UK Government grants Land Rover $37.2 million to build the LRX Concept

Land Rover announced this morning that the UK government is offering it a grant of up to £27 million ($37.2 million USD) to start production of an all-new model based on the LRX Concept shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Land Rover says that the production LRX will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient it has ever produced.

“We welcome the Government’s support for this project, which would form a key part of our future product plans and which we very much want to put into production,” said Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover.

Land Rover said that the grant will be made available under the Government’s Grand for Business Investment scheme and is separate from the broader automotive support package currently being unveiled by the government.

The overall LRX production project will cost £400 million.

Land Rover says that the production LRX will introduce new powertrain options that will enable the implementation of Land Rover’s e-terrain technologies strategy to exceed a 20 percent improvement in CO2 emissions.