JLR to create 250 new jobs

Jaguar Land Rover will create 250 more jobs across its Midlands-based Special Operations business as part of its ambitious growth strategy.

Special Operations was only created in 2014, but this expansion is part of the £30m investment made in new headquarter facilities in the British midlands for Special Vehicle Operations (£20m) and Jaguar Land Rover Classic (£7.5m).

John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations managing director, said, ‘Today we employ just over 1,000 designers, engineers and technicians across four divisions in Special Operations. The team is energetic, enthusiastic and entrepreneurial. They are the principal reason that we have made a strong start in business since 2014.

‘Now we have new facilities, technologies, products and services in place to exceed the demands of our most discerning customers all over the world. I look forward to strengthening our team and delivering on this fantastic opportunity.’

Special Vehicle Operations has to date launched the Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7 and the new, 200mph-capble F-TYPE SVR, as well as the Range Rover Sport SVR and Range Rover SVAutobiography.

Sales of SVO products across both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands totalled more than 3,600 in the 2015/16 financial year.

John continued, ‘Our business plans are driven by the desire for ‘halo’ vehicles and other exclusive products from customers in all corners of the globe. The vision for Special Vehicle Operations is to launch one new SVO car every year, on average, for at least the next four years.’

These new products will be crafted at the new £20m Special Vehicle Operations Technical Centre at Oxford Road in Coventry. The new centre will contain four new areas, with a commissioning suite and viewing suite where experts will guide customers through the design and creation of their new vehicles.

These vehicles are then manufactured in the newly-established manufacturing facility, paint facility and technical suite.