Jaguar Land Rover to build new £400m Engine Plant in Wolverhampton

New JLR Engine Plant to be built in Wolverhampton Update 19th September: Jaguar has now confirmed our story, although the cost is expected to be £335 million and the number of new jobs 750. We’d guess the 2,00 jobs we quoted in the original story includes jobs created in the supply chain. Work is expected to start on the new engine plant in early 2012.

McLaren Automotive launches bespoke operations division

McLaren Automotive has today announced the launch of the McLaren Special Operations division, which will be responsible for the delivery of bespoke projects for McLaren sports cars. The division celebrated its launch with an example of the new MP4-12C, finished in Volcano Orange with a number of bespoke carbon upgrades, at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Bespoke designs featuring on the vehicle are diamond cut finish wheels with gloss black inners, MP4-12C branded carbon sill panels, a carbon steering wheel, front wheelarch louvres and carbon fiber engine cover vents, rear deck vent and wiper system cover.

Nissan plots BladeGlider production (2014)

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 03 January 2014 10:30 Last month we brought you spyshots of Nissan’s new Almera hatchback; this week it’s the altogether more enticing news that bosses at the Japanese car giant hope to put the wacky BladeGlider concept car into production. The ‘swept wing’ BladeGlider is inspired by Nissan’s ZEOD RC, the company’s entry into the 2014 Le Mans 24-hours, and it seems production of the crazy concept is a possibility. ‘It’s in our mid-term plan,’ Nissan chief planning officer Andy Palmer revealed to CAR.