Tata makes investment pledge

The most important people at Tata Motors have been making the right noises about major investments in Jaguar and Land Rover.

Tata bought the two businesses from Ford last month in a £1.7 billion deal, inheriting the profitability of Land Rover but also the problems of not-doing-quite-so-well Jaguar.

Tata managing director, Ravi Kant, said it was in for the "long haul" and would do whatever was necessary to succeed.

However, changes to existing business plans would be implemented if things didn't work out initially.

16,000 people are currently employed in the UK by Jaguar and Land Rover, mainly in the West Midlands and on Merseyside.

Mr Kant told the BBC: "Whatever would be required for the upliftment of these plans for the sustained profitability of the plan we will be doing it because it's a company owned by us.

"We have taken a lot of feedback and from people who are knowledgeable about this," he said, when probed about future models and projects, specifically the E-Type Jaguar.

"We are putting it all together and we will try to work out things that will be in the best interests of the company."

"If the economy assumptions are not as per the plan, if the price assumptions are not as per the plan or the cost assumptions do not come out as per the plan then the plans will have to be looked at," Mr Kant added.

"We are there for the long haul. We are not some people who have come here for two quarters or three quarters.

"We understand the automobile business and we are going to be there for good."