THE first test “baby Range Rovers” have rolled off the Land Rover production line at Halewood.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) announced last September that the new vehicle – formerly known as the LRX – would be built at the Merseyside plant, creating 800 new jobs.

The company last night confirmed that it had started building the first test “engineering models” of the vehicle as it begins to plan how to restructure its production lines. The vehicle will go into full production next year.

Land Rover was badly hit by the recession, but sales have since recovered – driven by the success of the Halewood-built Freelander 2 model.

Yesterday, it announced plans to create 275 new jobs at its manufacturing plant in Solihull, West Midlands.

It said the new jobs were needed to support an increase in demand following the seventh consecutive month of improved sales.

Phil Popham, Land Rover managing director, said: “These additional positions are excellent news for the manufacturing industry in the Midlands.

“It comes as a result of a phenomenal response received from customers and the media to the award-winning 2010 model year range, giving Land Rover an incredible start to the year.”

More than 5,000 people work at the Solihull plant.

The extra 275 agency jobs will start immediately to boost production in light of increased demand for Land Rover’s new 2010 range.

In March, 2010, Land Rover sales in the UK were up 67% on the same month last year, at more than 11,300 vehicles – the best month of sales in the company’s 62-year history.

As well as the Defender model, the Solihull plant builds the company’s Discovery 4, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover models.

Announcing Land Rover’s sales last month, Mr Popham said: “The sales increase is mainly owed to the phenomenal response received from customers and media to the award-winning 2010 model Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Discovery 4 and Freelander 2.

“It is the most efficient and technologically-advanced line-up of vehicles Land Rover has ever had, ensuring a continued demand for our brand.”

Halewood currently employs around 1,900 people. As well as the Freelander 2, it built the Jaguar X-Type car until that model was discontinued last year.