The Range Rover Sport has proven something of a popular oddity, thanks to its seemingly paradoxical combination of crushing offroad ability and sportscar-humbling performance. The latest raft of revisions look to add more power, poise, and offroad ability to the car’s already impressive repertoire.

By Gareth Dean

Much like the new Discovery 4 and Range Rover models, the new Range Rover Sport includes a more powerful Jaguar V8 engine, some stylistic tweaks and improvements to vehicle dynamics.

On the stylistic front, the Range Rover Sport now features a new two-bar grille, LED headlamp and brake light elements, revised front and rear valances, and new front wings. The interior has also benefits from a number of upgrades to the quality of materials, an improved infotainment system, and LED lighting elements in a less cluttered layout. Other technological highlights include headlamps with high beam assist to avoid dazzling oncoming road users at night and a five-camera display system with specialized modules for towing and offroad manoeuvres.

Two engines are available: The previous 3,6-litre TDV8 unit with 200 kW and 650 N.m of torque and an all-new Jaguar-sourced supercharged 5,0-litre V8 petrol powerplant. This unit is mated with a six-speed ZF automatic transmission and develops 375 kW and 625 N.m of torque, increases of 29 and 12 percent over the outputs of the previous supercharged 4,2-litre V8. In addition to enhanced performance, the new engine features a number of revisions, such as direct fuel injection and torque-actuated variable camshaft timing, that improve fuel economy by 6.2 percent to 15 l/100 km and reduce CO2 emissions by seven percent to 353 g/km.

Improvements have also been made to the systems governing vehicle dynamics, including an adaptive damper system that constantly adjusts damper settings according to driving conditions, an improved body-roll containment module, uprated brakes and a more responsive steering system.

The company’s award-winning Terrain Response system has also undergone some modifications, with the addition of a dynamic setting for performance-orientated driving , a sand launch control system and revisions to the Hill Descent Control to further aid stability in tricky offroad conditions.

Pricing:

Range Rover Sport TDV8 R934 500

Range Rover Sport 5,0 V8 Supercharged R961 000

This atricle was taken from: Car Today.com

Whether you view the Discovery 4 as a large SUV, alternative to an executive saloon or estate, or as a more attractive option than most large MPVs, it’s go it covered. There’s masses of room for the driver and front passenger, with the sense of space increased by the large centre console between the front pair that allows for plenty of elbow room. The high-up driving position gives a great all-round view and is easy to model to the driver’s preferred comfort settings. In the back seats, the middle row provides plenty of space in every direction for three people, old or young, and the third row remains a place of comfort for two adults. Fold the third row of seats away and you have a massive boot of 1192-litres, which can be extended up to an incredible 2558-litres with the middle row of seats tipped and folded flat into the floor.

The Land Rover Discovery 4 works brilliantly whatever role you want it to play, with the added bonus that it can slip seamlessly into other situations. This makes the Discovery 4 excellent value as it can cover so many bases, while the 3.0 TDV6 engine provides greater performance with better economy than the 2.7-litre engine. The 2.7 TDV6 turns in 27.7mpg combined economy as an auto where the 3.0-litre offers 30.4mpg. The bigger engine is also cleaner, with emissions of 244g/km to the 2.7 auto’s 270g/km, though this means both still reside in the highest road tax and company car tax bands. However, the Disco 4 looks set to carry on the previous model’s reasonably stable residual values, even in this era of apathy from some buyers towards large SUVs – the Disco’s all-round credentials again help fend off the worst criticisms of this type of vehicle. An unlimited mileage, three-year warranty give peace of mind, while 16,000-mile service intervals for the 3.0 TDV6 appeal (the 2.7 is serviced every 15,000 miles).

This article was taken from: Contract Hire And Leasing.com

FRANKFURT, Germany | Land Rover completes the introduction of its much-acclaimed new lineup for 2010 at the IAA Frankfurt, presenting for the first time a luxurious reclining rear-seat package for the Range Rover, as well as the exclusive new Range Rover Sport Autobiography derivatives.

Land Rover’s latest lineup showcases exciting developments across the range, including more powerful new engines offering greater fuel-efficiency, dynamic upgrades and striking exterior and interior design improvements for the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery 4. These vehicles are now starting to go on sale in dealerships around the world. The Freelander 2 TD4e, introduced earlier in the year, offers an innovative intelligent Stop/Start system, making it the most fuel-efficient Land Rover to date.

“As we start to see early signs of stability in markets around the world, we’re convinced that one of the best ways to help get things moving again is to excite potential customers with new and improved vehicles,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s managing director. “Our range for 2010 is without doubt our strongest ever, and early signs are that these new products are receiving an outstanding reception in the marketplace.”

For 2010, Land Rover’s flagship Range Rover offers a powerful new supercharged LR-V8 engine (alongside the popular TDV8), revolutionary interior technologies and enhanced driving dynamics to reinforce its position as the world’s most complete luxury 4×4. Now, a series of further refinements, with the focus on enhanced luxury for rear-seat passengers, make their global debut at IAA Frankfurt.

Land Rover is introducing a sophisticated feature of electronically controlled reclining rear seats, which will be particularly valued by chauffeur-driven customers. The seats can be independently controlled by the left- and right-seat passengers, and comfort is further enhanced by the availability of heated and cooled seats, four-way adjustable lumbar support and airline-style winged head restraints. Rear-seat passengers can also enjoy significantly increased legroom by remotely moving the front passenger seat to its forward-most position (when the front passenger seat is unoccupied). The addition of laminated rear-door privacy glass significantly reduces interior noise levels, too.

The peerless luxury and exclusivity provided by the Range Rover is given a further boost by the addition of four sumptuous interior color combinations on the Autobiography series, and the availability of the world-class Logic 7 1200W Harman Kardon High Dynamics audio system, with 15 independent channels driving 19 premium-quality speakers.

The stylish Range Rover Sport for 2010 offers enhanced vehicle dynamics and significantly improved performance, thanks to two new powerful, refined and efficient engines: the formidable Supercharged LR-V8 5.0 liter and the LR-TDV6 3.0-liter Advanced Sequential Turbo Diesel. Along with striking exterior design changes and a new interior, Range Rover Sport maintains its class-leading credentials.

Now, an unprecedented level of personalization for Range Rover Sport is available, too, with a stunning selection of six Autobiography Sport limited-edition themes, featuring stylish duotone premium leather interiors, as well as unique exterior design cues, including the grille, vents and 20″ diamond turned finish alloy wheels – all presented for the first time at the IAA.

Three of the themes – Cannes, Portofino and Valencia – have a more luxury-orientated character, while the other three – Le Mans, Monaco and Monza – have an overtly sporting theme and feature a dramatic new body kit, which is tailored to accentuate the sophisticated style of the 2010 Range Rover Sport. The striking body kit is also available as a separate option.

The sophisticated new look of the Discovery 4, as well as its new name, signals the comprehensive changes under the skin, which have delivered significant improvements in performance and refinement.

Pulling power and fuel economy are substantially improved by the new LR-TDV6 3.0-liter Advanced Sequential Turbo Diesel, which delivers a massive 36 percent more torque while reducing combined fuel consumption to more than 30 mpg. The performance gains are complemented by enhanced all-terrain capabilities, a new-look front end and a redesigned interior that brings new levels of refinement and appeal.

The Freelander 2 TD4e model is the first model to incorporate features from the company’s program of eTerrain technologies, delivering significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon-dioxide emissions. Land Rover’s intelligent Stop/Start system is standard on all diesel manual models and cuts carbon dioxide emissions by 8 percent, resulting in a combined cycle of 42.2 mpg and 179g/km of carbon dioxide.

Though the Freelander 2 TD4e is the most fuel-efficient Land Rover ever, its durability and all-terrain performance remain uncompromised by the new fuel-saving technologies.

The Land Rover’s range is completed by the iconic Defender, which combines rugged dependability and off-road performance with surprising on-road refinement.

For added personalization, two exciting limited-edition models are now available: the Defender Fire and Defender Ice. Inspired by the world’s most challenging landscapes, the Fire and Ice models blend classic Land Rover functionality with a stunning new style featuring striking two-tone color schemes.

This article was taken from: Washington Times

Wallpaper’s future thirty show, currently on display in Rotterdam’s Chabot Museum until 10 January 2010, owed a great deal to the good people at Land Rover. Tasked with taking 30 precisely engineered architectural models to the city’s Chabot Museum, with three wallpaper staffers and a host of equipment along for the ride, the Range Rover Sport was a highly suitable steed. In HSE trim this hefty diesel workhorse was as happy humming along British A-roads as it was straddling the tramlines in Rotterdam’s city centre.

When the original Range Rover debuted in 1970 it effectively re-wrote the rules of how an off-road vehicle should look and feel, turning an effective agricultural tool into a plaything of the town and country set. That ethos has pervaded Range Rovers ever since, right up to the third generation model (introduced in 2002 and soon to be replaced). In 2005, the company rolled out the Sport, a slightly sleeker re-working of its bluff-fronted sibling, inspired by an outlandish concept car, the Stormer, shown the previous year.

From the outset, the car was pitched against some tough competition, as carmakers like Audi and Porsche decided to put the ‘Sport’ back into SUV with new models like the Q7 and the Cayenne. While the HSE might not have the straight line performance of its rivals (for that you’ll need the supercharged V8 model), it remains an unrivalled off-road drive, a Land Rover core value that the company is thankfully unwilling to dispense with. A host of dedicated off-road equipment – dubbed ‘Terrain Response’ – are neatly integrated into a redesigned dashboard, making this car a literal go-anywhere machine.

Admittedly, the road to Rotterdam was not pitted with potholes, muddy tracks or unyielding slopes. But true to original Range Rover values, the Sport combines ability with comfort. We certainly weren’t lacking in useful equipment, from the slick satnav system that took the car from London to the doorstep of the Chabot Museum without missing a beat, to the small army of cameras that allow you to position and park the hefty vehicle with pinpoint accuracy (useful when reversing up to a masterpiece of Modernist architecture). The optional rear-seat entertainment package threw in a pair of flat screen TVs and the iPod compatible sound system helped banish the already distant road noise to a whisper.

For 2010, Land Rover has introduced a host of advances, large and small, to its entire model range, including new engines and better efficiency – the V6 powerplant at the heart of our Sport delivered us to Holland and back on less than a tank of diesel, an impressive achievement. Land Rover continues to hone the sharp edges on its product range, introducing new technology to blunt the inevitable carbon footprint created by such necessarily large cars. Next year sees the debut of the promised ‘small’ Land Rover, while there are also hybrid powertrains, lightweight bodyshells and other, more closely-guarded, technologies, in the works.

This article was taken from: wallpaper.com