The ATL Automotive Group is to launch a state-of-the-art 4,000 square foot show room which will also contain – the first of its kind in Jamaica – 450 feet long onsite test track which will highlight and demonstrate the capabilities of the vehicles.

This new facility to be located on Kingston’s Oxford Road will be open to the public at the end of 2014. It will be built by a team of engineers from Jaguar Land Rover in the UK. Land Rover is fast cementing a reputation for building SUV’s which are luxurious while at the same time possessing the best 4×4 capabilities in modern motor vehicle manufacturing.

ATL began operating the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) dealership back in 2010 and has since seen sales go up by 300 per cent with the Land Rover becoming increasingly popular. Last year ATL sold 97 models. This year it is aiming to sell 125.

This new showroom facility underscores ATL’s commitment to the Jamaican motor vehicle industry and the faith in the local economy. It is becoming very clear that motorists desire luxury as well as a vehicle capable of negotiating Jamaica’s challenging terrain and road conditions.

Built into the new test track will be:

. 45 degree right and left banking

. Steep uphill and downhill sections

. wading pool

. rough terrain

The track will highlight Land Rover vehicles ability to:

.

The track is designed to highlight;

· The legendary 4×4 ability, developed over 70 years of experience..

· Hill descent assist.

· Rock crawl feature.

· Stability at severe angles of lean.

· Excellent approach and exit angles able to be achieved.

· The agility and flexibility of the chassis and suspension working in unison to achieve the amazing ability to cover severe off road obstacles.

· Ability to smooth any terrain.

· Ride quality on poor roads and road surfaces.

· The safety of being in the world’s leading 4X4

The new onsite test track on Oxford Road will push the range of Land Rover vehicles ( Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Evoque, Discovery 4, Freelander and the Defender) to their limits. These vehicles are ideal for Jamaican conditions and the new test track will demonstrate just that.

The British made Jaguar Land Rover has upped the ante and is determined to invest heavily in Research and Development.

Only last week, its parent company, Tata Motors announced that Jaguar Land Rover is expecting to invest round 2.75 billion pounds during the 2013-14 financial year on the development of new products, expand Chinese business and explore production bases in new markets.

There are plans to roll out 40 new products in the next 4-5 years. In April 2011, the company said it would invest 1.5 billion pounds each year for the following 5 years, mainly on product development as it positions itself as a top premium brand.

For the quarter ended December 31,2012 Jaguar Land Rover wholesale sales were 94,828 units, up from the previous two quarters. Sales for the first 10 months of 2012 rose 35 per cent to 294,291 units.

At the end of last year Jaguar Land Rover announced that it will invest US$1.75 billion together with Chery Automobile Company to build a manufacturing plant in eastern China.

The 50:50 venture will focus upon Research and Development and engine technology.

“China is now our biggest market. The Chinese economy has grown at a phenomenal rate in recent years and I’m convinced that it is set to continue to grow at an astounding rate into the future,” said Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth.

The company is now targeting 20 per cent of the full-size sports car market spearheaded by Jaguar, said Steven Ploey, marketing head of Jaguar.

According to the Economist Magazine last year,

“Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), quintessentially British in every other way, was rescued by Tata in 2008. After a few years of consolidation the group has hit a sweet spot in the premium car market–otherwise the almost exclusive preserve of German brands: Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Sales of Jaguars and Land Rovers in Germany increased by 81 per cent in the nine months to September compared with the same period last year. They also grew by 78 per cent in China, 57per cent in Russia, and altogether 37 per cent worldwide.”

In the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper last year, The Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander featured among the top ten SUVs.

This year the Range Rover goes all aluminum and delivers better performance and luxury in every dimension. It is 39 per cent lighter, weighing 700 pounds less and has better electronics and engineering.

The new show room on Oxford Road will be headed by David Rosen who has been with ATL for thirty years. Under his stewardship Honda’s share of the Jamaican market rose from 2 per cent to 14 per cent.

The aim now is to have every class of vehicle on display at ATL’s new Oxford Road showrooms. On February 18, 2013, it will launch its new VW showroom and on March 4, it will unveil its Audi show room.