The first Land Rover model designed and built by car giant Ford has rolled off the production line in the UK.

The Freelander 2 is being made at Jaguar’s Halewood Factory on Merseyside and the success of the model is seen as vital to the economy of the region.

Ford, which bought the brand in 2000, is relying on the car to boost sales.

Ford’s UK brands are under threat after its US parent - which reported a £3bn third-quarter loss - warned it could not support underperforming brands.

Widening losses

Land Rover today launches its marketing campaign for the 2007 Range Rover with ”Extraordinary Perspective” as its central theme.

This will be the third installment of Land Rover’’s highly successful “Designed for the Extraordinary” marketing campaign, which debuted in February 2006. The latest series of communications – which includes TV, print, outdoor and web creative – presents the idea of an elevated perspective that is showcased within the cabin of a 2007 Range Rover on California’’s central coast.

Land Rover has launched a security tracking system for all its models.
The new system operates across Europe and meets the top category for security systems - Thatcham Category 5 accreditation. Whilst car crime has fallen in recent years, statistics show an increase in car-jacking and home burglaries to obtain vehicle keys - which means vehicles are now most likely to be stolen using their original keys, bypassing alarm and immobiliser devices.

Coventry, England - Land Rover is offering the new Range Rover in a special ‘Armoured’ version including side blast, under floor grenade protection and runflat tyres.

The vehicle complies with B6 ballistic level protection that can withstand gunfire and hand grenades triggered from underneath the car.

Among the extras are tinted windows, anti-tamper exhaust and intercom systems.

The Range Rover Armoured is powered by a 4.4 litre V8 engine with an output of 225 kW/305 hp. The price has not been released by the manufacturer and is subject to the granting of an export license by the British government.

(this article was taken from monstersandcritics.com)

Range Rover’s new flagship diesel version will be the first production car to have a special system built in to prevent drivers filling the tank with petrol instead of diesel.

With modern diesel cars behaving more like petrol-powered vehicles than ever before – and more drivers making the switch to diesel – many are being caught out at the pump. Motoring recovery groups have reported a sharp increase in call-outs due to this problem, and it seems that writing the word DIESEL in great big letters on the filler cap just isn’t doing the job.

This week heralds a very busy end to the month of September for Land Rover, with the National and World Ploughing Championships taking place in Tullow, Co Carlow until Saturday and the Paris Motor Show until Friday.

National & World Ploughing Championships

The all-new Freelander 2 will be available in dealerships from November 2006. Irish prices will start from €41,990. Detailed pricing and specifications for Ireland will be announced at the Ploughing Championships. Also on show for the first time in Ireland will be the 2007 Range Rover.

The Land Rover Terrapod off-road driving experience comes to Ireland for the first time to thrill visitors at the event.

The 2007 model year Range Rover Sport will start from £35,665 for the entry-level, 2.7-litre TDV6 S, and will be available from 1 November at Land Rover dealerships throughout the UK.

Following its world debut at the Paris Motor Show last month, the 2007 model year sees the introduction of a powerful, state-of-the-art TDV8 diesel fourth engine to the Range Rover Sport, with prices for this derivative starting at £53,120 for the HSE specification when it goes on sale in January 2007.

The TDV8 Range Rover Sport offers power and torque over 40% greater than the TDV6 turbocharged diesel engine, and achieves 25.5mpg (combined cycle) while class-leading refinement helps emphasise the V8 acoustics. Prices rise to £63,225 for the petrol V8 Supercharged Range Rover Sport HST.