LAND Rover is developing a new model that could help double the output of its Halewood plant by 2012, according to motor industry reports yesterday.

The company is planning a new seven-seat model called the Ventura based on a longer version of the existing Halewood-built Freelander chassis.

Magazine Autocar says Land Rover is looking to produce around 70,000 of the vehicles a year – and says that if it gets the go-ahead, total Halewood production could reach 210,000 vehicles a year, more than double its current output.

The Knowsley plant, which employs more than 2,000 people, builds the Land Rover Freelander 2 and the Jaguar X-Type. The Freelander 2 has been a great sales success for Land Rover but the X-Type has failed to meet sales expectations.

Earlier this year Land Rover unveiled the environmentally- friendly LRX concept vehicle, which has become known as the “Baby Land Rover”. The LRX has been well-received by the market and if given the go-ahead by Land Rover is likely to be built at Halewood from 2010, alongside the Freelander, once the X-Type is phased out.

Land Rover refused to comment directly on speculation about new models for Halewood, but a spokeswoman said: “We are going to look at boosting the product line-up. That may include a seven-seater. That may include a small vehicle like the LRX. But that’s all we can say.”

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) was taken over earlier this year by Indian giant Tata Motors in a £1.17bn deal. Earlier this month the plant’s operations director Thomas Klein described the deal as “the start of an exciting new era for Halewood”.

JLR last week announced a £700m investment in green technology which could create hundreds of jobs in the UK. Rising fuel prices and growing environmental concerns mean consumers are increasingly moving towards more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Last week, Land Rover managing director Phil Popham said he expected Land Rover sales would be flat this year, but said falling UK and US sales would be countered by growing sales in markets such as Russia and China.

This article was taken from: LDP Business

2008 is the 60th anniversary of storied British SUV manufacturer Land Rover, and to mark the occasion the company has embarked on a “Choice of Experts” tour showcasing its capabilities. The other day we caught up with them at the historic Astor Courts in Rhinebeck, N.Y, designed by Stanford White as a country retreat for John Jacob Astor IV in 1902. It was the perfect setting for a brand that has come to signify rugged elegance and luxurious rusticity, and while there we got the opportunity to drive a new Range Rover Sport on a hazardous off-road course that showed style and comfort needn’t sacrifice anything in the way of practical ability.

We’ve owned both Land Rovers and Range Rovers over the years, and though these days we don’t particularly miss pulling up to the gas pump we certainly pine for them whenever the weather turns particularly nasty or we’re called upon to do even the slightest bit of off-roading, so it was something of a treat. Land Rover and especially the Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly English aesthetic – regular readers of The Classicist will recognize this as a recurring motif – as portrayed in books like Bernhard Roetzel’s British Tradition. The luxe Range Rover was first introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948.

The Queen of England drives a Range Rover in the country, and Prince Charles is a longtime enthusiast. His 1978 Range Rover was auctioned off on eBay in 2005. While out for sport in inclement weather he is said to have simply opened a special “huntsman” sunroof, stood on the back seat and poked his Asprey shotgun out to shoot from the comfort of the cabin. We can’t say we’ve ever tried that maneuver and we daresay it isn’t the sort of thing encouraged by the company these days. In any case there was unfortunately no shooting to be had at Astor Courts, only demonstrations about cooking and decorating and so forth, but such are the depredations of the modern era.

This article was taken from: Luxist

LAND Rover has hosted a balloon safari above the Hajar Mountains in Dubai to celebrate the company’s 60th anniversary.
The event reflected “the true spirit of adventure that has become synonymous with the Land Rover brand.”
A group of regional importers, customers and journalists from Qatar, Kuwait and Oman were on board the three hot air balloons.
The balloons flew at 3,000 feet above the desert dunes, offering a view of the sun rising over the mountains.
They were followed by a convoy of seven Land Rover vehicles including the flagship Range Rover and the Land Rover LR3.
“Land Rover manufactures the world’s finest all-terrain vehicles and has evolved over the past 60 years. It has become synonymous with delivering a spirit of adventure and we are delighted that we provided our guests with an extraordinary experience as we celebrated our 60th anniversary,” said Land Rover’s regional marketing manager for the Middle East and North Africa, Marcelle Duncan.
“Land Rover has a strong presence in the region and has sustained its position at the forefront of the luxury SUV market,” said Duncan.
“The brand has grown from strength to strength over the years – 2007 was the company’s best year ever and its third successive record sales year with 226,395 cars sold around the world.”
The brand now has its strongest product line-up with five different models on offer: Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover LR3, Land Rover LR2 and Defender.

This article was taken from: Gulf Times

The electrically-powered Range Rover is on its way after a newly-founded British producer announced investments of 30 million pounds (60 million dollars) to re-engineer the luxury cross- country vehicle. The Oxford-based Liberty Electric Cars Ltd said it would design and manufacture a unique electric drivetrain platform to power a wide range of large vehicles, which it says will have the flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies.

Annual vehicle production, which will include an electrically powered Range Rover, will, the company said, be in “tens of thousands” by 2012.

Vehicle prices will range between 95,000 and 125,000 pounds, depending on model and specification.

The firm said it had already taken orders and was looking for a new manufacturing base in southern Britain, creating 250 new jobs.

“The Liberty Electric Range Rover takes electric vehicle technology into a new sector, to large luxury cars that people aspire to drive, particularly in cities and urban environments where environmental controls are becoming increasingly tighter,” said Barry Shrier, the founder of Liberty Electric.

The cars would incorporate state of the art energy storage and management systems and deliver superior performance and acceleration compared with existing technology, said the firm.

Liberty Electric cars would have an extended driving range and shorter recharge times, powering their way through 320 kilometres before requiring a top-up.

This article was taken from: The Earth Times