Previewed by the Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept that was showcased at the New York Auto Show a couple of months ago, the new Discovery Sport has been confirmed to go on sale in 2015. This, the first member of the new Discovery family, will be manufactured at JLR's Halewood production facility near Liverpool in the UK, where the Range Rover Evoque is currently made.
Apart from announcing the plans to launch the Disco Sport, the Tata-owned marque also promised 250 new jobs at the facility. The addition of these new positions will take the manpower at the plant to a considerable 4,750. An investment of €250 million has also been made in order to support the new vehicle's production.
Commenting on the announcement, JLR CEO, Dr Ralf Speth, said: "The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the next in a line of exciting new products to come from Jaguar Land Rover. I am delighted that Halewood - and Liverpool - has been selected for this new investment. It is totally deserved, and strengthens the 'special relationship' that bonds Jaguar Land Rover to this great city."
Anything else?
JLR Halewood Operations Director Richard Else said "I am delighted to be welcoming the new Land Rover Discovery Sport to Halewood. Its arrival has been a further boost to the region and to our committed and loyal workforce who are all passionate ambassadors for this great company. In many ways, Halewood has embodied the transformation of JLR. We have seen our work force treble and production quadruple in just four years. Today we are operating three shifts, 24 hours a day to meet global demand and I am confident that the new team will rise to the challenge and deliver a flawless launch of this exciting new model."