I clearly remember the first time I drove a Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

It was also the first time I had ever climbed up the side of a mountain in an SUV.

Back in 2005, Land Rover launched the 2006 Range Rover Sport as an all-new vehicle, using a route from Aspen, Colo., to Moab, Utah, as a playground. And boy did we play.

I was impressed with the Range Rover Sport’s excellent road manners, and we did plenty of highway and mountain-road driving on day one. But on day two, we took the vehicle in the wilds of Utah to test what is at the heart of every Land Rover: off-road capability.

When we came to a place called “Wipe Out Hill,” I remember wondering how we were going around the wall of an obstacle. I was slightly skeptical when the Land Rover folks said we were going up, not around. But sure enough, up we went.

Throughout the two-day drive, I was constantly amazed with the capability, comfort and complexity of the Range Rover Sport. I walked away from the preview thinking that this SUV is one of the more perfect vehicles out there … if you have $60K to spend on a vehicle, that is.

Since the launch, I’ve had a couple of brief off-roading encounters with the Range Rover Sport, which have done nothing but strengthen this journalist’s opinion of the SUV’s capability.

This time around, I had no off-road time in the Range Rover Sport, but there was – and I’m sure this will come as a surprise – snow.

I picked the test vehicle up at the airport in the middle of one of our many snow storms. It was late, so not many of the roads had been cleared. Traffic was crawling on Mannheim. Then it was crawling on the Kennedy. Luckily both of these roads had more than one lane. The Range Rover Sport did not need to crawl. I simply stuck the vehicle in snow mode and made it home in the usual amount of time.

The thing that never ceases to amaze me about the Ranger Rover Sport is the size versus nimbleness ratio. This is a vehicle that is 188.5 inches long, 75.9 inches wide and has a cargo volume of 71 cubic-feet. While we’re not talking Hummer H2 proportions, we’re definitely not talking small potatoes either.

Since I’ve moved, I have a new parking configuration which is no less easy to navigate than the old-fashioned alley garage. Here, I’m in an actual lot surrounded by other people’s cars. At least before I really only had to worry about my car and my garage. As with typical Chicago parking spaces, there is not much room to maneuver. Most sedans I’ve driven since the move have required a series of three-point turns to get into or out of my space. But with the Range Rover Sport, the tight turning radius allowed me to make one even turn out of the space.

The other part of the nimbleness equation has to be the impressive visibility from the driver’s seat. No matter how tall or (ahem) short you may be, the Range Rover Sport guarantees an excellent driving position. I could pump the seat up high enough to see well out of all windows. Additionally, the somewhat boxy front end allows you to see well over the hood and the front two corners so that you see exactly where the Range Rover Sport is in relation to an obstacle … Like my neighbor’s car. Thus, you feel more confident making tight turns.

The reason I spend so much time talking about the capability of the Range Rover Sport is because it’s easy to forget that this is a born-and-bred off-roader. With a base price of $59,000, this SUV is well-established in the luxury class.

Inside and out, the prevailing theme is clean and simple. The clear-cut lines of the hood and rear sloping window give a strong almost-masculine look, yet the detailed grille and dazzling headlights add elegance. The interior is defined by simplicity with well-placed controls and gauges. I like the minimal brushed nickel accents, and the two-tone interior adds depth and personality.

Living with this vehicle during a test period, however, did scare up some of the foibles you wouldn’t notice during a preview. First and foremost: Though the navigation system is standard at this price point, heated seats are not. The test vehicle included them as a part of a $3K Luxury Interior Package. The good news: Back seat passengers benefit as well as this package also includes heated rear seats.

Speaking of the navigation system: Not a fan. You cannot adjust it while you are driving, and this is a huge pet peeve of mine. Especially when you have a passenger in the front seat who could do the fiddling for you. I had to resort to voice commands while I was driving, and this did not turn out well for me. Either the system didn’t recognize my voice or I was giving the wrong commands. Its only response to me was: “Sorry.”

While I like the way the interior looks, how it feels is a different matter. The premium leather eats included with the Luxury Interior Package were supple and supportive, but they didn’t match some of the other interior surfaces. The “brushed nickel” accents are actually plastic, and they feel that way.

Plus, the test vehicle had a weird gearshift glitch. When I put the vehicle in park, I couldn’t get the key to release from the ignition without jiggling the gearshift a couple times. I’m sure this is probably an easy fix, but when a $60K vehicle has less than 10K miles on it, stuff like that shouldn’t be happening.

The test vehicle was a base Range Rover Sport HSE with the 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and with the Luxury Interior Package and satellite radio, the total MSRP came to $62,400. If you’d like to upgrade to the Supercharged model, know that you’ll add not only the 4.2-liter, 390 horsepower supercharged V-8 engine but also about $13K to the price tag. The good news here: Heated seats and pretty much every other option available on the base model become standard fare.

Through the snow and on clear roads, I liked the way the Range Rover Sport drove in everyday situations. It was easy to maneuver, and acceleration was equivalent to a sedan with a V-6 engine. And then there’s always the knowledge that if you ever did find yourself tramping through the wilderness, the Range Rover Sport would handle it with aplomb.

This article was taken from: Search Chicago

Here’s proof that Land Rover is set to turn on the style. As the British brand gets ready to push upmarket, Auto Express can exclusively reveal the look of an exciting new model.

Our spies have produced these exclusive images from top secret information.

Based on the LRX concept cars that wowed the crowds at this year’s Detroit and Geneva motor shows, the newcomer is a sporty five-door SUV. It will slot into the range above the Freelander and go head-to-head with prestige brand rivals, including the upcoming BMW X1 and Audi Q5.

The model will showcase technology aimed at increasing efficiency and boosting the marque’s green credentials. A stop-start system and a hybrid drivetrain are likely to appear as top brass attempt to reduce the overall CO2 emissions of the range.

But the exterior will get the most attention. The LRX’s aggressive front end has clearly been a big influence, although the new car also benefits from a versatile five-door body and an increase in height to give extra space for both occupants and luggage.

It is lower than the Freelander it’s based on, however, while shallower side windows and black pillars give the impression of a ‘floating’ roof. At the rear is a handy split tailgate.

Stepping inside, you’ll find a heavily toned-down version of the show car’s cabin. The dashboard and other fixtures are likely to be carried over from the Freelander. Luxurious materials such as leather, wood, carbon fibre and aluminium are expected to be used, while the quality of the plastics will be raised to match.

Buyers can expect a wide range of engine options. Stop-start technology fitted to the 2.2-litre diesel and 3.2-litre straight-six petrol units will lower fuel consumption and CO2 out-put – helping Land Rover meet EU regulations to cut its overall average output to 130g/km by 2012.

There is also the possibility of a hi-tech hybrid system. Using super-capacitors rather than batteries, it will store energy from regenerative braking and a traditional alternator. When the driver wants extra acceleration, the electricity is channelled to motors hidden in the front wheels.

All variants get a chassis biased towards composed on-road ride and handling. But, being a Land Rover, it will also perform well off the tarmac. The firm’s smart Terrain Response all-wheel-drive transmission will provide settings for grass, gravel and snow.

A name for the newcomer has yet to be decided, although Freelander Sport has been suggested. Expect a showroom version as early as 2010.

This article was taken from: Auto Express

Land Rover’s LRX Concept was such a big hit when it debuted in Detroit that
It was such a hit in Detroit that Land Rover’s bringing it overseas to Geneva. (Photo: Land Rover)
it’s making a comeback for its official European launch at Geneva this week. The LRX, which is seriously being considered for production, will be shown off in Switzerland in two different guises, Black and Silver versus the original SUV’s shade of White.

Although the Black & Silver LRXs are very similar in appearance to the first LRX, they do feature several improvements including a host potential features that Land Rover is hoping to put towards a customization lineup, similar to what Mini has done with the Cooper and Scion has done with the xB.

One instantly noticeable difference is the roof, which is painted in silver to contrast the metallic black bodywork. It features a removable carbon composite insert with integrated attachment points for snowboards in place of the Detroit concept’s panoramic roof, as well as a set of roof rails that can be used as cross-bars for cargo carriers and other external, roof-mounted systems. A new, integrated step-pad in the bumper allows customers to access the roof easily, without worry of scratching the paint.

Lower down on the body, Land Rover has fitted the LRX with matte finish fender flares and new carbon composite skid plates and underbody protection, keeping the LRX’s internals safe and sound should the driver go off-road.

Land Rover has also given the Black LRX a new chocolate-themed interior, and is working on a way to put the concept’s thin-form seats into production.

Finally, Land Rover has announced details pertaining to the LRX’s powertrain. It gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel mated to a hybrid drivetrain system. At speeds of up to 20 mph the LRX is driven purely on electrical power by its rear wheels, but at higher speeds the diesel kicks in to provide more thrust. Land Rover claims the LRX can achieve 50 mpg on the mixed cycle, and emits no more than 6.8 oz/mi, making it the most efficient Land Rover ever.

This article was taken from: automobile.com

Land Rover is showing a second version of its stylish LRX concept here at Geneva alongside the white original that was one of the stars of the Detroit Show in January. Those with sharp eyes will notice the new LRX has a new paint scheme, new wheels, a roof rack, a rear bumper step, and a couple of other new details. So what’s it all mean?

“It’s to show how we can develop a mass-customization program for the vehicle,” says LRX designer Gerry McGovern. The two-tone paint — a silver roof over black body — gives a clue: Yep, this is Land Rover’s take on BMW’s wildly successful Mini strategy, where consumers can mix ‘n’ match colors and accessories to the point where almost no two Minis are exactly alike.

So does this mean the LRX is close to a production reality? “The question is what we should do and when we should do it,” says Land Rover boss Phil Popham. “Not if we should do it.” Final details have yet to be worked out, but you can take that as confirmation that the LRX, which shares a lot of its mechanical hardware with the LR2 cute ute, is headed to a Land Rover showroom near you. Likely launch date? At least three years from now.

But will it be a Land Rover? Or will it be a baby Range Rover, filling an obvious gap in the range under the wildly successful Range Rover Sport? “I see the LRX as a Land Rover, not a Range Rover,” says Popham emphatically. “If we do a small Range Rover we will do it differently, because there are different expectations in terms of performance and interior.”

This article was taken from: Truck Trend