Ford was the only one able to whip JLR - Solihull and Caste Brom - into some sort of shape - probably including whips.Gloriously misaligned panels, tail lights and fuel cap cover.
Solihull is a disgrace. Has been since the family-firm Rover Car Company died in the 1960s. The 1976 SD1 set the tone from then on - the camp beds in the production area, etc. Brand new factory, equipment , real investment, European Car of the Year, but the Brummies pissed it up the wall. The bodyshells made in Castle Brom - the old Fisher & Ludlow, Spitfire WWIII shadow factory - were even worse than the assembly 'quality' at Solihull.
That 'culture' is still there. Made worse now by the old hands retired/sick/dead with 'Covid', and agency workers lasting a few weeks, before the bed and weed becomes more attractive.
Tailgate alignment is difficult, due to the size, and so many adjoining surfaces. But take a look at the BMW XM, and its fiendish tailgate, and near perfect fit - the Dingolfing workers, engineers, should win an award.
A new boss of JLR - after Bollore does a Truss, 'retires' - gets booted, will move heaven and earth to shut the place - Solihull. It's a running sore. People buy Defenders made in Slovakia. The quality is better/much better than Solihull.
Tata motors CEO Carl-Pater Forster tried to close Castle Brom or Solihull back in 2011, probably Solihull, given its then enormous land value for housing. The outcry will be enormous. But, it was just a wartime shadow factory, after all, and 90%+ of these have long since been bulldozed and houses put on them. why should Solihull be different.
What JLR needs is a boutique production plant, like Roll-Royce Goodwood. Brand new, designed for max 50k/yr production. Could be green field, at Gaydon maybe- old Vulcan airbase, or at Ryton, a larger Classic operation.
Solihull needs the axe, and finish off this near 50 year bad joke.
Jokes aside, it's a great luxurious sofà on wheels.Great consumption too, can't be happier . The only problem I noticed so far, is that you will never arrive at destination tired, because you will probably fall asleep sooner, since "it's so confortable"...For the moment I don't regret at all the choice, we will see later.
