More than 1,000 people have applied for 400 jobs at the new Rolls Royce factory being built near Chichester.

BMW, owner of Rolls-Royce, said it was not surprised at the level of interest in the £60 million complex under construction at Goodwood.

The German car giant will open the new factory towards the end of next year and said today that recruitment had reached an advanced stage.

Director of the Rolls-Royce project Karl-Heinz Kalbfell said he expected the first car to come off the production line in January 2003.

He added: "The timetable we have set is challenging but achievable for the team."

BMW will be selecting staff in the near future to work in specialist manufacturing areas including leather and woodworking, together with finance and sales and marketing staff for the administrative headquarters which will also be built on the site close to Goodwood motor circuit.

The company has also started selecting candidates for dealerships to sell the car in the UK and Europe.

BMW bought Rolls-Royce in 1998 and will take over full responsibility for the car in January 2003.

An estimated 1,000 cars a year will be manufactured at Goodwood.

The company said it would produce "authentic Rolls- Royce motor cars with a modern interpretation of the marque's traditional values."

Work started earlier this year on the factory which will be partially sunk into the ground and have a green roof to blend into the landscape.

Planning permission was given by district councillors at Chichester who ruled the jobs and prestige the company would bring to the area outweighed any potential harm to the landscape.