Land Rover gears up for expansion

26/06/2008 01:14. Land Rover is developing a new model that could help double the output of its plant at Halewood, Merseyside, by 2012, according to motor industry reports.

The company is planning a seven-seat model called the Ventura. It will be based on a longer version of the existing Halewood-built Freelander chassis.

As reported in the Liverpool Daily Post, Land Rover aims to achieve annual production of around 70,000 of the new vehicles. If the plans come to fruition, that would see total Halewood production reach up to 210,000 vehicles a year, more than double its current output. The plant, which employs more than 2,000 people, builds the Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Jaguar X-Type.

Earlier this year, Land Rover unveiled its LRX environmentally-friendly concept vehicle. If given the... // England's Northwest