Jaguar Land Rover has opened its new R$750m (£240m) manufacturing facility and Education Business Partnership Centre in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The plant inauguration represents the first time a UK automotive group has opened a production centre in Latin America.

Jaguar Land Rover's new factory in Itatiaia is also the company's first wholly-owned overseas facility and marks a further phase in its global expansion strategy following the opening of its Chinese joint venture factory in 2014. The creation of new international factories allows Jaguar Land Rover to offer its customers even more exciting new models, protect against currency fluctuations and create a globally competitive business.

The new facility will build both the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport for Brazilian customers. Vehicles will be on sale in dealers across Brazil this month.

At the plant inauguration, Wolfgang Stadler, Executive Director, Manufacturing, said: "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."

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