HALEWOOD’S new Land Rover model can lead the drive to establish the UK in the forefront of environmentally-friendly car production.

The Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plant’s Indian owner, Tata, said the LRX “baby Land Rover”, due to be produced at Halewood in 2011, will be the “greenest” Land Rover ever.

But Tata Motors’ Vice President Ravi Kant said was also vital its UK car plants in Knowsley and Birmingham embraced the shift to cleaner technologies and avoided the pitfalls of unpopular models and over-production that afflicted some of the world’s biggest motor producers.

Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ International Automotive Summit, he said: “If we need a warning about what awaits us and our communities if we do not adapt, then the 5th October 2009 edition of Time magazine provides it. Its headline is ‘The Tragedy of Detroit’.

“I never want to see a similar headline about Birmingham or Liverpool.

“So we must accept both the rigours of the changing global economy and the challenges of a changing global society.

“That is why in JLR we are in the midst of a major transformation plan to withstand future shocks and to create a sustainable business.

“That is why the new product plan laid down by JLR will attack emissions like never before.”

He added: “We recently announced that a new smaller Range Rover will soon join the family. It will be the most environmentally friendly Land Rover ever.

“We believe Jaguar Land Rover can be a protagonist in the UK’s drive for low-carbon leadership.”

“We want the two iconic brands, Jaguar and Land Rover, each with its unique heritage, to regain their past glory.

“Tata Motors is committed to stand alongside and support JLR to emerge as a strong and competitive global auto player.”

The US, Western Europe and Japan controlled 90% of global car production in 1980, but that fell to 75% by 2000 and in 2008 was just over half of global production. Mr Kant insisted the high value sector, such as JLR vehicles, will still have a market in the more developed countries.

But he urged the UK Government to back the auto sector: “It is urgent for the Government here to treat automotive as an important sector, keeping in view that every job in a UK factory supports around 7.5 jobs elsewhere in the economy.”