Ricardo Selected as Strategic Supplier to Jaguar Land Rover

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich., April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricardo has been selected by Jaguar Land Rover as one of its key strategic suppliers, as the U.K.'s premium automaker embarks upon ambitious plans to develop new models and drive volume growth. In November 2010, Jaguar Land Rover declared that it was investing heavily in a future that will see significant growth thanks to expansion of its strongest-ever vehicle line up, the creation of thousands of new jobs and investment in infrastructure, research and development, and advanced technologies. Such plans will require an intensive period of product development activity within a challenging time frame and it is because of these parameters that Jaguar Land Rover has drafted in Ricardo.

This latest development continues a longstanding, and well-established relationship between Ricardo and Jaguar Land Rover. The two firms have an established framework for mutual cooperation on product development in a manner which delivers best value to Jaguar Land Rover within common processes of budget definition, program management and execution which enable selected programs to be delivered to market as quickly as possible. The support provided by Ricardo will be broad-ranging, assisting Jaguar Land Rover across the company's product design and development organization. This strategic framework of collaboration has already seen Ricardo provide its expertise on the integration of engines, advanced driveline and chassis systems. Amongst the key rationales for Jaguar Land Rover choosing Ricardo was its global presence. This enables Ricardo to provide in-territory engineering services benefitting from an understanding of and empathy with local tastes and norms, in both rapidly developing regions as well as more mature markets.

"We are extremely proud that Ricardo has been selected as a strategic partner to Jaguar Land Rover," said Steve Clarke, Ricardo group commercial director, commenting on this unique strategic collaboration between Ricardo and Jaguar Land Rover. "This collaboration builds on a highly successful relationship between Ricardo and these two internationally famous brands and we look forward to working together to develop world-class, premium products for a range of global markets."

About Ricardo

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the United States and Asia, Ricardo provides strategic consulting and engineering expertise ranging from vehicle systems integration, controls and electronics, and hardware and software development to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel-cell powertrain technologies. Ricardo's customers include the world's major automakers and suppliers as well as manufacturers in the military, commercial, off-highway and clean-energy sectors. The company also serves in advisory roles to governmental and independent agencies. Ricardo's U.S. operation, Ricardo, Inc., is headquartered in Van Buren Township, Mich.  Ricardo plc posted sales of $244 million in financial year 2010 and is a constituent of the FTSE TechMark 100 index — a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

SOURCE Ricardo