The all-new Range Rover Sport has been launched in New York with Daniel Craig driving this latest Land Rover through the city.
This ultimate premium sports SUV is the fastest, most agile and responsive Land Rover ever according to the Birmingham manufacturer.Continue Reading..
Land Rover has announced the launch of the All New Range Rover, the world’s most refined and capable SUV.
See all the images of the new Range Rover in the gallery at the bottom of this page.Continue Reading..
Land Rover have revealed pictures and details of the all-new Range Rover. The SUV company describe it as the most capable and most luxurious Land Rover yet.Continue Reading..
As demand for the Range Rover Evoque continues around the world, employees at JLR’s Halewood manufacturing plant are celebrating one year of production.
Twelve months ago, when the first vehicle rolled off the production line, the Evoque had already generated an exceptional market response with more than 18,000 advance orders from customers worldwide. This interest continues today with demand for the Evoque driving sales of almost 80,000 units in just nine months.
With more than 110 global awards under its belt, the Evoque has gained critical acclaim from customers and media alike. Crowned Top Gear Magazine Car of the Year, World Design Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year amongst others, the Evoque continues to receive plaudits for its concept car looks, dynamic driving performance, class leading off-road skills and excellent cost of ownership.
This early success for Evoque has had a significant positive impact on the Halewood facility. In anticipation of the launch in 2011, the workforce was increased to more than 3,000 employees. In March this year, JLR announced it would recruit a further 1,000 employees to help deliver the increased volume of both Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2, which is also manufactured at Halewood.
In just three years the workforce has trebled and the plant now employs more than 4,000 people.
Halewood Operations Director Richard Else, said: “The Evoque is an incredibly exciting vehicle that continues to turn heads. Sales of the Evoque remain strong across all markets and here at the plant we are working hard to meet this demand.”
The Evoque is designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK with more than 75 per cent of production exported to more than 170 global markets – generating an estimated £2 billion in annual export value for the UK.
The Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery 4 are continuing their winning ways in the 2012 Auto Express Awards, taking top honours respectively as Best Compact SUV and Best Large SUV.
For Evoque, which was the reigning Auto Express Car of the Year, it is a second successive victory in its class, demonstrating that the promise it showed in the build up to its launch last year has been fully realised. Its quality, performance and appeal have now been recognised by well in excess of 100 awards and excellent sales figures worldwide.
Evoque was challenged for honours in its class by its sister model, the Freelander 2, which earned a judges’ commendation, and the BMW X3.
Auto Express Editor-in-Chief, Steve Fowler said: “Last year’s Car of the Year is still the one to beat and easily keeps hold of its Best Compact SUV title.”
“The Evoque is all about style, quality and driver appeal. It turns heads like little else, is built superbly and is great fun to drive – a truly brilliant all-rounder.”
Discovery 4 accomplishes a hat-trick this year, claiming the Best Large SUV award for the third year running, making it the pre-eminent model in its class every year since its launch.
The Auto Express success adds to an impressive array of honours for the model, demonstrating Discovery’s strength-in-depth as it progresses beyond the production milestone of 1,000,000 units; it has established its dominance in the class by winning the award eight consecutive times.
Fowler commented: “This is the third Auto Express award for Discovery 4, proof that it is one of the best cars in the real world. Nothing can touch its blend of go-anywhere ability, comfort, tremendous practicality and value. A continual programme of development keeps it ahead of the pack and keeps it looking cool, too.”
Discovery 4 took top spot in its category this year ahead of finalists the Porsche Cayenne and Hyundai Santa Fe. Land Rover’s across-the-board success this year was completed by the Range Rover being commended in the awards’ Luxury Car category.
Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover UK, accepted the awards at a presentation at the Grand Connaught Rooms in London. He said: “These awards demonstrate the breadth of appeal that the Land Rover brand has in the UK. We have our strongest ever product line-up, and retail sales in the UK are up 28% YTD.”
“The Discovery 4 is widely recognised as the world’s most versatile and capable SUV and the Range Rover Evoque is continuing to win awards that recognise its all-round performance, distinctive design, and class leading cost of ownership.”
Bowler and Land Rover have agreed to a brand partnership that will see ‘Powered by Land Rover’ on the Bowler EXR Rally car and EXR S road car.
Under the agreement, “Powered by Land Rover” badging on Bowler’s competition cars, across its marketing materials and will also be highlighted in joint event and promotional activities.
Since the first Bowler Wildcat vehicles were produced, based on the Land Rover 90 and powered by TVR tweaked Rover V8 engines, they have developed worthy evolutions of Land Rover products. Now they will benefit from access to components – powertrain and chassis engineering – and technical and development support from Land Rover.
The agreement also provides a secured piece of ongoing parts business, allowing Land Rover’s engineers to stretch themselves creatively and technically on an extreme performance-orientated programme that will future developments to the road-going Land Rover range.
The latest models in the Bowler range – the EXR rally raid competition car and the road-going EXR S – both use modified engines, chassis and other components from the Range Rover Sport.
Both the EXR and EXR S use a modified version of the Range Rover Sport chassis, and both cars use modified versions of the 5.0-litre V8 engine used in Range Rover models. The EXR uses a FIA-restricted naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engine, while the EXR S uses a 550bhp version of the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 which will provide supercar performance.
Drew Bowler, Managing Director of Bowler, said: “We’re delighted to announce this partnership, which brings very positive benefits to both Bowler and Land Rover. We’ve only ever used Land Rover powertrains, and this relationship will give us access to current Land Rover technologies, and a great platform from which to support our racing activities and develop future models.”
He continued: “We’re really looking forward to promoting and selling both the EXR and EXR S on a global basis, and the partnership with Land Rover will help us and our customers in terms of aftersales and parts availability”
Mark Cameron, Land Rover Brand Experience Director, Global Marketing, said: “Bowler vehicles demonstrate the kind of performance, ride, handling and chassis dynamics that a vehicle powered by Land Rover is capable of when taken to the extreme and liberated of most practical constraints.
“For over twenty years, Land Rover’s technology has powered Bowlers on some of the toughest and most gruelling off-road sporting events in the world. We’re proud to have been part of Bowler’s success and, just as its latest models come to market, this new formal partnership will fully acknowledge the role of Land Rover technology in Bowler’s high performance all terrain cars.”
Bowlers will be seen competing in this year’s Baja 1000 rally raid in the Ukraine and Rally Reykjavik in Iceland, and next year in the Tuareg Rally in Morocco and Silk Way Rally in Russia.
At the end of the month Bowler will have a large presence at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (28th June – 1st July 2012), where it will run five rally cars on the Activity Field, allowing fans and spectators to experience a Bowler in race conditions, and where the company will also be previewing the new EXR S road car.
The Range Rover enters its 10th anniversary year in 2012, continuing to set benchmarks in luxury, capability and performance. Going beyond the 2012 model year enhancements that were introduced in October 2011, the Range Rover line-up is being developed to include three new Special Editions; The TDV8 Westminster, TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography.
The new arrivals focus on further extending the luxury and high specifications that are at the core of the Range Rover brand.
In 2012 Land Rover celebrates 10 years of Range Rover in its current guise. The third generation Range Rover was introduced in 2002 to critical acclaim setting new benchmarks in levels of luxury and all-terrain capability. Over the past decade, several facelifts and model year updates have kept the Range Rover at the cutting edge of technology leading up to the latest special editions, which will provide customers with increased options and convenience.
Westminster Edition
The new Range Rover Westminster Edition joins the line-up to replace the previous TDV8 Vogue and Vogue SE models. Going further than its predecessors, it comes handsomely equipped with an extensive collection of additional features that raise both the vehicle’s prestige style and comfort levels for everyone on board.
The exterior of the Westminster Edition is distinguished by the bright ‘Noble’ finish to the front grille and side vents, ‘Titan’ silver lower splitter bar and fog lamp bezels, 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels and ‘Westminster’ badging. Opening the doors reveals illuminated treadplates and a cabin finished with luxury carpets and Grand Black lacquer trim elements, plus bright-finished pedal finishers. The front seats feature both heating and cooling functions and the in car entertainment system benefits from a 19-speaker, 1,200W harman/kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system as well as Range Rover’s innovative Dual View infotainment screen.
Featuring the powerful yet refined 4.4-litre TDV8 engine with eight-speed automatic transmission, the new Westminster Edition is available in a choice of seven exterior colours, with five interior colour combinations. The standard equipment specification further includes an electric sunroof, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, Park Distance Control with rear-view camera, memory setting for the steering wheel, driver’s seat and rear-view mirror and a heated, leather trimmed steering wheel.
TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography
Bold design and ultimate luxury underpin the new Range Rover TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography. Both benefit as standard from the Range Rover Design Pack, a collection of exterior styling features that are seamlessly integrated to compliment the car’s powerful appearance, without compromising its classic lines.
The pack introduces new front and rear bumpers, ‘Titan’ silver front grille and side vent treatments and fog lamp surrounds, integrated stainless steel exhaust finishers and side skirts. These are complemented by striking 20-inch alloy wheels in Shadow Chrome.
Inside the focus is on unparalleled luxury and comfort with the Range Rover Seat Style Pack. This comprises rear seats with recline and lumbar adjustment, heating and cooling functions and multi-adjustable aircraft-style headrests with wings for added support. The passenger “front seat away” function provides a simple control for adding extra rear legroom, while the front passenger seat itself benefits from a memory function than can store up to three different personalised settings.
Both versions gain the 19-speaker, 1,200W harman/kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system and are fitted with illuminated treadplates. Seven exterior finishes are available, together with an extensive range of interior colour and trim combination options. The TDV8 Autobiography retains its 4.4-litre engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, with the Supercharged Autobiography powered by the 5.0-litre LR-V8 petrol unit with six-speed automatic gearbox.
Sales and pricing
The new Range Rover Special Edition models go on sale in March. The TDV8 Westminster Edition is £69,995, presenting customers with significant additional feature content over and above the specification of the former Vogue and Vogue SE models.
On-the-road prices for the TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography are £84,295 and £86,895 respectively.
Land Rover has received certification from the VCA (Vehicle Certification Agency) for a comprehensive ‘cradle-to-grave’ study which analyses the environmental impact of its new Range Rover Evoque.
This is the first time that Land Rover has received VCA approval following a detailed life cycle study. The life cycle assessment (LCA) of the Range Rover Evoque was fully audited and approved by the VCA, making Land Rover one of only a few vehicle manufacturers to have completed an officially recognised study of the environmental impact of a vehicle – from manufacturing, through a lifetime of customer use, to ultimate disposal and recycling.
The report highlights many of the processes that make the Range Rover Evoque the brand’s lightest and most efficient vehicle to date. These include the use of recycled materials, lightweight components and stop start technology. The cradle-to-grave study also highlights sustainability measures that have been built into the manufacturing process such as such as the installation in the Paint Shop of the latest generation of fully flexible paint application equipment for Evoque’s contrast roof option, thus reducing paint consumption and solvent emissions. In addition, the ventilation systems in body construction have been rationalised, giving a 25% reduction in electricity consumption.
The certificate was awarded by Paul Markwick, VCA CEO, at a ceremony at Jaguar Land Rover‘s (JLR’s) Gaydon engineering facility.
Mr Markwick said, “I’m very pleased to have presented this certificate to the team at Land Rover. Operating in a sustainable way and producing products that reflect this ethos is clearly a very important part of business. Initiatives such as Life Cycle Assessment provide a framework that allows industry to assess the environmental impacts of a product from concept through to the end of vehicle life.”
“VCA has been supporting the automotive industry with its certification needs globally for approaching 40 years and there is no doubt that this extensive knowledge of the sector means that our audit teams understand the complexities of the vehicle design and construction process and the legislation supporting this.”
The study will enable Land Rover to identify more opportunities to improve the sustainability of their vehicles in the future, and highlights Jaguar Land Rover’s progress in reducing the carbon footprint of its products.
“VCA certification for the Range Rover Evoque is a great achievement for Land Rover,” says Phil Hodgkinson, Director of Jaguar Land Rover Product Development.”
“We are fully focused on maintaining our commitment to sustainable engineering and will learn lessons for application in future models. Life cycle assessment is a core part of our engineering practice and we have launched a new interactive website dedicated to life cycle assessment, so customers can better understand all of the sustainability attributes that Land Rover offers.”
Jaguar Land Rover is committed to a sustainable business future and is working toward ambitious long term business targets for products and processes with an overall target of 25 per cent reductions in operational CO2, and waste to landfill by 2012, a 10 per cent reduction in water consumption by 2012, and 25 per cent reduction in tailpipe emissions by 2015, compared to 2007 levels.
A video review of the 2010 Range Rover Autobiography from Land Rover.
