Next Jaguar XE reinforces ally ‘road map’

The message in Jaguar’s ‘Road Map’ always claimed that the XE saloon could be built at the firm’s Land Rover plant in Solihull or Jaguar’s ‘home plant’ of Castle Bromwich. In the event, Solihull became the XE’s first port of call but with the option production could be moved to Castle Bromwich should the need arise.

How a Bluebird started an industrial revolution

As the UK heads for its second woman Prime Minister and challenging lie months ahead, today marks the 30th anniversary of Nissan Motor Company’s faith in the country.

Is there a lesson to learn in steel?

Is there a lesson to be learned from the turmoil now hitting the British steel industry of which Tata Steel is at its heart?

Former Volvo exec to join Ricardo board

Maline Persson joins Ricardo plc in the UK from next month as a non-executive director.

Qashqai generates UK cash for Nissan

Nissan claims it is making one Quashqai every 62 seconds at its Sunderland, UK production site.

John Egan: The knight who rescued Jaguar

As Jaguar scales new heights in terms of production, output, quality and technical expertise, a new book depicts how Sir John Egan ‘saved’ the company from extinction and put it on a new footing. He even rescued the name 'Jaguar'.

ABB stakes robot claim in XE facility

Swedish robot maker and systems supplier ABB Robotics of Milton Keynes is the principal supplier of robots to the new Jaguar ‘plant within a plant’ at JaguarLandRover’s (JLR) Solihull facility.

Ricardo unveils low-cost EV motor

A new prototype 85kW synchronous reluctance drive motor, designed primarily for electric vehicle traction applications, avoids expensive rare earth elements according to Ricardo.

JLR: New life for ‘old’ Defender

JaguarLandRover (JLR) is to build its ‘classic’ Defender 4x4 vehicle at an overseas location to cover sales outside the EU.

Atlas Copco swallows Henrob of SPR fame

 Atlas Copco has now acquired the shareholding of self-piercing rivet (SPR) specialists Henrob Ltd of Flint in the UK.

Hyundai eyes BMW's dynamics technology

Both Hyundai and Kia must have done some serious benchmarking exercises of European medium and upper-end passenger cars to be able to determine where the epicentre of ride and handling expertise can be found.

Warwick University bolstered by £32 million

The University of Warwick, its relationship with Jaguar LandRover (JLR) and its commitment to the UK automotive industry appears to be going from strength to strength.

 A further £32 million of State funding has been declared for two new projects to research manufacturing technology for electric motors and develop cleaner internal combustion engines, during the official opening today of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) headquarters at the University of Warwick.

Lagonda rises phoenix-like from Gaydon

Aston Martin has once more dipped into its heritage box in search of treasures to please Middle East shareholders and customers, and bolster turnover and profit.

After the initial production (and financial) debacle of the Aston Martin Rapide, first rolled out in 2010 at the Magna Steyr facility in Graz, Austria and then repatriated back to the company’s facility at Gaydon, Warwickshire, Aston Martin has confirmed a bespoke product programme for a new super saloon aimed at reviving the historic Lagonda nameplate in a strictly limited series.

Warwick University wins auto industry Hub

The new Hub location of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) will be at the University of Warwick, site also of the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and its chairman Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya.

 APC supports a 10-year, £1 billion industry and government commitment to the development of low carbon propulsion systems.

GM and Cosworth heading for F1?

Is it possible General Motors of the US and Cosworth of Northampton UK could be heading for Formula 1?

On a day when Infiniti Red Bull Racing was given the freedom of the borough of Milton Keynes, UK, the rumour mill is in overdrive. The mill suggests GM could be set to join F1. But the rumour mill could be wrong. It also thinks that Ford could be heading in the same direction.

Defender replacement to adopt Hotfire

One of the vehicles set to adopt JaguarLandRover’s (JLR) Hotfire engine from Wolverhampton will be the next generation Land Rover Defender.

The last Defender will roll-off the production lines of JLR’s Solihull factory in the West Midlands in December 2015.

JLR to make XJ in India this year

JaguarLandRover (JLR) will start assembly of a third model at its factory in India by the end of this year.

Chief executive officer Ralf Speth said that the flagship Jaguar XJ will join the XF and Land Rover Freelander models already being made at the plant in Pune. 

Tata Motors chief dies in fall

Karl Slym, 51, has been found dead after falling from his 22^nd floor bedroom in the Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok.

Slym is reported to have been responsible for the Tata Motors car-making operations in India as well as Tata’s interests in South Korea, Thailand and South Africa.

Solihull revs up for 2015 aluminium Jaguar

 This year, JaguarLandRover’s UK Solihull manufacturing site will be the scene of much activity as advances are introduced in the aluminium process of building body-in-white (BIW).

Up until now, JLR’s two main centres of excellence for aluminium vehicle BIW manufacture have centred primarily on the company’s Castle Bromwich site and Solihull. Castle Bromwich, in particular, has seen a previously substantial investment (by Ford Motor Company) in equipment to stamp and handle aluminium body panels, primarily using a line of Schuler presses, provided the bedrock for the technology.

Venture capitalist in the frame for Millbrook

The latest word on the street suggests a venture capital company has moved into first place as the most likely business to acquire the assets of Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

These rumours come at a time when JaguarLandRover (JLR), once a strong candidate tipped to take over Millbrook, is now enmeshed with its own new state-of-the-art research facility where it is the lead partner in the project to invest £50m, along with Tata Motors European Technical Centre (TMETC), WMG and the UK Government's Higher Education Funding Council England (HEFCE).

With the new National Automotive Innovation Campus (NAIC) as JLR’s first focus, the prospect of an investment in Millbrook inevitably takes a back seat, paving the way for other possibilities.