THE Range Rover LRX will be the lightest, most efficient and most environmentally-friendly vehicle built by Jaguar Land Rover.

If the company presses ahead with plans to produce the model at Halewood, it represents the plant’s immediate future and hope for its 2,000 staff after the decision to cease production of Halewood’s Jaguar X-Type model prematurely at the end of this year with the loss of up to 300 jobs.

The Government pledged £27m of funding towards development of the LRX in March this year. Total investment is expected to top £400m in the car which could be launched in 2011.

A significant proportion of the European Investment Bank’s proposed £340m loan is also earmarked for the development of the LRX concept vehicle.

JLR chiefs are expected to make a decision on the model’s future towards the end of the year.

But Land Rover managing director Phil Popham said reaction to the LRX, so far, has been encouraging.

“Feedback from the most extensive customer research we have ever undertaken fully supports our believe that a production version of the LRX Concept would raise the desirability of our brand.

“The design and size of the LRX Concept has generated a hugely positive reaction wherever it has been seen.”