Land Rover to Premiere Range E Diesel-Electric Plug-in Hybrid at Geneva Show

The new Land Rover Range_e diesel-electric plug-in prototype that was first teased back in May, 2010, will make its motor show debut at next month's Geneva Salon. The Range_e is said to be one of several working prototypes currently being developed at Land Rover's design and engineering centre in the UK. It is based on the Range Rover Sport model and features a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission mated to an, as-of-yet unspecified, electric motor and battery pack.

The British automaker said the all-wheel drive prototype can run purely on electricity for up to a distance of 20 miles or approximately 32 kilometers and emits as low as 89g/km of CO2. The Range_e also has a top speed of 120 mph or 193 km/h and a combined driving range of 690 miles or 1,110 kilometers.

The Range_e will be joined at Land Rover's Geneva Motor Show stand by two new Limited Editions, the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate and the 2011 Discovery 4 'Landmark' with Black and White themes.

Land Rover added that it will also be announcing full European pricing (excluding UK) for the new Range Rover Evoque in both 3- and 5-door forms, and will also showing a comprehensive range of accessories and options for the vehicle.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said: "Customers like to make their own unique statement with a vehicle and we have provided individuals with lots of opportunity to personalise their new Range Rover Evoque, whilst maintaining the essence of the design."

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Super-Lux Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition heads to Geneva Motor Show

At next month's Geneva Salon, Land Rover will display the new Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, which is claimed be the firm’s most luxurious model ever.

The highlight of the limited edition model are the two stand-alone rear seats, which are clad in specially selected natural leather and separated by an additional console incorporating an aluminum laptop table and refrigerator. Two Apple iPads, strapped to the front seat headrests, provide the high-tech touch.

The opulence continues in the boot where designers used a teak floor with metal and leather accents. The rest of the interior is dressed in different, but equally exquisite materials, such as the Oxford leather found on the door panels, dashboard and steering wheel, complemented by Kalahari wood veneers.

Available in two unique colors, Roussillon Red and Otago Stone, the Autobiography Ultimate Edition model comes with body-colored door handles, dark atlas radiator grille and side vents. Optional side steps and 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels round up the exterior appointments. Clients from selected markets will be able to specify their cars with the classic Santorini Black paintjob as well.

Power comes from either a 4.4-liter LR-TDV8 diesel or a 5.0-liter LR-V8 supercharged gasoline engine. The oil-burner churns out 313HP and an asphalt-shredding 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. It can propel the heavyweight SUV from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.5 seconds while consuming 9.39 lt/100 km (25.1 US mph) on the combined cycle.

The gasoline engine is capable of 510HP and 625 Nm (461 lb-ft), allowing the Range Rover to complete the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in just 5.9 seconds.

Both engines are coupled to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via Range Rover’s sophisticated Terrain Response system, complete with Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control.

A total of 500 Ultimate Edition models will be built, with prices to be announced individually for the 20+ markets that will receive the exclusive Range Rover later this year.

By Csaba Daradics

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Land Rover Releases Stylish 2011 Defender X-Tech Limited Edition

Land Rover has launched a new special edition version of its iconic 4x4 model, the 2011 Defender X-Tech Limited Edition. To be revealed for the first time at the this week's Brussels Motorshow, the Defender X-Tech sprinkles some tasty cosmetic enhancements on the standard model.

Available in both three-door [90] and five-door [110] hardtop variants, the X-Tech models are offered in a silver or bronze exterior finish with a Santorini Black roof and unique gloss black 16 inch Saw Tooth alloy wheels.

The X-Tech Land Rover's interior is upgraded with new trim and is available in Ebony, while the seats offer the addition of leather side bolsters. In addition, the center console is finished in the same color as the exterior while the package also includes a set of matching floor mats.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter turbo diesel engine delivering 122-horsepower and 360Nm of torque with 90 percent of peak power on tap from less than 2,200rpm to over 4,350rpm.

Land Rover said the Defender X-Tech Limited Edition will go on sale from March 2011, with prices in the UK starting at £24,995.

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Project Kahn Unwraps Range Rover RS500 with 500HP Cosworth-Tuned V8 Diesel

UK-based tuning firm Project Kahn has unleashed its latest creation based on the diesel-powered Land Rover Range Rover. The comprehensive tune covers both the interior and exterior styling as well as the 4.4-liter V8 diesel, courtesy of renowned engine tuner Cosworth.

On the outside, the Range Rover RS500 gets redesigned bumpers, the rear featuring a diffuser, lowered side skirts and a quad tail pipe exhaust system developed by Cosworth. Certain components are painted in silver and form a nic contrast with the black paintjob and tinted windows. The RS500 rides on 22-inch RSX alloys with a multi-spoke design.

Inside, bespoke black quilted leather with silver stitching wraps the seats, glove box and dashboard. There's also aluminum decor on the doorsills, center console, gear lever, air vents and steering wheel. Manufactured in Italy with original Land Rover parts, the new steering wheel has a motorsport-inspired contour and promises to offer a better grip.

The final piece of the RS500 puzzle is the Cosworth performance upgrade, which squeezes 500 horsepower out the 4.4-liter V8 diesel engine, up from the standard version's 313 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque.

By Csaba Daradics

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Jaguar Reportedly Looking into the SUV Segment

According to UK magazine Autocar, Jaguar is considering the development of a crossover / SUV model, presumably to boost sales in Europe and the North America. While creating internal competition for Land Rover models, such as the Evoque, doesn’t sound like a good idea, the project has the backing of Jaguar boss Adrian Hallmark.

“We need a crossover and we need to stop being a saloon-based company”, he told Autocar. This gives the news some credibility, otherwise we might have been tempted to dismiss it as an empty rumor.

But what could determine Jaguar to make such a move? The first thing that comes to mind is economy of scale. Creating an entry-level crossover – if that’s what Jaguar aims for – wouldn’t cost the British automaker an arm and a leg. The Evoque can provide the base, at minimal expense.

With this out of the way, the problem of positioning the new model remains. The alleged Jaguar crossover would cost more and we're not sure if customers will be willing to fork out the extra cash. On the other hand, pricing it as a comparable Land Rover model would create unwanted internal competition.

However, there are success stories of once niche-manufactures embracing the crossover/SUV hype, most notably Porsche with the Cayenne. When it hit the market, much to the dismay of Porsche purists, no one predicted just how important the SUV would become for the German maker.

Today, the bulk of Porsche sales are made up by the Cayenne and, who knows, that could also be the case with Jaguar.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autocar

Project Kahn Teases Ranger Rover Evoque Cosworth

Land Rover's newcomer won't be arriving in dealerships before the second half of 2011, yet the tuning industry is already rubbing its hands and making plans for the development of numerous sport packages for the Range Rover-badged Evoque. Project Kahn, known for its tinkered Land Rover proposals, has released this single teaser image of the Evoque 5d along with the information that the compact SUV will be powered by a Cosworth-prepped engine.

Apart from that, the British tuner didn't reveal anything else about the model, though it's probably safe to assume that Cosworth will work on the 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, which delivers 240-horsepower in stock form.

Source: Project Kahn , Via: Autoblog.nl

Land Rover Freelander 2 SD4 Sport Limited Edition 190HP Revealed at Bologna Show

A new limited version of the Freelander 2 was unveiled today at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy. Set to arrive in early 2011, the Freelander 2 SD4 Sport LE will be built in a limited run with the UK to receive 500 units priced from £33,945.

“The Freelander 2 SD4 Sport Limited Edition offers customers the practicality, performance and efficiency of our best-selling compact SUV with more dramatic, sporty styling and the overall package represents good value for money,” said Colin Green, managing director, Land Rover UK.

In a similar fashion to the Discovery 4 Landmark Special Edition, the Freelander 2 SD4 LE receives a front grille finished in black and shares two out of the three exterior color options with its bigger sibling, including the Fuji White and Santorini Black, joined by the all-new Firenze Red tone, shown in the pictures.

A discrete bodykit and 19-inch alloys improve the look of the car, while front and rear parking sensors are offered as standard. The interior can be clad either in Ebony Windsor or Ebony Napoli leather, with contrasting stitching or leather stripes. Parts of the dashboard have a Piano Black finish, complemented by new duo-tone floor mats.

The Limited Edition comes with a 190 hp 2.2-liter four-pot diesel, coupled to a six-speed automatic, capable of accelerating the car from standstill to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 8.7 seconds. Top speed is pegged at 118 mph (190 km/h).

Thanks to the Intelligent Power Management System (IPMS), the battery is charged by recovered kinetic energy whenever the vehicle is decelerating. The Freelander 2 Sport SD4 Limited Edition can run on 10% biodiesel and has CO2 emissions of 185 g/km.

By Csaba Daradics

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