Jaguar Land Rover finish the year significantly higher, but warns on the coming year of trading difficulties.

Jaguar Land Rover said sales rose 7 percent to a record 621,109 vehicles in 2017 but the automaker warned it faces tough conditions in its UK home market due to weakening consumer confidence and a planned diesel tax hike on new cars.

December registrations rose 1 percent to 55,697.

Jaguar sales rose 20 percent to 178,601 over the year and were up 8 percent in December to 15,079. Land Rover volume increased 2 percent to 442,508 in 2017, and rose 4 percent to 40,618 last month.

Since being bought by India's Tata group from Ford Motor in 2008, Jaguar Land Rover has pursued a major turnaround plan to refresh and expand its model lineup and to increase volumes to around 1 million by the turn of the decade.

It said growth in China, its largest market, and in the U.S. helped to offset difficult conditions in the UK and the rest of Europe.

"We have once again delivered year-on-year sales increases thanks to a world-class product range and new models such as the E-Pace and Velar, as well as China-specific models such as the XFL," group sales operations director Andy Goss said in a statement on Monday.

"But we are facing tough times in key markets such as the UK where consumer confidence and diesel taxes will hit us," Goss said.

However, JLR does expect domestic sales to rise this year from 2017's 118,000 vehicles.

Britain's car industry body said last week that 2017 sales across the sector recorded their biggest drop since 2009, blaming plans to increase a levy on new diesel cars from April and weakening consumer confidence in the wake of Brexit.

Like the rest of the UK car industry, Jaguar Land Rover faces uncertainty over possible tariffs or customs delays if Britain fails to secure a favorable Brexit deal before the country leaves the European Union in March 2019.

Britain's finance minister Philip Hammond said in November that the vehicle excise duty would rise from April for those buying almost any new diesel car, potentially costing hundreds of pounds more for top-end models.

Around 90 percent of JLR sales in Britain are diesel models, which compares with around 45 percent globally.

Separately, Goss said JLR will have to decide in the next 12 months whether to build electric cars in its home market. The company's first EV, the I-Pace, will be produced in Austria by contractor Magna Steyr.

Automotive News Europe contributed to this report

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Rugby and Range Rover - Thats the latest collaboration with England star Owen Farrell

• England and Saracens star Owen Farrell readies himself for British & Irish Lions Tour to New Zealand 2017 with unique Land Rover challenge
• Timed bleep-test demonstrates the all-terrain performance and speed of the new 290hp Ingenium petrol-powered Range Rover Evoque
• The Range Rover Evoque is powered by Land Rover’s new 290hp 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine delivering 0-60mph in 6.0 seconds flat
• Fly-half recently won European Player of the Year award

How do you help a top British Lions rugby player get to peak fitness for a tour of World Rugby Champions New Zealand?

England and Saracens star Owen Farrell pitted himself against a unique opponent; Land Rover’s best-selling luxury compact SUV, the Range Rover Evoque, in a battle between man and machine.

Farrell tackled the new high-performance Range Rover Evoque, powered by the new 2.0-litre turbocharged Ingenium petrol engine in an all-terrain bleep test – the ultimate test of endurance. The renowned SUV, with its new 290hp engine, accelerates from 0-60mph in only 6.0 seconds– making it the fastest sprinting Evoque to date.

Jaguar Land Rover’s new four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine is now in production at the company’s £1 billion Engine Manufacturing Centre. Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, it is one of the most advanced engines the company has ever developed, delivering up to 25% more power than the engines it replaces and offer fuel consumption reductions of up to 15%.

Saracens and England player, Owen Farrell, Land Rover fan and the inaugural winner of the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy for the European player of the year, said: “Every sportsman knows bleep tests are one of the toughest tests on the road to peak fitness because there is no hiding place. The bleep test was a great way to challenge myself because the Evoque was relentless.”

Farrell completed a bleep test between two fixed points on two different terrains in the unique challenge, gradually increasing the pace to keep time with the ever more frequent bleeps. The international rugby star, who will be part of the British & Irish Lions on tour in New Zealand this summer, is famous for his uncompromising approach and was up against an equally tough competitor.

The powerful Evoque lined up alongside Farrell, with international rugby union referee Wayne Barnes on hand to make sure both parties played by the rules.

Land Rover’s new British-built Ingenium petrol engine is available in two variants in the Range Rover Evoque; 240hp and 290hp. It features a twin-scroll turbocharger for improved performance on the road and low-resistance technologies for an ever more refined drive.

After 6 years and 600,00 units the Range Rover Evoque celebrates with a Land mark edition.

• More than 600,000 Range Rover Evoque models have been built in UK
• Evoque Landmark edition celebrates six years of compact luxury SUV success
• 80% of UK-built Evoque models exported to 130 markets around the world
• Evoque is the most decorated Range Rover, winning more than 200 awards globally
• Stunning design details, including vibrant Moraine Blue colour, set the Landmark edition apart

Land Rover’s Halewood production plant in the UK has built 600,000 units of the Evoque in just six years, bringing Range Rover luxury and refinement to new customers around the world.

Demand is still increasing for the pioneering luxury compact SUV that delivers critically-acclaimed design, desirability and all-terrain capability to the segment it created in 2011.

Six years after going on sale, sales reached an all-time high for a single month both globally and in the UK. The UK registered a record 6,781 Evoques in March 2017 and almost 18,000 Evoques were sold globally.

To celebrate six years of success, Land Rover has announced a new Landmark edition. The Evoque Landmark is available in a vibrant Moraine Blue colour – inspired by the turquoise lakes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Priced from £39,000*, the Landmark edition will make its global debut at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on 10 May, when orders will open.

Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK says, “The Evoque has been an indisputable success. It’s our biggest selling model in the UK and continues to thrive six years after launch, it’s a fantastic achievement and worthy of celebration. The Landmark edition has new dynamic detailing and a distinctive aesthetic which takes its design credentials to an even higher level – it looks fantastic and we know customers will love it.”

The Evoque Landmark edition is also available in Yulong White and Corris Grey. It has a dynamic body kit and grey exterior design details including a fixed panoramic roof in Carpathian Grey, 19-inch Gloss Dark Grey alloy wheels and Graphite Atlas grille, bonnet, fender vent and tailgate lettering. Dark grey accents continue on the interior in the form of brushed satin centre console trim finishers surrounded by grained Ebony leather seats with contrasting Light Lunar stitching and a perforated mid-section. The Landmark edition also has Keyless Entry and Powered Gesture Tailgate convenience features as standard.

An Evoque rolls off the Halewood production line every 170 seconds, with Evoque Convertible also being produced in Halewood since 2016. Most are for export to one of 130 markets, with additional manufacturing in China and Brazil to meet local market demand. In fact, 80 per cent of UK-built Evoque models are exported, finding owners across the globe from Monaco to Manila. Jaguar Land Rover is one of the UK's largest exporters and generates around 80 per cent of its revenue from overseas sales.

Evoque has Range Rover's largest trophy cabinet: the model has won more than 200 awards internationally from prestigious 'Car of the Year' and ‘Best Compact SUV’ accolades to special recognition for technology, design and engineering.

The Landmark edition is available with Land Rover’s latest technology including optional 10-inch InControl Touch Pro system featuring apps such as Spotify and a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. The optional Remote Premium app for a smartphone or smart watch lets owners check the fuel level, lock status, location and even pre-heat or cool the cabin. Those wanting an even more enhanced Evoque infotainment experience can opt for Touch Pro Services, which offer real-time traffic mapping, satellite and ‘street level’ views and a ‘Live Apps’ sidebar with weather, news headlines, a flight tracker and more.**

The Landmark edition is based on the diesel, 180H TD4 Evoque priced at £39,000 for the manual and £40,840 for the automatic. 

• Gloss Dark Grey 19" Alloy Wheels
• Carpathian Grey Contrast Roof
• Metallic Paint"
• Dynamic bodystyling
• Keyless Entry
• Powered Gesture Tailgate
• Fixed Panoramic Roof
• Graphite Atlas grille, fog lamp bezels and bonnet louvres
• Graphite Atlas bonnet & tailgate lettering
• Graphite Atlas Tow Eye cover outer 

*Evoque Landmark Td4 manual. Moraine Blue is a premium paint option. 

**Requires a SIM/data plan.

50 years have past & the Velar name has made a return on the All-New Range Rover.

• Land Rover launches new visitor attraction at its Solihull home
• Tour takes visitors on a journey from the 1967 Velar prototype to the new Velar
• Interactive exhibit showcases British design and engineering story behind the world’s greatest luxury SUV.

Land Rover has opened a new visitor attraction at its thriving Solihull manufacturing plant. ‘The Range Rover Story’ is an interactive exhibit created to celebrate 50 years of the world’s most revered luxury SUV. 

Range Rover has been manufactured at Solihull since 1970, but its history with the site goes back to 1967 when the first secret prototype was conceived, codenamed Velar. 

The new exhibit will take visitors on a time-travelling voyage from its inception in the mid 1960s, through to the introduction of the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque. The exhibition culminates in an exciting unveil of the new Range Rover Velar, celebrating British design and engineering integrity. 

Roger Crathorne (known as Mr Land Rover) dedicated 50 years’ service to Land Rover and has been heavily involved in the creation of the exhibition. 

He said: “The exhibit tells the incredible story of the Range Rover, from the original Velar prototype through to today’s new model. At the time I began my career in 1967 as a Technical Assistant on the Velar Team, the intention was never to build a luxury vehicle. 

Over the 50 years since, the Range Rover has come a long way. We wanted to develop a more comfortable on-road Land Rover that would combine the comfort of the Rover with the Land Rover 4x4 capability to support a growing leisure market.” 

Nigel Blenkinsop, Operations Director at Solihull, said: “We are hugely proud to build the Range Rover Velar at Solihull, the birthplace of both the Land Rover and Range Rover. Here, we have invested over £2bn in recent years to enable us to triple production. Our business is now Britain’s number one car manufacturer.” 

The opening of the Range Rover exhibition coincides with the opening of Velar manufacturing tours at Solihull. Velar is the third new model in a year to be launched at the plant, following the Jaguar F-PACE and new Discovery. 

Velar is produced in one of the largest aluminium body shops in the world and is beautifully finished in a versatile trim hall; capable of producing three different SUVs – all built to customers’ unique specifications. 

The Solihull plant has contributed to the company doubling its sales and headcount in the past five years. This has supported the UK’s revival in manufacturing, boosting the British economy where the automotive company provides 240,000 jobs in the supply chain. The Range Rover family contributes £10bn annually to the UK economy and is Britain’s largest luxury export

The Range Rover range contributes £10bn to the UK Economy and is UK PLC's biggest single export.

• Range Rover family grows with the addition of the new Velar
• Velar is to be built exclusively in Britain
• Range Rover contributes £10bn annually to the UK economy
• Range Rover is Britain’s largest luxury export, accounting for 85% of all luxury cars built in the UK

Jaguar Land Rover’s renaissance continued today with the launch of the Velar, the fourth member of the 47-year old Range Rover family. In a further show of support for the British car industry, the company confirmed the Velar will be built exclusively at its flagship Solihull plant in the West Midlands.

Since going on sale in 1970 the Range Rover family, heralded Britain’s greatest luxury export, has grown to include the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque. Together they have helped transform the fortunes of the UK’s largest vehicle manufacturer, accounting for 85 per cent of all premium cars produced in Britain and contributing £10bn to the UK economy every year.

Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: “The expansion of our product range and building this British designed and engineered car in the UK is a sign of our confidence in British manufacturing. We are leading the global premium car industry with our commitment to our home market and our heart, soul and headquarters will always be in the UK.”

Built using Jaguar Land Rover’s leading lightweight aluminium architecture and powered by the latest ultra-clean UK-built Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, the new Velar is positioned between the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.

The Range Rover Velar is the third model to be launched at the Solihull manufacturing plant in just two years. It follows an injection of £1.5bn in new facilities and technologies at the plant which began with the Jaguar XE and F-PACE - proving that flexible high-tech manufacturing brings more models to the market, attracts more customers and creates more high-skilled jobs for the United Kingdom.

Production of all Jaguar Land Rover models at the four UK manufacturing plants directly supports more than 40,000 British jobs and a further 250,000 in the supply chain. In the past six years the company has more than doubled its workforce to support global demand for its products. Last year Jaguar Land Rover sold 583,313 cars – more than one every minute, 44 per cent of which were Range Rovers.

The Range Rover Velar will be sold in more than 100 markets globally and is available to order from summer 2017. The online configurator is open later today. The Velar will be on display at the Design Museum in London until 6 March for customers who are eager to see it in the flesh.

The UK hits a 17 year high for exports with Jaguar Land Rover leading the UK Charge.

1.7 million cars built in the UK in 2016, an increase of 8.5% and the highest output for 17 years. Exports at record levels for second consecutive year as more than 1.35 million cars shipped worldwide. More than one in two cars exported to Europe, our single biggest trading partner, with demand up 7.5%. Growth driven by multi billion pound investments in previous years – not post Brexit bounce.

UK car production achieved a 17-year high in 2016, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).  1,722,698 vehicles rolled off production lines last year from some 15 manufacturers,1 an 8.5% uplift on total production in 2015 – and the highest output since 1999.2 More cars are now being exported from Britain than ever before, the result of investments made over recent years in world-class production facilities, cutting-edge design and technology and one of Europe’s most highly skilled and productive workforces.  Ten brand new car models began production in the UK last year, nine of them from premium brands which has helped make the UK the second biggest producer of premium cars after Germany and the third biggest car producer in Europe.3   Total committed investment announcements in the automotive sector in 2016 were approximately £1.66 billion across a number of companies. This figure is down from  £2.5 billion in 2015. Production growth was predominantly driven by overseas demand, with global appetite for British-built cars rising by 10.3% to an all-time high of 1,354,216 – a second consecutive annual record. Around eight out of every 10 cars manufactured in the UK is now exported, bound for one of 160 markets worldwide. It was continuing economic recovery across Europe, however, that accounted for the bulk of the growth. Exports to the rest of the EU grew 7.5% to 758,680 and accounted for more than half of all UK car exports.  Furthermore, Europe supplies the majority of components within UK-built vehicles, underlining the critical importance of tariff and barrier-free trade to future UK automotive production. Growth was strong across a number of markets, notably the US – the UK’s biggest export destination after the EU – where demand rose by almost half (47.2%) meaning it now accounts for around 14.5% of all UK car exports.  Notable uplifts were also seen in Turkey, Japan and Canada whilst China, third on the list of export markets, grew by a more modest 3.1% with 88,610 vehicles exported last year. Domestic demand for UK built cars also grew last year, up 2.4% in the year, and the UK remains the second largest car market in Europe, again after Germany.4 One in seven new cars registered by UK buyers is now made in Britain, up from one in eight three years ago. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “The tremendous growth in UK production is testament to the global competitiveness of the UK automotive sector.  High class engineering, advanced technology and a workforce committed to quality have helped turn around the industry, making the UK among the most productive places in Europe to make cars.  Significant investment in new plants and products over the past few years has driven this growth, not a post-Brexit bounce. We want trade deals but they must be the right deals, not rushed deals. Failure to do so could damage UK automotive manufacturing beyond repair.” 1. The UK’s 15 manufacturing plants are owned by a range of independent and multi-national-owned companies: Aston Martin (Gaydon); Bentley (Crewe); Caterham (Dartford); Honda (Swindon); Jaguar Land Rover (Castle Bromwich, Solihull, Halewood); Lotus (Norwich); McLaren (Woking); Mini (Oxford); Morgan (Malvern); Nissan (Sunderland); Rolls Royce (Goodwood); Toyota (Burnaston); Vauxhall (Ellesmere Port). 2. 1,799,004 cars were produced in the UK in 1999. 3. New UK models starting production in 2016: Aston Martin DB11; Bentley Bentayga; Jaguar F-Pace; Infiniti Q30; Infiniti QX30; Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible; McLaren 540; McLaren 570; Rolls Royce Dawn; Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer. 4. ACEA data for 2016.