Euro Motors, a leading automobile dealership in Bahrain, has been appointed as the new exclusive importer and distributor of iconic British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover in the kingdom.

Euro Motors is investing $25 million for a new purpose-built facility hosting the two brands under one roof, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

It will come up on a 16,000 sq m plot of land adjacent to the existing showroom and will be the first in the Middle East to feature Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)'s new corporate identity.

"Among other firsts, it will be the first two-storey car showroom in Bahrain," said Euro Motors managing director Zayed Al Zayani during a Press conference at its showroom in Sitra.

Expressing confidence about making good on the massive investment, he said the company was a long-term player in the big league.

"Customers in Bahrain deserve the kind of experience and service that comes only as a result of a substantial investment, which pays off in due course," he said. "We have an aggressive business plan. We are growing and we are investing."

Construction of the facility is expected to begin in January and should be complete by the end of next year.

"There are clear benefits to having a unified sales, distribution and service channel for both brands, which is how we operate in most markets across the world," said JLR Middle East and North Africa managing director Robin Colgan.

"We were facing some challenges because of the brand split in Bahrain, which will no longer be the case."

JLR considers Bahrain an important market where the brands enjoy a legacy advantage and it was one of the first in the region to start selling Jaguars and Land Rovers.

"We are confident of increasing the presence and visibility in Bahrain in the next few years," said Colgan.

The Middle East is the fifth largest market for JLR cars globally.

Since April this year, Jaguar as a brand has grown 30 per cent and the company as a whole has grown 38pc in the region.

"We aim to be the leader or at least one of the top three in each of the segments we are in... We expect double-digit sales growth for the current year," added Colgan.

"JLR is just getting started, you will see lots of new products... there are plans to develop a small car and an SUV, both new segments for Jaguar.

"The brands stand for power, performance and excellence, driven by technology, innovations and attention to detail, we make a lot of effort to ensure it comes through every step of the way."

Colgan said specialists from the UK and the company's regional hub in Dubai would be flown into Bahrain to provide state-of-the-art training and guidance on both technical and non-technical areas.

The event also saw the unveiling of the Jaguar F-type convertible sports car, billed as a successor to the legendary Jaguar E-type. The car is available ranging from BD30,000 ($77,6000) to BD40,000. – TradeArabia News Service