Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) — the UK’s biggest car maker — said sales hit a record high last year, with Jaguar selling 178,601 cars (up 20% on the year before) and Land Rover selling 442,508 vehicles (a 2% increase).

JLR said sales had more than tripled since 2009, adding that 2017 was the seventh successive year of growth — driven by the introduction of new models and increased uptake of its clean diesel and petrol engines.

Jaguar (www.jaguarlandrover.com) saw strong demand for its F-Pace, XE and XF models, while Land Rover’s best-seller was the Discovery Sport, of which 126,078 were sold.

JLR said that growing sales in China and the USA helped to offset “difficult market conditions” in Europe and the UK; China was the company’s most important region in 2017, with sales of 146,399 — up 23% on 2016.

“It described its performance in the UK as “solid”, with 117,748 Jaguars and Land Rovers sold.

“JLR sales operations director Andy Goss said: “We have once again delivered year-on-year sales increases, but we are facing tough times in key markets such as the UK, where consumer confidence and diesel taxes will hit us.”