competitors from making copies, but it does give Land Rover a huge head start when it comes to production. Related Video: Featured Gallery Production LandWind X7 News Source: Auto Express via Road & Track Design/Style Government/Legal Jaguar Land Rover SUV Concept Cars Luxury jaguar land rover