The Range Rover range contributes £10bn to the UK Economy and is UK PLC's biggest single export.

• Range Rover family grows with the addition of the new Velar
• Velar is to be built exclusively in Britain
• Range Rover contributes £10bn annually to the UK economy
• Range Rover is Britain’s largest luxury export, accounting for 85% of all luxury cars built in the UK

Jaguar Land Rover’s renaissance continued today with the launch of the Velar, the fourth member of the 47-year old Range Rover family. In a further show of support for the British car industry, the company confirmed the Velar will be built exclusively at its flagship Solihull plant in the West Midlands.

Since going on sale in 1970 the Range Rover family, heralded Britain’s greatest luxury export, has grown to include the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque. Together they have helped transform the fortunes of the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturer, accounting for 85 per cent of all premium cars produced in Britain and contributing £10bn to the UK economy every year.

Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: “The expansion of our product range and building this British designed and engineered car in the UK is a sign of our confidence in British manufacturing. We are leading the global premium car industry with our commitment to our home market and our heart, soul and headquarters will always be in the UK.”

Built using Jaguar Land Rover’s leading lightweight aluminium architecture and powered by the latest ultra-clean UK-built Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, the new Velar is positioned between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.

The Range Rover Velar is the third model to be launched at the Solihull manufacturing plant in just two years. It follows an injection of £1.5bn in new facilities and technologies at the plant which began with the Jaguar XE and F-PACE - proving that flexible high-tech manufacturing brings more models to the market, attracts more customers and creates more high-skilled jobs for the United Kingdom.

Production of all Jaguar Land Rover models at the four UK manufacturing plants directly supports more than 40,000 British jobs and a further 250,000 in the supply chain. In the past six years the company has more than doubled its workforce to support global demand for its products. Last year Jaguar Land Rover sold 583,313 cars – more than one every minute, 44 per cent of which were Range Rovers.

The Range Rover Velar will be sold in more than 100 markets globally and is available to order from summer 2017. The online configurator is open later today. The Velar will be on display at the Design Museum in London until 6 March for customers who are eager to see it in the flesh.

WHAT CAR AWARDS - Land Rover takes a triple at this years awards ceremony, and well deserved it is too.

• Big prize for Land Rover’s versatile and compact new SUV
• Third year in succession that Land Rover has taken What Car? Best Large SUV title
• ‘Best Buy’ commendations for Range Rover Vogue SE and Discovery Sport

Land Rover has claimed a hat-trick of accolades in the coveted What Car? Awards, with new Discovery Sport winning the Best Large SUV title in one of the most keenly contested divisions of the competition and the Range Rover Vogue SE proclaimed Best Buy in the Luxury class.

It is the third year running that Land Rover has driven off with the top SUV award from What Car? – Range Rover Sport was proclaimed Best Large SUV in 2014 and 2015. Citing the Discovery Sport’s “superb blend of body control, brilliant practicality and high quality”, What Car?’s judges also voted it Best Buy in the £25,000-£40,000 price band.

The Discovery Sport was enhanced last autumn by the fitment of Land Rover’s new 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine, designed to deliver class-leading torque and power outputs as well as excellent refinement and reduced CO₂ emissions and fuel consumption. Built at Land Rover’s new state-of-the-art £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre in the West Midlands, the EU6 compliant Ingenium engine is available in 150PS and 180PS variants, the former offering up to 57.7mpg and CO₂ emissions from 129g/km.

Being equipped with a range of class-leading driver assistance and safety features, such as a pedestrian airbag and Autonomous Emergency Braking, has helped earn the Discovery Sport a Five Star Euro NCAP rating. On the road prices start at £30,695 for the manual gearbox model with five-seat SE specification.

Accepting the award, Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK, said: “This is the second major What Car? award for Discovery Sport following on from last year’s Safety Award, and with UK sales totalling 16,500 by the end of 2016, the combination of versatility and family practicality has won over new and existing customers alike.

“In addition, the introduction of the new Ingenium engine in September 2015 has lowered running and depreciation costs making the Discovery Sport the premium all-rounder of choice for not just retail but fleet and business customers too.”

Discovery Sport – Best Large SUV and Best Buy £25,000-£40,000

What Car?: said: “It fully deserves to win. Jaguar Land Rover’s new diesel engine, together with its standard seven seats, good space and impressive interior build quality, enabled it to see off all its rivals. Families will love the Discovery Sport’s superb blend of body control, brilliant practicality and high quality, and subsequently, it is extremely good value.

“The 2.0 TD4 is a far more refined unit than the previous 2.2, and it’s also cheaper to run because it emits less CO₂ and uses less fuel. The Discovery Sport remains good to drive, too, with nicely weighted steering and a comfortable ride. At high speed its decent suppression of wind and tyre noise complements the hushed engine. Its talents include space and practicality, too, because this model comes with seven seats as standard, which will be good news for those with large families and small children.”

Range Rover Vogue SE – Best Buy £70,000-£100,000

What Car? fell for the comfort, luxury and performance of the Range Rover Vogue SE, which in 3.0-litre TDV6 specification retails from £74,950. “It is widely accepted as one of the best top-end cars out there, and it’s easy to see why,” said the judges. “The high-set driving position gives outstanding visibility, while the blend of comfortable ride and poised handling, matched to top-end off-road ability, makes the Range Rover perfect for many buyers. It’s a strikingly desirable car, and it balances a rewarding and refined on-road experience with better practicality than any saloon alternative.

“The entry-level diesel-powered model is one of the most enjoyable in the range to drive. It still feels fast, power delivery is smooth and predictable, and the eight-speed automatic gearbox does what you want it to when you want it to, leaving you to enjoy the beautifully appointed interior and punchy sound system. This really is about as versatile as a luxury car gets.”

The Germans top the list for for car buyers "wants" this Christmas, but the British are only just behind.

All car buyers want for Christmas is a German car, according to Christmas wish list survey results from Motors.co.uk. A poll held by Motors.co.uk revealed that 28.3% of people want a German car, with 8.9% of respondents hoping for an Audi delivery this year from Santa, and the same number electing for BMW. 

Mercedes-Benz secured 6.2% of the poll and Volkswagen also featured in the top ten, with 4.3% of the votes, despite the autumn emissions scandal.

British brands also performed well, at 18.1% overall, with Land Rover (8.8%), Jaguar (5.3%) and Aston Martin (4.1%) all making the Christmas wish list. The top ten was completed by Ford (8.8%), Nissan (3.6%) and Porsche (3.3%). The most-wanted individual model this Christmas was the Range Rover, including Sport, Evoque and Vogue (5.8%), followed by the Porsche 911 (1.8%), Volkswagen Golf (1.8%), Ford Focus (1.8%) and Ford Fiesta (1.6%).

Dermot Kelleher, director of marketing and business intelligence at Motors.co.uk, commented: “While the popularity of Land Rover may be down to the usual winter trends, the unseasonably warm weather means that other factors may also have played a part. For example, the high brand visibility for Land Rover across both the Rugby World Cup and the recent launch of Spectre, the latest in the James Bond franchise, may also have contributed to the increase in searches.”

For the second consecutive year, the Batmobile was featured on the Santa wish list, which also saw requests for a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, Aston Martin DB10, AC Cobra, McLaren F1, MG MGA, Hillman Imp and a snowmobile. A number of Ferrari and Lamborghini models also made regular appearances while the alternatively-fuelled section was represented by requests for a Tesla Model S.

Kelleher continued: “What’s interesting about this kind of research is that, even when you put a ‘money no object’ opportunity in front of consumers, many people will still go for more conventional choices, like the Dacia Duster, Citroën C1, Ford Fiesta and Kia Cee’d. 

“There is a serious lesson here for dealers as well. The key placing of Audi, BMW and Land Rover shows that the premium brands continue to appeal to the consumer. German and British models also remain front of mind with UK consumers. And, VW’s brand image doesn’t seem to have been dented too significantly by recent emissions woes.

“As we enter 2016, dealers need to fill their forecourts with the right stock to meet consumer demand. While our Santa wish list is good fun, we’d encourage our dealers to make use of the retail demand data we provide in The Eye (Motors.co.uk’s response reporting tool) and in our ‘What’s Hot?’ section in order to complement their own market intelligence and inform their stocking policies.”

In terms of most desired technology, 46% put parking cameras and sensors at the top of their wish list. This was followed by DAB radio (19.8%), Sat-Nav (19.3%), hands-free or Bluetooth (9.7%) and USB ports (5.2%). Kelleher concludes: “The results of this poll show that the convenience of navigation, entertainment and safety clearly outweigh connectivity in transit.”

SHANGHAI 2015 - 6,000,000th Land Rover produced, Congratulations, and here is to the next six million.

• Land Rover celebrates production milestone
• Six millionth production Land Rover is luxurious Range Rover LWB Vogue SE
• Landmark vehicle fitted with unique, celebratory puddle lamp graphic
• One-off vehicle showcased on Land Rover stand at Shanghai Auto Show
• 2015 marks 67 years of Land Rover’s innovation in design and technology, and the 45^th anniversary of Range Rover production

Land Rover is celebrating the production of its landmark 6,000,000^th vehicle by giving it a unique design feature.

The completion of a Yulong White Range Rover LWB Vogue SE on 2 April saw Land Rover hit the manufacturing milestone and the 6,000,000^th vehicle has been fitted with a bespoke puddle lamp graphic to signify its unique status.

The luxury SUV takes centre stage at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show showcasing its one-off motif, which replaces the standard Range Rover silhouette projected by the vehicle’s puddle lamps. The image is created by an inscribed lens within the door mirror-mounted downlight and displaying the Land Rover logo and landmark figure.

The illuminated graphic, which is the width of a grain of rice, is projected through a magnifying lens onto the ground every time the vehicle is unlocked in an image which is 80cm in diameter. This same graphic was projected on to the wall of the Solihull manufacturing facility to mark the moment when the 6,000,000^thvehicle rolled off the production line.

Andy Goss, Director, Group Sales Operations, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “For 67 years Land Rover has been building the world's most capable all-purpose vehicles.  Over this period, a range of ground-breaking innovations and technologies have blended great design, refinement and unmatched all-terrain capability.

“It’s fitting that the 6,000,000^th Land Rover to be produced is a Range Rover, since this year marks the 45^thanniversary of the original Range Rover’s launch and even today, the vehicle remains peerless. With the growth of sales in China since the latest version of the Range Rover was introduced in 2012, it is entirely appropriate that this landmark vehicle is destined for a Chinese customer.”

The 6,000,000^th Land Rover debuts on the Land Rover stand at the Shanghai Auto Show, and will subsequently feature in a number of celebration events being staged in China to mark Range Rover’s 45^thanniversary.  Ultimately this special Range Rover will be sold in the region and its specially commissioned puddle lamps will serve as a permanent reminder of the significance of this unique model in Land Rover’s history.

Range Rover sits at the pinnacle of the Land Rover brand. The latest model was introduced in 2012 and matches class-leading axle articulation of 597mm, wading capability of 900mm and the ability to tow up to 3,500kg, with a range of state of-the-art petrol, diesel and Hybrid powertrains that successfully harness advanced technologies to deliver exceptional refinement, performance and efficiency. 

In addition, the luxury SUV combines sophisticated exterior design and exquisite interior detailing with the exceptional luxury, comfort and fine attention to detail that are established Range Rover hallmarks.

The 6,000,000^th vehicle was built at Land Rover’s Solihull facility, where the company has been producing its world-famous SUVs since 1948. The factory has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, almost trebling production and doubling its workforce. Today Solihull is a global centre of excellence for aluminium and lightweight vehicle manufacturing.  It boasts Europe's largest aluminum body shop, producing the biggest single aluminium pressing of any vehicle for the Range Rover – weighing only 7kg.

Of the 6,000,000 Land Rovers produced, more than 900,000 are Range Rover vehicles and the iconic luxury SUV is the first car to have been displayed at the world-famous Louvre museum in Paris, where it was cited as an ‘exemplary work of industrial design’.

The original Land Rover Series I was unveiled at the Amsterdam Motor Show on 30 April 1948, so this month marks the 67^th anniversary of the brand. One-third of the 6,000,000 vehicles produced to date have been manufactured in the last eight years at Land Rover’s UK plants, in Solihull in the West Midlands and Halewood on Merseyside. The current model line-up includes Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, Discovery, Discovery Sport and Defender.

LAND ROVER HISTORICAL TIMELINE

1947	Original Land Rover project approved
1948	The Land Rover is launched at the Amsterdam Motor Show on 30th April
1948	First Station Wagon introduced
1949	British Army orders its first Land Rovers
1950	Freewheel 4x4 system replaced by selectable two or four-wheel-drive
1953	Long-wheelbase Land Rover introduced
1957	Diesel engine introduced
1958	Series II Land Rover unveiled with more refined styling
1959	250,000th vehicle produced
1961	Series IIA with 2.25 diesel introduced
1966	500,000th vehicle produced
1970	Original two-door Range Rover (the Classic) goes on sale
1971	Land Rover Series III launched
	750,000th Land Rover produced
1972	Range Rover crosses the Darien Gap on the 18,000-mile British Army Trans-America expedition, taking 99 days to cover 250 miles of dense jungle
1976	1,000,000th Land Rover built
1977	Range Rover wins 4x4 class in the 30,000km (18,750-mile) London-Sydney Marathon - the longest ever speed-based car rally
1979	A Range Rover wins the inaugural Paris-Dakar rally (and again in 1981)
1981	First production four-door Range Rover debuts along with the first factory-produced limited edition - the 'In Vogue'
1982	Automatic transmission introduced on Range Rover for first time
1983	Land Rover adopts coil sprung suspension with introduction of One Ten
1984	Land Rover Ninety introduced
1985	Diesel-powered 'Bullet' Range Rover breaks 27 speed records
1987	Range Rover launched in North America
1989	Range Rover is world's first 4x4 to be fitted with anti-lock brakes
	Land Rover Discovery is introduced as a three-door model only
1990	Land Rovers are re-launched and renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130 with new 2.5-litre turbo-charged direct injection diesel engine
	Five-door Discovery arrives
1992	Land Rover North America is founded with a limited run of 500 Defender 110 vehicles powered by the 3.9-litre V8 engine
	Range Rover is world's first 4x4 to be fitted with electronic traction control and automatic electronic air suspension
1993	Land Rover North America follows up the success of the launch of the Defender 110 with the Defender 90 soft top
1994	Second-generation (P38A) Range Rover introduced
	Discovery launched in USA
1997	Land Rover Freelander launched
1998	Discovery II launched
2001	3,000,000th Land Rover produced is a Freelander
2001	Third-generation Range Rover introduced
2002	500,000th Range Rover is produced at the Solihull plant
2004	Discovery 3 introduced at New York Auto Show
2005	Range Rover Sport launched
2006	All-new Freelander 2 introduced
2007	4,000,000th Land Rover produced is a Discovery
2009	Discovery 4/LR4 launched
	Freelander TD4e (Stop/Start) introduced delivering 10% improvement in fuel consumption over previous model
2010	Range Rover Evoque introduced
2012	Fourth-generation Range Rover introduced - the world’s first all-aluminium SUV
2013	Second-generation Range Rover Sport introduced before establishing record for production standard SUV at Pikes Peak
	Land Rover Discoverys complete record-breaking London-Cape Town expedition, making 10,000- mile journey in 10 days
2014	500,000th Range Rover Sport sold
2014	Land Rover Discovery Sport introduced
2015	Exclusive Range Rover SV Autobiography Black edition launched at New York 6,000,000th Land Rover produced is a Range Rover LWB SE Vogue