(this article was written for caranddriver.com by TONY QUIROGA)

When the smallest SUV in Land Rover’s lineup, the Freelander, went on sale in the U.S. in 2001, it had already been offered in other markets for three years. Land Rover tells us that it took those three years to develop a V-6 engine for the Freelander for the power-hungry American market. But by the time the little Land Rover made its stateside debut, it was already showing signs of being dated. Land Rover’s compact luxury sport-utility didn’t have much of a run in the U.S.; after sales slowed dramatically in 2004, the British truckmaker stopped exporting it. The following year, the MG Rover Group in England closed, and that meant the Freelander’s Rover-built 2.5-liter V-6 and four-cylinder engines went out of production. So Land Rover needed to find a replacement engine for its smallest ute.

Land Rover launched a pilot CO2 offset programme in the UK, at the British International Motor Show’s press day yesterday. “It is the biggest and most comprehensive programme of its kind ever by a UK car company and will allow both the firm and its customers to contribute to a cleaner environment,” said Phil Popham, managing director. ‘The ultimate goal is CO2 neutrality and projects will include investment in renewable projects such as wind and solar, technology change and energy efficiency. The pilot is set up specifically for Land Rover and supports Ford’s £1bn investment in the UK, announced yesterday.”

With a history of pioneering initiatives both off-road and on, Land Rover now leads into cyberspace with the global launch of a new interactive adventure website called ‘Go Beyond’. Dedicated to the spirit of adventure, the ambitious online project is a first in the automotive industry, reflecting the innovative and leading positioning of the brand by itself.

Content rich and fully interactive, ‘Go Beyond’ is about lifestyle rather than cars. Incorporating the world’s first broadband TV channel to be launched by a car company, ‘Go Beyond’ was launched at the New York International Auto Show on April 12.