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Jaguar Land Rover Opens Factory in Brazil, Will Make Evoque and Discovery Sport

Jaguar Land Rover has released footage from a brand new assembly facility opened in Brazil. It will be responsible for making the Evoque and Discovery Sport models for several markets and is the first factory outside of the UK that's entirely owned by JLR.
Jaguar Land Rover Opens Factory in Brazil, Will Make Evoque and Discovery Sport 1 photo
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover
The popularity of crossover SUVs seems to know no end and clearly they are catching on in South America as well. Jaguar Land Rover is being smart about this, targeting the only emerging market with growth potential left in the world.

The investment isn't huge, as the factory will only cost £240 million or about $340 million. Located in Itatiaia, the Brazilian facility will directly employ only 300 people with another 700 added to the supply chain. The new Evoque and Disco models will begin arriving in dealerships this month.

Annual capacity will be 24,000 units, but in 2016, only 10k will be made as they try to iron out the kinks. Painted bodies and completely assembled engines will be imported from Britain.

For the record, Halewood Body & Assembly has been making the Evoque since 2011 and currently has 4,000 employees. So Brazil can be considered a relatively small establishment.

"The opening of Jaguar Land Rover's new world-class facility in Brazil marks the latest exciting milestone in our global expansion. Land Rover is already Brazil's market-leader for mid-sized premium SUVs, accounting for more than 30% of all sales in that segment. The Range Rover Evoque and the Land Rover Discovery Sport will now be manufactured for the first time in Latin America, building on their existing popularity with customers in Brazil," said Wolfgang Stadler, executive director of manufacturing.

But that's not all they are doing, as Brazil will also boast the first overseas Education Business Partnership Center. According to the company, the goal is to offer 12,000 local children the chance to develop new skills and "inspire them to pursue rewarding careers at Jaguar Land Rover.”

The factory also includes a series of environmental features, such as rainwater collection and the planting of more than 1,200 indigenous trees to help preserve and improve the natural habitat around the factory.

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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