While many manufacturers claim title to creating the Sport Utility Vehicle category, few can provide the kind of evidence in support as can Land Rover.

Lost in the patchouli-scented mists of the Sixties is the fact that the then-British owned automaker conceived and created a vehicle that personified what the companys marketing department of the day defined as “tough luxury.”

The idea, according to Land Rover lore, was “to build a vehicle that combined saloon car levels of performance, handling, ride comfort and refinement, with all the ruggedness and off-road ability of a Land Rover.” Hmmm… sounds awfully like the 21st century SUV sales pitch to me.

And just what was that new vehicles name? Range Rover, a vehicle that redefined the off-road segment by defining the luxury off-road segment, and by so doing sparking a long string of imitators that continues to this day, has been so successful an icon in the 4×4 world that most admirers dont even realize its produced by Land Rover at all, but rather Range Rover, while a brand within a brand, is actually a brand unto itself.

Model year 2006 marks the 35th anniversary of so-called tough luxury, and the past three-and-a-half decades have seen Range Roves just get tougher and more luxurious with each passing year.

This weeks tester is the base 2006 Range Rover HSE, but with a near six-figure sticker price it is a little hard not to choke a little on the words “entry-level”. In addition to the HSE, Land Rover showrooms are filling with new supercharged HSEs, 35th Anniversary Limited Edition models, and inspired Ranger Rover Sports (more on that in a future column) for the new model year.
Apart from some subtle exterior tweaks, the 06 model looks much like the 05. Pop the hood, though, and youll come face to face with the biggest change to the new model. Gone is the BMW-sourced engine, a carryover from the days when BMW, which designed the current Ranger Rover, owned the Land Rover company, replaced by a new Jaguar-sourced 4.4-litre V8 that is more powerful, yet less thirsty than the German engine.

Horsepower has been increased to 305 while peak torque remains 325 lb-ft, launching the big SUV to 100 km/h in just over nine seconds – which is almost a full second quicker than last years model. In case you were wondering, a version of the same 4.2-litre supercharged V8 that first appeared in Jaguars XJR, and then in the XKR and S-Type R makes 400-horsepower in the supercharged HSE.

In addition to the new engine, the 06 HSE features improvements to the brakes, steering system, suspension, interior, and also to sound dampening.

The off-road ruggedness of Land Rovers Range Rover is pretty much unequalled, with only its own Land Rover LR3, Jeeps new Commander and recently updated Grand Cherokee, Volkswagens Touareg, Porsches Cayenne (which is more or less a Touareg with Porsche styling inside and out, and a unique V8 engine), Audis new Q7 (which is basically a Touareg in drag) and lest I not forget, the mighty Mercedes-Benz G-Class as well as the legendary Toyota Land Cruisers, the latter available in Canada in Lexus GX and LX nomenclatures, capable of putting up a decent fight while still maintaining a high degree of civility.

When it comes to luxury, mind you, the Range Rover leaves all competitors in the dust thanks to more solid wood planking than on anything this side of a Bentley, real metal trim and rich, sumptuous leather just about everywhere else.

In addition to all the technological bells and whistles found your top-of-the-line luxury sedans, the HSE adds a mouth-watering list for 2006, including adaptive headlights, tire pressure monitoring, touch screen controls for audio, phone and off-road driving information, a rearview camera and a six-disc DVD changer with twin screens pointing towards rear seat passengers, integrated into the backs of the front headrests no less. The monitors combine with a multi-speaker stereo for an audio-visual experience fitting for children of the well-heeled.

Outside distractions should be kept to a minimum too, as the HSE is extremely quiet thanks to all of that extra sound deadening material I mentioned earlier in the review.

Other than the need to take out a second mortgage just to afford the down payment, the most obvious negative was its rather hopeless fuel economy – rating at 15 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

Other than gluttonous fuel consumption I figure the only thing wrong with taking the Ranger Rover HSE to the local ski resort and back for a day of skiing is that youd never want to get out of it once having arrived at the lift parking lot. Sounds like a nice problem to have.
distractions should be kept to a minimum too, as the HSE is extremely quiet thanks to all of that extra sound deadening material I mentioned earlier in the review.

Other than the need to take out a second mortgage just to afford the down payment, the most obvious negative was its rather hopeless fuel economy – rating at 15 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

Other than gluttonous fuel consumption I figure the only thing wrong with taking the Ranger Rover HSE to the local ski resort and back for a day of skiing is that youd never want to get out of it once having arrived at the lift parking lot. Sounds like a nice problem to have.

(this article was taken from automobile.com)

Popular demand for the new Range Rover 2006 model and the Range Rover Sport has exceeded the company’s expectations with both models sold out until March 2006.

Range Rover remains Land Rover’s flagship luxury SUV and the Range Rover Sport, is an all-new model that was introduced earlier this year as a 5th model to the Land Rover portfolio.

‘This is a hugely exciting period for the Land Rover brand. Our 21st century strategy: to launch models that premium, luxurious, technologically advanced and suitable for all driving conditions is proving to be right,’ said Marwan Halabi, regional marketing manager, Land Rover.

‘Sales for both these two new models have, in every case, surpassed sales expectations on a global and local level and the company cannot produce enough to meet the high customer demand around the world, added Halabi.

The Range Rover for 2006 is available in two new petrol engines variants, a 4.4 litre naturally aspirated V8 and a Vogue Supercharged 4.2 litre V8, the most powerful engine ever fitted to a Land Rover.

The Range Rover Sport is the ‘best driver’s vehicle’ that Land Rover has ever made – ideal for fast, comfortable on-road driving, yet exceptional off-road, with better all-terrain ability than any of its competitors. It is powered by a 4.2 litre supercharged V8 engine delivering 400 bhp.

The Range Rover Sport has been designed to combine invigorating dynamic ability with outstanding refinement and comfort. Like all Land Rover products, it offers the broadest range of capability in its class.

‘The Middle East market is one of the most discerning in the world, so it comes as no surprise that the new Range Rover for 2006 and Range Rover Sport have been received so well,’ added Halabi.

Land Rover is the world’s only dedicated 4×4 manufacturer, which, this year, launched three new models to mark the evolution of the brand’s 21st century premium strategy. The brand’s current portfolio consists of five distinct products: The Range Rover for 2006, the flagship model; Range Rover Sport, the Sports Tourer; all-new LR3, the luxury family SUV; Freelander, the premium small SUV and Defender, the brand’s icon product.

(this article was taken from tradearabia.com)

By John Oyuke for The East Standard

Land Rover Discovery 3 has been launched in the Kenyan market.

CMC Holdings Limited Chief Executive Martin Forster says the launch of the new vehicle would strengthen the group’s position in the motor industry.

The Land Rover Discovery 3 is an all-new, premium Sports Utility Vehicle offering innovative user-friendly technology, distinctive design and a spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate up to seven adults.

Land Rover Kenya General Manager Chris Diaz said the company had high expectations of the new 2006 model.

He said like all new Land Rovers, it was great to drive on-road, as well as being best-in-class off-road.

“Inquiries from the market has been good and we are forecasting very positive sales,” he said during the launch of the Sh7.5 million vehicle in Nairobi.

The British High Commissioner to Kenya Adam Wood and Forster launched the vehicle on Tuesday.

Diaz said as a pointer to the good performance, the two vehicles imported for the launch had already been sold.

Land Rovers are distributed in Kenya by CMC Motors Group, the largest company within CMC Holdings Limited.

The Discovery 3 comes with an integrated body-frame architecture plus six-speed transmission and air suspension gadgets.

The Discovery 3 is the first Land Rover to be conceived and designed under Ford ownership of the company.

The Land Rover’s patented Terrain Response system optimises driveability and comfort, as well as maximising traction.

The driver simply chooses one of five terrain settings via a rotary switch on the centre console .

Terrain Response then automatically selects the most appropriate settings for the vehicle?s advanced electronic controls and traction aids ? including ride height, engine torque response, hill descent control, electronic traction control and transmission settings.

Another innovation in the Discovery 3 is the integrated body-frame structure, which has allowed the Land Rover to deliver all the comfort, refinement and on-road attributes, while continuing to set new standards in off-road performance.

The vehicle also features adaptive headlights that swivel with the direction of travel to illuminate the road ahead.

By Mark Phelan for the Detroit Free Press

It’s amazing what a difference a great engine makes. I never really got the whole Range Rover thing. The luxury SUVs always seemed like lumberjacks dressed up in badly fitting rented tuxedos — out of their element, uncomfortable and overcharged.

All that changes with the 2006 Range Rover HSE and its new V8. It wears its exquisite interior like a tailored vest, and the 305-horsepower engine gives it muscle to match its grace.

It is the most comfortable, quiet and refined Range Rover I’ve ever driven on the road, and it boasts just about every imaginable safety and off-road feature to justify its high price.

The 4.4-liter 305-horsepower HSE model has a base price of $74,285. The high-performance supercharged model, with its 400-horsepower 4.2-liter version of the same engine, has a base price of $89,285.

I tested a well-equipped Range Rover HSE with an $81,875 sticker price. All prices exclude destination charges.

The 2006 Range Rover has the same body and chassis as the model that debuted as a 2003 model, but the new engine gives it a different character and reduced Land Rover’s costs.

The new engine is a version of the stellar AJV8 that powers the XJ8 and other Jaguars. Land Rover’s engineers made the cylinders wider — called boring them out — to increase the displacement to 4.4 liters to produce more horsepower and torque.

The Range Rover previously had used a modified version of BMW’s 4.4-liter V8. The Range Rover was designed to use that engine back when BMW owned Land Rover. It sold the brand to Ford years ago, but it takes a long time to adapt a vehicle to a new engine, and the 2006 is the first Range Rover to benefit from the Jaguar V8.

The engine is smooth and powerful, and the six-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and precisely, although the Range Rover’s fuel economy of 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway is nothing to brag about.

The speed-sensitive power steering is direct and responsive, and the electronically adjustable air suspension provides a smooth ride and a choice of ride heights for street or off-road driving.

Despite its boxy, wind-blocking shape, the Range Rover is as quiet as a Pharaoh’s tomb, and it’s one of the few vehicles you could drive to that tomb, thanks to full-time all-wheel-drive, an electronic locking center differential and a two-speed transfer case.

Safety equipment includes ABS, traction control, stability control and eight air bags.

Add those virtues to an interior that features soft leather, beautiful low-gloss wood, plenty of cargo space and as much headroom as a starry night in Montana, and the result is the best Range Rover ever.

The Range Rover, Land Rover’s flagship model and the world’s most aspired luxury SUV has been further enhanced with the arrival of the new 2006 model, positioning it as a leader in the premium SUV sector.

The 2006 model sees modifications that bring new levels of luxury to The Range Rover making it more elegant, sophisticated and refined than ever before.
The exterior design has been refreshed, the cabin is now quieter, and there is a host of new technology to make the ownership experience even more enjoyable.

The new model retains its iconic shape, but there are subtle yet distinct changes that give it a more integrated look and feel. Additional features on the 2006 model include a new front bumper design, headlamps and tail-lights, a new front grille, revised power vents and unique 20-inch alloy wheels.

A profusion of new technology ensures that The Range Rover for 2006 is also the best equipped: a DVD satellite navigation system provides both on- and off-road guidance, a Logic 7 harman/kardon audio system boasts 14 speakers and 710 watts of power, and a personal integrated telephone system is Bluetooth-enabled and can be voice, touch-screen or steering wheel operated.

In addition, an optional rear seat entertainment system offers two headrest-mounted 6.5-inch screens, a six-disc DVD auto-changer, infra-red remote control, wireless headphones and sockets for auxiliary media sources, such as an MP3 player or games console.

Although the design of the cabin ? which has been described as the world?s best car interior ? has not changed, the improved mechanical refinement cuts cabin noise, improving comfort. Wind noise is also reduced. The result is the quietest Range Rover ever.

Speaking on the arrival of this new model, Andy Gawthorpe, Managing Director, Land Rover Middle East & Africa, said,? We are confident that the arrival of 2006 model will further strengthen our position in the automotive industry as one of the most premium and evocative automotive manufacturers that have set benchmarks in design and technology by producing class leading products. We are very excited about its arrival and it is a reflection of our commitment to continue producing unique, premium and quality products.?

Range Rover?s enormous breadth of capability has been refined with each new model year since its debut in 1970. With its smoother lines and distinctive detailing ? the New Range Rover 2006 is truly class leading and beyond compare.

(this article was taken from albawaba.com)

Ever since the first Landy rolled off the production line in 1948, the name, Land Rover has been the difintive four wheel drive vehicle. Between them, Defender, Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover have evolved to satisfy every requirement for urban style, comfort and unbeatable off-road capability.
As is befitting of and all action hero, Sly Stallone, of course is a Range Rover fan. Land Rovers biggest and most luxurious model, the Range Rover combines the comfort of a saloon, with the power of a rugged off roader.
These days, according to Land Rover themselves, the Range Rover is easily the most capable luxury vehicel in the world, a statement which must hold some truth, if the likes of Bill Murray, Kevin Costner and royalty the world over are any example to follow.

The luxury of the top Range Rovers can be yours from new at a price of just £46’000, a bargain that Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan, Don Johnson, Mel Gibson, Jack Nicholson and Barry Manilow, just has to grab. Fashion Designer, Ralph Lauren even approached the manufacturer with the offer of the design for the Ralph Lauren series – the carmaker politely refused.

It can’t just be the luxury of the vehicles that celebs love, however, as many also keep the classic Landrover Defenders of the 50s and 60s. Sean Connery is one of them, with a classic canvas top on his spanish estate.
The Defender was the first of the Land Rovers to hit the streets, way back in 1948. the choice of adventurers and explorers the world over, the series 1 Land Rovers, back in the days of yore, were brilliantly inventive and rugged vehicles. By the mid 50′s, they had become the choice for the military, rescue services, farms, and what it lacked in comfort, it made up for in sheer, go-anywhere, power.

Robin Williams has kept landy’s since back in the day, when he played Mork in the hit comedy series, Mork and Mindy, and Fidel Castro rides about in a bullet riddled 1 series – something which he’s never explained.

And, of course, you can’t name a galaxy of stars who own a Land Rover, without naming the Queen of England, who learned to drive in a Land Rover as a military volunteer, all those years ago, and who can still be seen, to this day tearing aobut her Balmoral estate in her bullet proof Discovery, followed by at least one Range Rover, containing more of the Royal family, and Bodyguards.

(this article was taken from femalefirst.co.uk)