A Right Royal Award

Land Rover is setting off into the new world of Indian ownership carrying with it the newly won accolade of two Queen's Awards for Enterprise.  The Solihull-based 4x4 maker won the International Trade Award, increasing export sales by 1.3 billion over three years to nearly £4 billion a year.

It also secured the Innovation Award, thanks to its Terrain Response System. Land Rover exports more than 75% of its vehicles to 147 countries. Last year sales rose 17.6% to 226,395 units.  Land Rover's managing director Phil Popham says: "To win not one but two Queen's Awards is a considerable achievement and a testament to Land Rover's relevance and modernity in its 60th anniversary year. it demonstrates we are building and selling desirable and technilcally advanced cars around the world and generating significant wealth for Britain."

The SMMT reports that Land Rover sales for the first quarter of 2008 are also soaring-by 13% compared to 2007. Emerging markets are leading the sales drive; Russia is currently running 176% ahead of last year with 4,690 sales and China is ahead by 224% with 3,239 sales.

The Queen's Awards are made in three categories: International Trade, Innovation, and Sustainable Development.  Products and services from winners in the International Trade category ranged from the manufacture of luxury powerboats and yachts to counterterrorism defence services. Awards in the innovation category included the creation of a revolutionary horse feed made from sugar beet and the development of a system for securing wheelchairs in coaches. 

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