A just-announced partnership with contract automobile assembler Magna Steyr means Jaguar Land Rover will soon begin building vehicles in Austria.

The company also has factories in China and Brazil, and the move is not expected to impact its core U.K. operations, where design and engineering will remain. The deal is yet another milestone for Jaguar Land Rover, which has undergone a tremendous turnaround since being acquired by Indian giant Tata in 2007.

The first vehicle produced in Austria will likely be the compact SUV Jaguar is said to be developing to reside in its lineup below the forthcoming F-Pace. To control costs, it's rumored that model could be based on Land Rover's Evoque. And while the idea of a Jaguar SUV might not exactly be a brand loyalist's cup of tea, if Porsche's expansion into the market has proven anything, it's that popular and profitable SUVs make more cash available for passion projects.

In the German company's case, that means bareknuckle track beasts like the 911 GT 3 RS. For Jaguar, it could allow for more hardcore sports models like the ferociously beautiful F-Type Project 7, or even the daring C-X75. If those efforts won't keep purists happy, nothing will.  

More news about Jaguar Land Rover's future plans when we have it.

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