IT’S the car that is generating an estimated £2 billion in annual export value for the UK – and it has just celebrated its first birthday.
Twelve months ago, when the first Range Rover Evoque rolled off the production line at land Rover’s Halewood plant in Liverpool, the model had already generated more than 18,000 advance orders worldwide.
And there’s been no let up in demand as the clamour for Range Rover’s baby has resulted in sales of almost 80,000 units in just nine months.
The impact on Halewood has been significant. In anticipation of the launch in 2011, the workforce was increased to more than 3,000 employees.
In March of this year, Jaguar Land Rover announced it would recruit a further 1,000 staff to help deliver the increased volume of both Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2, which is also manufactured at the facility.
In three years the workforce has trebled and the plant now employs more than 4,000 people.
Halewood operations director Richard Else, said: “The Evoque is an incredibly exciting vehicle that continues to turn heads. Sales of the Evoque remain strong across all markets and here at the plant we are working hard to meet this demand.”
The Evoque is designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK with more than 75 per cent of production exported to more than 170 global markets.
Its 110 global awards, and counting, have included World Design Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year.