Tata Motors to invest 50 mn pounds on UK's R&D base

Tata Motors, the owner of Jaguar Land Rover, is to invest around 50 million pounds in its research & development base in the Midlands over the next two years, in a vote of confidence for UK manufacturing.

Tata has recently developed the Pixel city car, which the company is targeting at European drivers.

The automotive maker plans to hire 100 new engineers at the Tata Motors' European Technical Centre (TMETC), boosting the workforce by more than 40% to 340, as the company steps up its focus on low-carbon technologies.

TMETC has developed Tata's Vista electric vehicle and the Pixel city car, which the company is targeting at European drivers.

The centre is based at the University of Warwick and is operated in partnership with WMG, formerly known as the Warwick Manufacturing Group. Tata has invested 85 million pounds since incorporating TMETC in 2005.

Tim Leverton, head of advanced and product engineering at Tata Motors, told the Daily Telegraph: "This announcement represents a further demonstration of Tata's long-term commitment to build and develop R&D facilities here in the UK."