"Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will take over production of the 'AJ' supercharged petrol V8 in Wolverhampton after Ford shuts its Bridgend plant next month, Autocar can confirm.
The future of the engine – which is used in everything from the Jaguar F-Type to the Range Rover (and set to be used in the new Land Rover Defender) – had been uncertain since last summer, when Ford announced the closure of the facility where it has been built since 1996.
It has now emerged that JLR will transfer the production equipment, and possibly some of the workforce, from Wales to the West Midlands in a ‘lift and shift’ operation.
A statement from the firm read: “Manufacture of the JLR-designed V8 petrol engines previously made at Bridgend will move to the JLR Engine Manufacturing Centre, with further detail to be confirmed at a later date.”
Ford says production at Bridgend is now focused on work for “third parties” (JLR), with assembly of the Ford Sigma and Dragon engines already having been wound down. Bridgend is understood to have been building the AJ at a higher rate than required in order to build up buffer supplies while the production line is moved.
Sources suggest the AJ, now in its third generation, will continue in production for three to five years. The timing is likely to coincide with the introduction of EU7, an inevitably more stringent next step of European Union emissions regulations.
At that point, JLR is expected to adopt BMW’s V8 as part of a wide-reaching powertrain deal, as demand for this engine type dwindles in Europe but stays buoyant in the US and the Middle East.
Strong demand for the current V8 in those markets is a key motivator for JLR taking over its production and continuing to build it."--
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport Supercharged V8 HSE Dynamic
Member Since: 17 Oct 2019
Location: Leeds
Posts: 393
sexy, a range rover without a v8 is a sad thing
Wed Aug 26 2020 6:06pm
Jjvd21
Member Since: 20 Dec 2011
Location: Chicago
Posts: 241
Great news. I expect another jump in hp with the next version.2020 SVR / R.I.P. 2019 SVR / 2016 D4 Landmark / 2005 D3 HSE
Wed Aug 26 2020 9:51pm
naks
Member Since: 15 Jul 2016
Location: Stellenbosch
Posts: 1167
We can only hope that JLR do not inject their particular strain of 'reliability' in the new production line... --
2010 Defender Puma 90 + BAS remap + Alive IC + Slickshift + Ashcroft ATB rear
2015 Range Rover Sport Supercharged V8 HSE Dynamic
Member Since: 20 Aug 2010
Location: London
Posts: 975
The V8 is a dinosaur-in-the-making. Innovate or die JLR! How about a twin-turbocharged straight six 4.0, with mild hybrid. 640 BHP, and 600 torques, plus a few mpg & CO2s better than yesterday's-year's tech.
And enhanced engine sound through the audio system L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!
Thu Aug 27 2020 7:45pm
mgrover
Member Since: 17 Oct 2019
Location: Leeds
Posts: 393
haha my l320 has an amp hum which whines louder with the supercharger whine haha iNoVaTiOn
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Wed Aug 26 2020 6:22am
