The official opening of Jaguar Land Rover’s £500m new Engine Manufacturing Centre represents a significant step, according to the company, in its strategic investment programme and will see engines being produced in-house for the first time in a generation.

Located near Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, the Engine Manufacturing Centre is home to the Ingenium engine range which will power a new generation of Jaguar Land Rover products designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK. This starts with the 2.0-litre diesel, which rolls off the production line early next year, destined for the new Jaguar XE.

Commenting on the opening Dr. Ralf Speth said: “The Engine Manufacturing Centre represents all that is great about British engineering.

“Jaguar Land Rover is a business driven by design, technology and innovation and this investment and level of job creation is yet further evidence of our commitment to advancing the capability of the UK automotive sector and its supply chain."

With a vision to set a new global benchmark for excellence in engine manufacturing, Jaguar Land Rover is drawing on the expertise of 2000 powertrain engineers who have been inspired by the company’s 70-year heritage in the design and development of iconic engines. These engineers, together with the new 1400 strong team at the Engine Manufacturing Centre, will deliver the next generation of highly efficient, ultra-low emission 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

Commenting on the importance of the Engine Manufacturing Centre, Trevor Leeks, operations director at the site said: “I am proud to be leading the world-class team who will bring years of hard work to fruition as we execute the flawless launch of Jaguar Land Rover’s first in-house engines in a generation.

“Our new Engine Manufacturing Centre is an important step in advancing the competitiveness and capability of the UK automotive sector. The production of in-house engines will support the expansion of the UK supply chain providing critical mass for inward investment.”