JLR boost for ‘specials’ and ‘classics’

JaguarLandRover has opened the new technical centre for Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) in Coventry, UK.

The innovative £20 million facility near Coventry will act as headquarters for SVO and house manufacturing, paint, technical and customer commissioning and presentation zones inside the 20,000 square metre facility.

The new technical centre represents the growth of JaguarLandRover Special Operations – the specialist division of JaguarLandRover created in June 2014 to build a business responsible for halo car products (SVO), Vehicle Personalisation, classic car programmes by JaguarLandRover Classic and various branded goods.

John Edwards is managing director of SVO. He sees the technical centre as “a major step forward in meeting the desires of our most discerning customers.”

“There are over 200 skilled employees committed to outstanding quality and craftsmanship in everything they do,” he adds. “It is inspired by a Formula 1 engineering centre and has one of the world’s most eco-friendly and advanced paint shops, custom-built commissioning suite, technical suite, presentation suite and offices.”

In addition, to support its ambitious growth strategy, the SVO is creating of 250 new jobs this year.

According to Edwards, SVO already employs just over 1,000 designers, engineers and technicians across its four divisions.

In another move, JaguarLandRover Classic, the new brand offering classic car sales, restorations, parts supply and driving experiences to Jaguar and Land Rover owners and enthusiasts, will have a new home later this year. It follows the £7.5 million acquisition and development of a new headquarters in Coventry.

The new headquarters is planned to open early in 2017, and will be based near to the SVO technical centre.

Meanwhile, the anticipated continuation Jaguar XKSS will receive its world debut presentation in November this year, aimed to coincide with the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Production of XKSS will be limited to nine units, hand-crafted by technicians and manufactured to the same specification as those produced in 1957.

Jaguar made XKSS as a road-going version of the Le Mans winning D-type, with cars built in 1957 earmarked for export to the US. However, some were lost to the Browns Lane fire of the same year.  Now, 59 years later, Jaguar will build the nine ‘lost’ XKSS cars for a select group of established collectors and customers.