Secretary of State for Transport visits Rolls Royce

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars welcomed The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport, to the company’s head office and manufacturing plant at Goodwood, West Sussex today. Mr McLoughlin was accompanied by The Rt Hon Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel & South Downs.

Mr McLoughlin was briefed by members of the Rolls-Royce Board of Directors on the company’s recent investments, including a major expansion to the manufacturing plant and the creation of 200 new permanent jobs in the last 12 months. The briefing also included details of the company’s continued success, with a fourth year of record sales in 2013 and development of the company’s worldwide dealer network, currently standing at 120 dealerships.

Mr McLoughlin toured the facility, taking particular interest in the company’s Bespoke operation and the hand craftsmanship demonstrated in the wood and leather shops. He took the opportunity to chat with employees, including a number of current apprentices. Mr McLoughlin was also able to participate in the manufacturing process, installing a Spirit of Ecstasy figurine on the grille of a customer’s car.

Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin said, "The Rolls-Royce Motors Cars facility at Goodwood is state of the art, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to meet the team, tour the production line, and see for myself the incredible range of expertise that goes into producing these iconic British cars." ‎

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars said, “It was a great privilege to welcome the Secretary of State for Transport to the Home of Rolls-Royce and to be able to brief the Minister on the extraordinary success of Rolls-Royce in recent years. We were deeply gratified at the interest shown in our business and for his warm and gracious words.”

On departing Rolls-Royce, Mr McLoughlin left for the Festival of Speed, a short drive from the manufacturing plant. Rolls-Royce is sited on the south-westerly corner of the Goodwood Estate.

Lotus gains government grant to grow workforce and improve model range.

British car manufacturer Lotus has secured a £10 million government grant which will see the firm create more than 300 new jobs.

The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has awarded the automotive firm £10.44 million, which will be used for research and development of products, along with staff training. In addition Lotus is expected to create 313 new full time jobs to support production over the coming years.

Business Secretary, Vince Cable MP visited Lotus’ Norfolk headquarters today, 25 November 2013, where he toured the engineering and factory facilities and formally announced the grant to Lotus management.

The grant is a further boost for Lotus, following a £100 million investment by its owners DRB-HICOM which has allowed the company to enhance its engineering, productivity, efficiency and quality. Lotus is also recruiting for more than 130 new jobs, previously announced in July 2013.

The Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is a flexible and competitive £3.2 billion fund operating across England from 2011 to 2017. It supports projects that are using private sector investment to create economic growth and sustainable employment.

Aslam Farikullah, Chief Operating Officer at Lotus, said: “This grant is part of a wider strategy for Lotus created to ensure we thrive and grow.  We are responding to increased global demand for our cars and engineering consultancy services and this grant will help to position Lotus at the forefront of global automotive innovation.

“We have very exciting plans for our sports cars and it’s a very positive move for Lotus that we’re in a position to create new jobs and to significantly contribute to Britain’s automotive industry.

“The team here at Lotus have worked very hard to secure this grant and every employee is playing their part in the stability, growth and future success of our company.”

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Lotus is an iconic British car maker, with some of the most innovative engineers in the business. The car industry is one of Britain's great success stories, employing over 130,000 people and helping to build a stronger economy by contributing £11 billion a year. The Government's industrial strategy is working and giving business the confidence to invest, creating more high skilled, long term jobs in the UK.

“I am pleased to announce today that our flagship economic plan to create jobs outside of London - the regional growth fund - is awarding Lotus a £10 million grant which will help them develop their next generation of cars and create over 300 new jobs in East Anglia.  The Government has already supported over 400 projects with £2.6 billion from the Regional Growth Fund, promoting growth in regions across England. The latest round is still open for another two weeks and I'd urge all businesses with a plan to support jobs in their local areas to apply"

Ssangyong Korando even better value with free servicing

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SsangYong is introducing a 5-year free servicing offer on selected Korando crossover models purchased during August and September, in addition to the existing market leading 5-year limitless mileage warranty that protects all SsangYong cars.

Korando ES	Korando LE
Korando LE	Korando SX

The offer applies to the Korando SX 4x4 and two wheel drive LE and ES models, which qualify for 5 years free servicing (or five services whichever comes sooner) registered by September 30^th 2013.

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