#LrxConcept

Land Rover has now officially confirmed that it will build an SUV based on the LRX Concept, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. The new model will debut in 2010 as a 2011 model and rumors have suggested it will arrive on June 17th, the 40th anniversary of the original Range Rover.

Land Rover is keeping quiet about any details but has said that the new model will be, “the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced.” It is expected that a hybrid drivetrain will be offered.

“The production of a small Range Rover model is excellent news for our employees, dealers and customers,” said Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover. “It is a demonstration of our commitment to investing for the future, to continue to deliver relevant vehicles for our customers, with the outstanding breadth of capability for which we are world-renowned.”

Official release after the jump:

Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motorsw says it will close either a Jaguar or Land Rover factory in England by 2014. The decision as to which of the company’s three U.K. plants will be shuddered has not yet been made, but Tata has said which two are on the chopping block.

Land Rover’s smaller, fuel-efficient SUV model based on the LRX Concept, is expected to debut next year as a 2011 model. Several drivetrains will be offered including a hybrid powerplant – a first for Land Rover.

Land Rover recently secured a $38 million grant from the U.K government to investigate building an environmentally responsible vehicle, likely to be based on the LRX Concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. And according to a recent report in the U.K.’s AutoExpress, Land Rover has given the project the green light.