- France wins gold in the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, with hosts Australia claiming silver and United Kingdom bronze
- First medals of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 awarded by TRH Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Cockatoo Island, Sydney, ahead of tonight’s Invictus Games opening ceremony
- Jaguar Land Rover is the Presenting Partner of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018, the international sporting event for wounded, injured and ill veteran and active service personnel
The France team, made up of Cedric Arci and Mickael Ranchin, took gold in the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, in which 12 nations went head‑to‑head in a test of driving and navigation skills.
Watched by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, teams comprising of a driver and navigator completed challenges in a Jaguar I‑PACE. The brand’s first all‑electric car was making its Australian debut.
The challenges included driving through a water slalom obstacle, a precision driving test and a ‘smart cone’ course.
With the two quickest teams qualifying for the gold medal showdown, it was France who came out on top, finishing faster than silver medallists Australia, who were represented by Craig McGrath and Scott Reynolds. After finishing with the third quickest time in the heats, the United Kingdom team of Mark Perkins and Daniel Bingley took bronze.
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES PRESENT FIRST MEDALS TO INVICTUS GAMES SYDNEY 2018 COMPETITORS
And after being awarded the first gold medals of the Games by the event’s Founder and Patron of the Invictus Games Foundation, the France team could not hold back their delight.
Having been Presenting Partner of the Invictus Games since they were founded in 2014, everyone at Jaguar Land Rover is hugely passionate about this event. On behalf of all our employees, I’d like to congratulate today’s medallists and wish all competitors the best of luck for what promises to be a memorable and inspiring week of competition in Sydney.
Prof. Dr Ralf Speth
Jaguar Land Rover CEO
Further information
Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands: Land Rover, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all‑wheel‑drive vehicles; and Jaguar, one of the world’s premier luxury sports saloon and sports car marques.
We employ more than 44,000 people globally and support around 260,000 more through our retailer network, suppliers and local businesses. Manufacturing is centred in the UK, with additional plants in China, Brazil, Austria and Slovakia.
At Jaguar Land Rover, we are driven by a desire to deliver class‑leading vehicles, which will provide experiences our customers will love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe. In 2017 Jaguar Land Rover sold 621,109 vehicles in 130 countries, with more than 80 per cent of our vehicles being sold abroad.
Our innovation is continuous: we will spend in the region of £4.5 billion this year on new product creation and capital expenditure.
From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will be electrified, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug‑in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles as well as continuing to offer ultra‑clean petrol and diesel engines.
Notes to Editors
Jaguar Land Rover and the Invictus Games
- Jaguar Land Rover is the Presenting Partner of the Invictus Games and has supported the Games since its inception. One of the many motivators for the partnership is Jaguar Land Rover’s ambition to find innovative ways to enhance the employment prospects of ex‑Service personnel moving into civilian life, including those who are wounded, injured or sick.
- Jaguar Land Rover is committed to providing skilled career opportunities to those leaving the armed forces and has employed almost 1,000 ex‑Service personnel globally since 2014 – the year of the first Invictus Games.
- The company has proudly supported five employees directly on their Invictus Games journey, with a further three employees competing in Sydney.
- Jaguar Land Rover is using this year’s Invictus Games to lead and inform the debate on future mobility, and how its future technology could help people’s lives. This has included the chance for Invictus Games competitors to test Jaguar Land Rover’s autonomous technology ahead of the event, and provide feedback about how it could help their lives.
The Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge
- The Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge is the first medal opportunity for competing nations at Invictus Games Sydney 2018.
- Featuring 12 competing nations, the event also sees Jaguar’s first all‑electric performance SUV, I‑PACE make its Australian market debut.
- Clean, smart and safe, the I‑PACE delivers sports car performance, next‑generation artificial intelligence technology and five‑seat SUV practicality to place Jaguar at the forefront of the EV revolution.