A car showroom combining two of the country's leading brands has opened its doors, creating 12 new jobs in Carlisle.

Bosses at Lloyd Motor Group this week unveiled their latest venture, a huge new base for their Jaguar and Land Rover operations in the city.

It's the first time the two brands have been combined under one roof in Cumbria, and means the firm can move out of their three-car Jaguar showroom in Kingstown into the larger premises in Rosehill, formerly home to its Land Rover business exclusively.

Lloyd is one of the first retailers in the country to offer the new showroom experience which is also coming with a jobs boost for the city.

Last year the company, which was founded in 1976 and continues to be owned and managed by the Lloyd family, said it was investing a "substantial seven-figure sum" in the development next to the A69.

Rob Lindsay, franchise director at Lloyd Motor Group Carlisle, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of the new showroom; the building is a real head-turner and we’ve now got space to showcase almost every car in the Jaguar Land Rover line-up. 

"With our new luxurious waiting area and customer handover bays, we can offer our customers a real premium experience from start to finish."

The new showroom contains a 20-seat waiting area, wifi, a new paint and trim area, more customer parking and space for up to 40 vehicles, giving people more choice for used vehicles.

Jeremy Hicks, UK managing director of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “The Jaguar Land Rover product range is the strongest it’s ever been, with world-class offerings across the line-up. 

"What we’re doing now – and Lloyd Motor Group in Carlisle is a fantastic example of this – is making sure our showrooms reflect that quality. 

"We’ll be rolling out this new corporate identity nationwide throughout 2016 and we can’t wait for our customers to experience it.”

Together with Lloyd Ltd, the agricultural machinery supplier, the business employs more than 1,000 people.

The opening of the new showroom is the latest piece of good news for the firm, which has 20 dealerships across Cumbria, Lancashire, Newcastle, the Scottish Borders and North Yorkshire.

Earlier this month the BMW arm of the Carlisle-based group won four national awards at the annual BMW, MINI and Motorrad conference in London.