AUTOCAR GAME CHANGER - Ralph Speth takes the top prize for his work at JLR.

The CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, Ralf Speth, has been awarded the top prize at the 2017 Autocar Awards, held in Silverstone’s iconic Wing building and headline-sponsored by premium tyre brand Vredestein.

Speth was presented with the Issigonis Trophy, named after the creator of the legendary Mini, in recognition of his contribution to Jaguar Land Rover’s remarkable transformation following the sale of the brands to Tata Motors in 2008.

The Issigonis Trophy is presented to the individual who has contributed the most to the health, excellence and competitiveness of the European motor industry. Together, the British luxury marques now constitute Britain's largest automotive manufacturer, with the company’s three UK manufacturing plants producing more than 544,000 cars in 2016.

Design supremo Peter Schreyer received the Sturmey Award for his work across the Hyundai-Kia Motor Group, which has included the continual evolution of both the Hyundai and Kia product ranges, in his role as president and chief design officer. Named after Autocar’s founding editor, Henry Sturmey, the award was created to salute innovation and achievement in the motor industry.

Joining Schreyer’s success was Kia UK’s CEO and president, Paul Philpott, who took an Outstanding UK Leader award as the brand continues to achieve record sales following its 25th year in the UK. 

Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive, picked up the inaugural Editor’s Award, for his impact on the company’s success over the past year. Thomas Ingenlath, head of design at Volvo Cars, picked up the Design Hero award – and to celebrate, he showed off a unique Volvo V90, specified to his own brief. 

Tobias Moers of Mercedes-AMG took the Engineering Hero gong, while Alan Gow was named Motorsport Hero for his work both as British Touring Car Championship director and for the Motor Sport Association.

Other industry professionals honoured included Mazda UK managing director Jeremy Thomson and Malcolm Wilson, whose M-Sport business is one of the world's leading private motorsport teams. They joined Paul Philpott in receiving Outstanding UK Leader awards.

Accompanying their respective teams at the Silverstone ceremony, the very best new and used cars were out in force. Nominated by Autocar readers, the Volkswagen Golf GTI was named the most influential car in motoring history.

Not to be outshone, many other ground-breaking cars of today also joined the GTI in the spotlight, as six were named Autocar Game Changers, a category sponsored by Vredestein Tyres – one of the world’s leading tyre manufacturers with a history spanning 100 years.

The winning game changers have been named as the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Aston Martin DB11, Tesla Model X, Renault Zoe, Toyota C-HR and Seat Ateca.

Accolades were handed out for the Porsche Panamera, Bentley Bentayga and McLaren 720S for achieving five-star reviews. The Innovation Award went to the Lamborghini Huracán Performante for its aero-vectoring rear wing, while the Britain’s Best Driver’s Car award went to two cars at the opposite end of the spectrum: the Porsche 911 R and Ford Fiesta ST200. Finally, the Mini Roadster picked up Used Car Hero, awarded in association with Warranty Direct, as named by Autocar’s used car expert, James Ruppert. 

Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “The Autocar Awards unite the industry through a passion for building, selling and driving the very best vehicles on the planet, and the winners named here are a testament to the talent that drives Britain’s flourishing automotive industry.

“Congratulations must go to the winner of the Issigonis Trophy, Ralf Speth, the dedication of whom has played a special part in the evolution of two of the most iconic and cherished brands into the largest automotive force in the UK. What’s most impressive is that this staggering progress that has taken place in less than a decade.”

Prof. Dr. Ralf Speth KBE FREng, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be given this very prestigious award, and I would like to thank the editors of Autocar magazine deeply. Autocar’s standing remains the same as it has ever done: it is a hugely influential title with a long history in this great industry.

“This award is something that I cannot accept just on my own. It is an honour I accept on behalf of all the incredible people who work at Jaguar Land Rover. Together, we have been on quite a journey over the last few years, rapidly expanding our workforce, recruiting and nurturing the best engineers and focusing on innovation, design and customer satisfaction.

“We are the UK’s biggest R&D investor and are always striving to be better than the best. It is a privilege to be leading such an organisation. I expected to do this job for two years, but now it’s seven and I’m still enjoying it. I still find it amazing, contributing to this thing and helping shape it. Thank you, Autocar, for recognising Jaguar Land Rover’s achievements. Here’s to the next few years.”

Autocar Awards Winners 2017

ISSIGONIS TROPHY

Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover

Awarded to the individual who has contributed the most to the health, excellence and competitiveness of the European motor industry.

STURMEY AWARD

Peter Schreyer, president and chief design officer, Hyundai-Kia Motor Group

Named after Autocar’s founding editor, Henry Sturmey, this award salutes innovation and achievement in the motor industry.

EDITOR’S AWARD

Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive

A new accolade for 2017, the Editor’s Award goes to the person Autocar believes has made the biggest impact on their company's success over the past year.

FIVE-STAR CARS

Porsche Panamera

Bentley Bentayga Diesel

McLaren 720S

READER’S CHAMPION

VW Golf GTI - most influential car in motoring history

DESIGN HERO

Thomas Ingenlath, design vice-president, Volvo Cars

ENGINEERING HERO

Tobias Moers, CEO, AMG-Mercedes

MOTORSPORT HERO

Alan Gow, series director and administrator, BTCC

INNOVATION AWARD

Lamborghini Huracán Performante and its aero-vectoring rear wing

BRITAIN’S BEST DRIVER’S CARS

Porsche 911 R

Ford Fiesta ST200

AUTOCAR’S USED CAR HERO SPONSORED BY WARRANTY DIRECT

Mini Roadster

AUTOCAR’S OUTSTANDING UK LEADERS

Jeremy Thomson, managing director, Mazda UK

Paul Philpott, CEO and president, Kia UK

Malcolm Wilson, managing director, M-Sport

AUTOCAR’S GAME CHANGERS, SPONSORED BY VREDESTEIN

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Aston Martin DB11

Tesla Model X

Renault Zoe

Toyota C-HR

Seat Ateca

Jaguar Land Rover confirmed Brazil Production facility in Rio de Janeiro.

• Jaguar Land Rover marks start of construction of local manufacturing facility in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Confirms first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre in Itatiaia
• First British carmaker to build a manufacturing facility in Brazil

Jaguar Land Rover has started construction of its R$750m state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the state of Rio de Janeiro and confirmed plans to build its first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre there. The ground breaking ceremony was attended by the state's Governor, Luiz Fernando.

Building on the success of the company's education programme in the UK, the new centre will provide a range of classroom activities to help local schoolchildren develop key skills, work awareness and inspire them to pursue rewarding careers at Jaguar Land Rover in the future.

Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our new facility in Brazil is an important strand of Jaguar Land Rover's long term sustainability. The start of construction today is a significant milestone and represents another step forward in our plans to create a truly global manufacturing footprint.

"The confirmation of Jaguar Land Rover's first overseas Education Business Partnership Centre demonstrates our commitment to developing the skills needed by tomorrow's workforce to create a sustainable premium automotive manufacturing industry in Brazil." 

Jaguar Land Rover works closely with the communities close to its manufacturing facilities around the world and, whilst construction is just beginning in Brazil, Jaguar Land Rover has already forged strong links with the communities in both Itatiaia and nearby Resende.

In addition to the education centre, Jaguar Land Rover has recently launched the first phase of its 'Inspiring Tomorrow's Workforce' training programme in Itatiaia. Working in conjunction with the Brazilian national training provider, SENAI, the programme offers work experience, training and employability qualifications for unemployed 17 - 26 year olds to prepare them for employment in the automotive industry. It is the first training programme of this nature that Jaguar Land Rover has deployed in outside of the UK.

Manufacturing in Brazil

Jaguar Land Rover is the first British automotive company to invest in a manufacturing factory in Brazil. In the programme's first phase, the new 60,000m² manufacturing facility in Itatiaia will employ 400 people and will have an annual capacity of around 24,000 vehicles.

As part of its on-going commitment to the Brazilian automotive industry, Jaguar Land Rover will be sourcing a range of components from local suppliers as well as importing some parts from its global supply chain. In addition, Jaguar Land Rover is investing in its technical assistance services to help suppliers support increased levels of localisation in the future.

The new Discovery Sport has been confirmed as one of the vehicles that Jaguar Land Rover plans to build in Brazil, with the first customer cars are expected to drive off the production line in 2016. Since its reveal at the Sao Paulo Motor Show, the Discovery Sport has received a very positive reaction from Brazilian customers.

Dr Speth continues, "This new manufacturing facility will play an important role in providing vehicles that our customers in Brazil can love for life."

Jaguar Land Rover's first significant recruitment campaign is underway, in association with Itatiaia Town Hall. The company is looking for automotive mechanics, manufacturing operatives and the quality team to join its manufacturing team. 

According Mr. Luiz Fernando Pezão, Governor of State of Rio de Janeiro "Jaguar Land Rover is paving the way to consolidate Rio de Janeiro as the second biggest automotive hub in Brazil. We can consider this an historic achievement for our State. Rio de Janeiro offers the perfect conditions to Jaguar Land Rover, allowing the company to build this facility in Itatiaia, where we already have a very well structured automotive hub, with qualified workforce and suppliers.

In addition to Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing facility, we're proud to know about the Education Centre that the company will build in our region, the first in Latin America. It's an honour to host this very important company, and its investments around R$ 750 million, will generate very positive results."  

With the start of construction in Brazil and the opening of its joint venture factory in China, Jaguar Land Rover is beginning to realise its plans to develop further an international manufacturing footprint. The creation of new international manufacturing operations allows Jaguar Land Rover to increase its presence in markets which have been identified as significant growth opportunities. These new facilities create additional capacity and augment production at the company's three vehicle manufacturing facilities in the UK.

Jaguar Land Rover in Brazil

Jaguar Land Rover has had a presence in the Brazilian market for more than 20 years. Land Rover has held almost 50% of the premium SUV market for three consecutive years and Jaguar is one of the country's fastest growing premium brands with sales increasing almost four-fold in 2013.

Jaguar Land Rover is investing in its dealer network in Brazil and, by the end of March 2015, it will have 42 dealers covering all of the main territories.

Brazil is one of Jaguar Land Rover's top ten markets and the Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Discovery are the strongest selling vehicles in the country.

Land Rover to complain to Chinese officials about blatent copying of the Evoque.

The Landwind X7 is scheduled to go into production this month and is expected to retail for the equivalent of about 17,700 euros in China.

Land Rover plans to complain to Chinese officials about a close copy of its Range Rover Evoque SUV that debuted at the Guangzhou auto show in China last week.

"Jaguar Land Rover will take whatever steps are appropriate," the company said in a statement to Automotive News Europe.

The X7 SUV, presented by Chinese automaker Landwind, closely resembles the Evoque, right down to the font and the positioning of the lettering on its hood.

"The fact that this kind of copying is ongoing in China is very disappointing," Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth told the UK's Autocar magazine. "I will talk to our officials and I will talk to our partners at Chery to find a way around this situation."

The Landwind X7 was flagged up by Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum, who tweeted a picture of the car from the Guangzhou show, adding “haven’t we seen this somewhere before?”

At the same show Land Rover revealed the first Evoques made at its new manufacturing plant in Changshu, northeast of Shanghai, built with its joint venture partner, Chery Automobile.

Autocar said the Landwind X7 is scheduled to enter production this month and is expected to retail for 134,992 yuan (17,665 euros, $22,000) in China.

That is significantly below the 578,000 yuan (76,000 euro) starting price of the Evoque there, which is more than the SUV's UK starting price because of import duties. Autocar reported that the locally built Evoque, called the Aurora in China, will start at about 385,000 yuan.

Landwind is an SUV-focused brand owned by Jiangling Motor Holding (JMH), the parent company of Jiangling Motor Co. (JMC). Ford has a 31 percent stake in JMC, which makes Ford Transit vans in China among other ventures.

The Landwind X7, top, has borrowed virtually every exterior styling cue from the Range Rover Evoque.

Photo credit: JAY RAMEY

The Landwind X7 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine from Mitsubishi and is offered with an eight-speed automatic transmission, according to the company’s website. Landwind described the design’s narrow side and rear windows “as giving a strong sense of power and majesty.”

Chinese media earlier this year reported that Landwind had submitted patent drawings for the X7’s design with the Chinese patent office.

Speth told Autocar: "The simple principle is that it is not something that should happen; the intellectual property is owned by Jaguar Land Rover, and if you break that IP then you are in breach of international regulations that apply around the world."

The X7 name will be shared with a forthcoming BMW SUV and joins the X5 and X6 in Landwind’s lineup. BMW said it is powerless to prevent the name clash. “Chinese law doesn't allow companies to protect a combination of letters and numbers, such as X7, X1, 320i etc, it only works with brand and common names such as BMW, Mini, Clubman, Phantom,” a spokesperson told Automotive News Europe.

High-profile disputes between Chinese automakers accused of copying design and engineering from Western cars include the 2008 case when General Motors claimed that its Daewoo Matiz subcompact was copied by Chinese automaker Chery, which marketed a very similar-looking car called the Chery QQ.

The QQ was an extreme example of the sporadic industrial copying that took place in the automotive market, as its doors and a number of other parts were actually interchangeable with the Matiz.

Also in 2008, an Italian court prohibited Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors from importing its Peri subcompact car, ruling it looked too much like the Fiat Panda.

Jay Ramey of AutoWeek contributed

You can reach Nick Gibbs

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Inside Jaguar Land Rovers new Engine Facility in Wolverhampton.

The opening of the state-of-the-art Engine Manufacturing Centre is a seminal moment for Jaguar Land Rover as it embarks on manufacturing engines in-house for the first time in a generation, confirming its position as the UK’s most significant automotive investor.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre will be home to the ‘Ingenium’ engine family, 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 engine in the Jaguar XE. Jaguar Land Rover is transforming its business and brands through a programme of sustainable, strategic investments.

This £500 million facility is the latest demonstration of the company’s commitment to supporting the UK’s burgeoning manufacturing industry. When operating at full capacity, the Engine Manufacturing Centre will employ 1,400 people with a further 5,500 jobs created in the supply chain, where production of these engines will help provide a critical mass for inward investment.

At the heart of the Engine Manufacturing Centre is a team of people committed to setting a new global benchmark in the way engines are manufactured. Through an unrelenting commitment to training, Jaguar Land Rover is developing the skills required to future-proof its engineering capability and provide a sustainable foundation for continued business growth.

Welcome to the future of engine manufacturing in Britain.

THE HALLMARKS OF APPROVAL - THREE ROYAL WARRANTS

“Our Royal Warrants contribute to Jaguar Land Rover’s accelerating global growth, helping us to take exciting British design and advanced British engineering around the world.”

Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer, Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover is extremely proud to welcome Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to the all-new Engine Manufacturing Centre. The company holds the Royal Warrant as “Manufacturers of Motor Vehicles, By Appointment” from all three current grantors: HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Jaguar Land Rover is the only automotive manufacturer granted all three Royal Warrants. For nearly 900 years the Royal Warrant has been one of the proudest acknowledgements of quality around the world. It is granted to represent not only simple excellence of product or service, but also the personal preferences of the Royal grantors. A fleet of 10 Land Rovers, each bearing the Royal Crest and the Royal Standard, was used when HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh undertook their 44,000-mile tour of the Commonwealth in 1953/54, soon after the Coronation.

Since then HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family have regularly used a wide variety of Jaguar Land Rover vehicles.

PRECISE ENGINEERING - THE MACHINING HALL

“Almost half the total investment on the project was made on these machines.”

Paul Blackman, Production Area Manager

This area represents the cutting edge of manufacturing technology, utilising 150 state-of-the-art machines working across three lines. Everything from assembly robots and lasers to drilling and high-pressure wash machines operate here, representing an investment of more than £150 million.

The first line is where the aluminium block begins its transformation from a simple chunk of metal to the technologically advanced heart of the Ingenium engine. It is heated in an oven before undergoing a series of machining operations, always punctuated by high-pressure washes to filter debris away. The second line contains the cylinder head, which undergoes a similar process. The crankshaft line differs as it is machining forged steel, not aluminium. Here, the steel is milled, turned and drilled. Both automated and manual tests take place throughout each line, ensuring that each component is made to the highest standard of quality possible.

This area represents the precision of technology, driven by human craftsmanship. It is where the very first parts of the engines are made, containing within them the DNA of Ingenium.

PIECE BY PIECE - THE DIESEL ASSEMBLY HALL

"The assembly line is the birth of the engine.”

John Turner, Assembly Area Manager

This is where approximately 245 separate parts come together to form an engine derivative. It is also where Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to people is most evident; more than 150 associates currently work here, across a total of 17 zones.

More associates will join the team when the petrol Assembly Hall also becomes operational. The aluminium block, cylinder head and crankshaft move through the zones, each one bolstered by additional components and rigorous testing, before finally joining together.

The engine is then cold tested, an eco-friendly procedure that ensures the highest quality standards are met, before leaving the assembly line.

If the Machining Hall is where the journey of the engine begins, then the Assembly Hall is where it is given life, going from a disparate assemblage of components to a finished engine, the first member of the Ingenium family that will power a new generation of Jaguar Land Rover products.

LOGISTICS - EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

The logistical challenge that a facility of this scale represents is immense, and the logistical department is every bit as vital to the success of the centre as the manufacturing process itself.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre has 71 suppliers, approximately 30 per cent of which are based in the UK. Hundreds of individual parts will be required when both diesel and petrol divisions are operational. These will be delivered to two main receiving areas – five bays in the Assembly area and two in the Raw Materials area. Once inside the facility, the parts will be transported on specially adapted cargo trains, making 133 movements a day, facilitating a huge volume of engines while never compromising on quality.

This process has an inherent capacity for flexibility, allowing logistical operations to keep up with the rapidly evolving demands of the modern automotive industry.

PUTTING THE FACT IN FACTORY

Top 10 details about the Engine Manufacturing Centre

• £500 million investment
• 100,000m² in size – the equivalent of 14 football pitches
• 6,500m³ of topsoil excavated from the site
• 4,400 tonnes of hot-rolled steel used in the construction
• 32.1 miles of trenching for ducts and drainage
• 21,000 photovoltaic panels on the roof, providing the same amount of energy required to power 1,600 homes
• £650,000 – the average cost of one of the high-tech machines in the Machining Hall
• 0.003 millimetres – the detailing on a crankshaft is polished to be less than the width of a strand of human hair
• 245 – approximate number of parts in each engine derivative
• 90 seconds – time taken to perform a cold test on a single engine

ALIVE WITH TECHNOLOGY - INGENIUM

“Customers are increasingly demanding cleaner running, more efficient vehicles that maintain or even enhance performance attributes. Our Ingenium engines deliver this to a new level.”

Dr. Wolfgang Ziebart, Jaguar Land Rover Group Engineering Director

These engines will be Jaguar Land Rover’s most advanced ever. This new family of premium, lightweight, four-cylinder units will utilise the most flexible engine architecture ever produced by Jaguar Land Rover, making them efficient, powerful and capable of producing up to 300Nm of torque while emitting as little as 99g/km of CO₂.

The core of Ingenium comprises extremely strong and compact aluminium blocks, which will allow a range of engines to be developed, both quickly and efficiently, to meet the rigorous regulatory and competitive requirements of the future.

All variants will be equipped with high-tech turbochargers that improve performance, and help reduce CO₂emissions. Their modular design enables petrol and diesel engines to share many common internal components.

This reduces complexity, raises quality and simplifies manufacturing. Despite adding features and increasing power output, Ingenium engines weigh as much as 80kg less than equivalent engines of today. The Engine Manufacturing Centre will allow Ingenium engines to deliver outstanding low-end torque, effortless acceleration and class-leading emissions performance with low consumption.

Before the first Ingenium engine leaves the factory, it will have already undergone the equivalent of more than eight years of the toughest, most punishing testing that Jaguar Land Rover engineers could devise. These include more than 72,000 hours of dyno testing and 2 million miles of real-world testing.

FAMILY VALUES - NURTURING SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

We will be the benchmark for excellence across the globe, creating a legacy for generations to come through a tenacious approach to continuous improvement. A proud and passionate family who live our values to create a supportive learning environment where there is equality and mutual respect for all.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre Vision

Amongst the first objectives of the Engine Manufacturing Centre operations team was the establishment of a Vision and Values by which its entire workforce would live. These values will ensure that each and every employee plays their part in delivering the flawless standards required to set a new global benchmark for excellence in engine manufacturing.

When at full capacity the engine manufacturing centre family will be 1,400 strong, with each member showcasing world-class skills and expertise in the UK’s automotive heartland, creating a legacy for generations to come. To deliver this, a bespoke two-week training programme called ‘The Powertrain Way’ was developed to teach all employees, from HR consultants to machine operators, the lean engineering principles at the heart of the engine manufacturing operation.

CLEAN AND GREEN - SUSTAINABILITY

To date, more than 20,000 training hours have been completed by 254 associates, driving quality standards forward.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre has been designed with sustainability embedded throughout and has recently been awarded a rating of ‘excellent’ by BREEAM, for sustainable buildings.

The centre has the largest rooftop solar panel installation in the UK, comprising no fewer than 21,000 individual panels. It is estimated that these panels will generate more than 30 per cent of the site’s energy, reducing its CO₂ footprint by more than 2,400 tonnes per year.

Debris from the manufacturing process is filtered away and prepared for transport off-site. This is an environmentally friendly process, and the recycled aluminium briquettes created from it bolster the facility with additional revenue.

The production halls are ‘clean room’ environments, ventilated by a positive air system. Energy monitoring facilities in the plant continually analyse the amount of energy being used and identify opportunities to reduce electricity and gas consumption.

Jaguar Land Rover/Chery aims to capture 10% of Chinese SUV market.

Jaguar Land Rover aims to capture 10 percent of China's premium SUV market as its first local plant allows the UK luxury marque to cut prices and boost sales in the world's largest auto market.

JLR opened the 130,000-unit-a-year factory in Changshu city, about 110km (70 miles) northwest of Shanghai.

The brand's Range Rover Evoque will be its first local production model, according to CEO Ralf Speth. The carmaker plans to build three models in China by 2016, including a Jaguar, he said.

"It’s the biggest market on earth," Speth told reporters at an event today to inaugurate the plant. "Overall I’m quite optimistic that China will manage this growth."

The unit expects to sell 120,000 cars this year in China, which is already its biggest market, according to Bob Grace, JLR’s China president.

JLR will be competing in a market where demand for premium SUVs is forecast to double to 1.2 million units by 2020, with 18 brands competing for market share, according to IHS Automotive. In 2010, automakers sold 183,781 premium SUVs in China.

JLR aims to capture 10 percent of the premium SUV market with the Land Rover brand, according to Grace.

He said JLR's growth in China would slow to 20 percent this year compared with around 40 percent last year. Jaguar Land Rover’s sales in China climbed 39 percent to 66,505 vehicles in the first nine months, according to company data. "As our volume in absolute terms gets bigger and bigger, it becomes harder to keep doing the double-digit growth. I would expect next year to slow a little bit in comparison to this year." Grace told reporters at the new factory. "We will still see reasonable growth but it won't be the stellar growth we've seen in recent years," he said. Sales will, however, benefit from the new factory, he said.

The factory is equally owned by the British carmaker and local joint-venture partner Chery Automobile. Jaguar Land Rover and Chery have committed to investing 10.9 billion yuan ($1.78 billion) in the plant, which is scheduled to go into full production in 2016

JLR is the latest foreign automaker to set up factories in China to avoid duties that make imported vehicles less competitive. The new plant paves the way for Jaguar Land Rover to cut prices on its $94,000 Evoque. The company has said it expects local production to cut prices by 15 percent, which may help it extend a lead over Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' SUV-centric Jeep brand and narrow a gap with Audi.

"Land Rover has a unique positioning in the market as premium car sales are booming, as are SUV sales," said Yale Zhang, managing director of researcher Autoforesight Shanghai Co. "A lot of customers in China want to upgrade to premium cars. At the same time, there are enough premium sedans in China, so it won’t be easy for Jaguar Land Rover."

The SUV market in China is dominated by Great Wall Motor’s homegrown Haval line, Volkswagen’s Tiguan, and Japanese models such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Before the Changshu plant, all Jaguar Land Rover vehicles sold in China were produced in the U.K. and imported, including the Land Rover Freelander, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Evoque, as well as the Jaguar XF, XJ and F-Type Jaguar. The imported Evoque currently starts from 578,000 yuan, about the same as the Grand Jeep Cherokee and more expensive than a larger, locally produced Audi Q5 that retails from 358,500 yuan, according to the brands’ websites.

Jeep plans to start production in China in the fourth quarter of next year. China's auto market grew in September at the slowest pace in 19 months. The market is in a state of flux with a government investigation into anti-competitive practices, prompting makers such as Jaguar Land Rover to lower prices.

Meanwhile the luxury segment has taken a hit by a government campaign against extravagance among public officials.

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JLR and the Invictus Games, time to play......

• Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge to kick start the Invictus Games, with the first medals of the Games awarded.
• Teams from 11 Invictus Games nations to compete in all-terrain and tarmac driving stages, held at the Jaguar Land Rover Design and Engineering Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
• Jaguar Land Rover is Presenting Partner of the 2014 Invictus Games and is committed to exploring ways to enhance the valuable role of veterans as skilled employees, to create a lasting legacy for the Games.

The first medals of the Invictus Games, the new international sporting event for wounded warriors, will be awarded today at the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony, Prince Harry will be in Warwickshire to watch teams from 11 nations compete in the special driving challenge. He will also meet ex-service personnel now working at Jaguar Land Rover, and take part in an exhibition lap with one of the Invictus Games competitors.

Taking place at the Jaguar Land Rover Design and Engineering Centre in Gaydon, two competition stages will challenge the competitors’ driving and navigation skills. Teams, made up of a driver and navigator, will compete over a Land Rover all-terrain stage and a Jaguar tarmac track stage.

The teams will drive Land Rover Discovery and Jaguar F-TYPE vehicles, with times from both stages amalgamated to give each team a total time. The four quickest pairs will then qualify for the finals, which will see the first gold, silver and bronze medals of the Invictus Games awarded.

Dr Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover said: "Jaguar Land Rover is immensely proud to be enabling the Invictus Games and hosting this exciting driving challenge.  We have been inspired by the passion with which Prince Harry has championed this visionary idea, to celebrate the commitment and achievements of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel.  In addition, we’re exploring with the Royal Foundation and the Ministry of Defence innovative ways of enhancing their employment prospects and those of other Service personnel when moving into civilian life, to create a lasting legacy from the Games.”

Mark Cameron, Global Brand Experience Director of Jaguar Land Rover said: “We are honoured to be hosting this event as part of the Invictus Games and welcoming His Royal Highness to Gaydon. Everyone at Jaguar Land Rover shares the mounting excitement about the Games, which will celebrate the achievements of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel.

“The Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge expands our involvement with disability motorsport, having supported the Race2Recovery team, who made history in 2012, when becoming the first disabled team to complete the Dakar Rally.”

The Invictus Games is being organised with the support and backing of The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and the Ministry of Defence. It will see more than 400 wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women, from 13 nations, competing at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Lee Valley Athletics Centre, thanks to the Mayor of London, the London Legacy Development Corporation and the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.

Tickets for the Invictus Games cost £12.85 per person, per session and are on sale at www.invictusgames.org