JLR cuts ribbon on new centre

Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled what it claims is the country’s largest automotive creation and development centre, in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

The Gaydon site, which forms part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission, is home to almost 13,000 engineers and designers. The industry-leading centre is also creating future autonomous, connected, electrified and shared mobility technologies.

Speaking at the opening event, Prof Sir Ralf Speth, chief executive officer, said, ‘ Megatrends like urbanisation and sustainability are fundamentally changing the automotive industry. At Jaguar Land Rover, we not only participate – we are shaping future mobility. Our vision is for a world in which zero emission vehicles, public transport and self-driving pods will form one smart integrated and networked transport system.

‘At Gaydon, we have invested into the future and an inspiring environment for our people. We have created the prerequisites that Gaydon can design and engineer the next generations of outstanding cars in highest quality. We have consciously invested with a ‘Destination Zero” attitude’.’

The advanced product creation centre brings design, engineering and production purchasing under one roof for the first time in Jaguar Land Rover’s history. The site is 4,000,000 sqm, and delivers more than 50,000sqm of additional workspace which has been designed to encourage collaboration throughout the entire vehicle development process – from sketch to showroom. It includes the new Jaguar design studio, co-locating Jaguar and Land Rover design for the first time. 

Gaydon’s new offices are rated in the top 10% of most sustainable non-domestic buildings in the UK. Up to 20% of its energy will come from almost 3,000 sqm of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, and the remainder from 100% renewable sources.

The same glazing technology as the Eden Project has been used to bring natural light into the building wherever possible and make it more energy efficient.