THE Indian owners of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have agreed to pump `tens of millions' of pounds into the luxury car brand to prevent a cashflow crisis, it was reported today.

The additional cash from Tata Motors, which bought JLR earlier this year, has bought government ministers breathing space as they consider whether to provide state support for the ailing West Midlands-based manufacturer.

Tata was said to be adamant that its support for its UK subsidiary did not negate its argument that the government should help the company and the car sector as a whole.

Following the US government's announcement of a £11.7bn loan for American car-makers last week, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has come under pressure to come up with a similar package for UK manufacturers.

Reports suggested that ministers were preparing for a bail-out involving hundreds of millions of pounds.

But Lord Mandelson yesterday said that JLR will have to pass `tough tests' before it gets any help from the government.

Playing down the prospect of a quick bail-out for the British car industry, he said the firm's owners first had to `look to themselves'.