The high-tech Jaguar XK production line at Castle Bromwich has received a civic seal of approval.
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Mike Sharpe, inspected the operation and also took the opportunity to discuss the skilled work of the many employees on the production track.
He is pictured below alongside operations director Richard Else, who conducted the guided tour.
Although Jaguar Ford says it has no plans to sell brands, industry analysts have continued to speculate the second biggest US car maker may be forced to stem red ink. This month, it announced a revised £134 million second-quarter loss.
However last week South Korea's largest automaker, Hyundai, said it had no interest in acquiring Jaguar. The company said it had studied the acquisition of a "luxury nameplate like Jaguar, but that was dropped in view of immediate priorities" - described as expanding production overseas.
Gaz group of Russia, which recently bought Birmingham van maker LDV and whose only car is the Soviet Volga, has also been put forward as a buyer. Renault has long been linked with Jaguar.
