On June 17, 2010, Range Rover will celebrate its 40th anniversary and, if sources are to be believed, will unveil a new model based on the Land Rover LRX Concept. According to insiders that spoke with AutoCar, the Ranger Rover LRX will enter production in early 2011. The production LRX will be unveiled as a more environmentally-friendly face of an all SUV brand.

Land Rover unveiled the LRX concept in January 2008 at the Detroit Auto Show and was provided $37.2 million to start production by the UK government in March 2009 to produce the model.

It was recently reported that Land Rover executives have ‘greenlighted’ a hybrid version of the LRX.

Source Egmcartech

Land Rover is currently in the process of updating three of its SUVs, with prototypes for facelifted versions of the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and now the Discovery 3, or LR3 as it’s known in the U.S., all being sighted in the past couple of months. These latest shots of Land Rover’s midsize SUV undergoing cold weather testing show that there will only be minor changes implemented for the 2010 model year update.

Earlier spy shots had nabbed the vehicle with some remnants of the older model still clinging to its exterior, though the previous prototype was believed to be testing a 5.0L V8 engine option as well. Now the spy shots reveal what the updated look will bring, including a new front and rear fascia, square fog lights and reshaped exhaust outlets.

A new 5.0L V8 engine, to be shared by the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, would come to the LR3/Discovery in slightly detuned form, if it indeed comes at all. The engine is being jointly developed by Land Rover and Jaguar for use across the model lineup and recently debuted in the XFR in supercharged form.

Source Motor Authority

Northen Europe cold weather testing for Land Rover Sport, a facelifted prototype was spotted. The performance SUV already received a series of upgrades in 2007, including the introduction of a 3.6L twin turbo diesel V8, so for its next update the list of changes have been kept to a minimum.

The facelifted SUV is due to hit the streets by the middle of this year and is likely to be available with the existing 3.6L diesel as well as a new 5.0L V8 engine. This is the same unit that recently debuted in the all-new Jaguar XFR, although the Range Rover Sport will likely miss out on the supercharger as well as the 510hp (380kW) output.

Another possibility is the introduction of a V6 twin-turbo diesel, likely to be the new 3.0L unit used by Jaguar for its XF Diesel S. The commonrail turbodiesel V6 engine is rated at 271hp (202kW) and 443lb-ft (600Nm) of torque.

In addition to the engine upgrade, the new Sport will also receive a slightly revised face including a new grille design that’s reminiscent of the Land Rover Freelander/LR2 as well as a new front bumper. The side vents will also feature a slightly different design to the ports on the current model, and the headlights will be updated as well.

Source Motor Authority

After a long time of suggesting the plan to build a sport three-door model Land Rover, the ARK ReDesign is unveiled.

The British offroaders first whet our appetites with the Vesuvius orange Range Stormer, a 2004 show vehicle that eventually evolved into the production five-door Range Rover Sport. More recently, Land Rover has shown off the LRX, also a three-door concept, but word is that it, too, could grow an extra set of doors by the time it reaches showrooms.

Thus, the aftermarket has taken up the slack, with companies like LSE taking up the slack and building shortened, “coupified” versions of the Range Rover Sport. Now, a new UK firm called ARK ReDesign is taking up the torch, and it plans on offering its own three-door variant shortly. Official details remain slim, but ARK says they will offer to perform the door-ectomy on either a new Sport or a customer’s pre-existing vehicles, whether stock or modified. Official press release after the jump.

Source Autoblog

It’s Official! Auto Express reveals the first pictures of Land Rover’s new look Discovery.

Set to make its public debut at the London Motor Show in July the car will go on sale in August, priced from £29,950.

An evolution, rather than revolution in design, the newcomer gets a re-profiled front bumper, revised rear bumper and body coloured wheel arches.

The distinctive two-piece tailgate now comes with body coloured tailgate lift handle and the attention to detail continues with the revised ‘tungsten’ coloured side vents and door handles.

New 19-inch 7-spoke alloy wheels and three new exterior metallic paint colours – Santorini Black, Galway Green and Bournville will also be offered, while inside interior upgrades include a new ‘almond’ trim colour and an updated Bluetooth system.

Source: AutoExpress

Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept – Black & Silver

Ford signed a $2.3 billion dollar deal with Tata Motors to sell Jaguar and Land Rover.

According to Automotive News, the deal is done. Today Ford signed a deal with India-based Tata Motors to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover brands for over $2.3 billion. Ford will supposedly announce the deal officially tomorrow (Wednesday), but sources close to the transaction say the receipt’s already been printed, so to speak. While details are scarce, AN does mention that Ford will pump around $598 million into the pension funds for each brand as it sends them on their way. We’re waiting to hear more details about how Ford will continue to supply engines and components for these vehicles, for how long and how much. Right now, however, mum’s the word, as the Blue Oval has only said that, “our first responsibility is to communicate with our employees.” Sorry if they heard it here first, but then again, they should be working now, not reading Autoblog. Right? Right.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

The stylish Land Rover LRX is slated for production according to some reports. The LRX will target BMW X1 and Audi Q5 with eco-friendly engine options.

As reported by Autoblog:

We’re big fans of the Land Rover LRX concept’s styling, which looked as good in black (unveiled in Geneva) as it did in the original white (unveiled in Detroit). So we’re suitably pleased by reports that Land Rover is preparing to build the vehicle, which could get the nameplate Freelander Sport in keeping with the nomenclature already set in place by the Range Rover Sport.

The production LRX would target the likes of the upcoming BMW X1 and Audi Q5 (and potentially the Porsche Roxster), while offering a range of eco-friendly engine options that help Land Rover reduce its overall environmental impact. Such powertrain possibilities could include a 2.2-liter diesel and 3.2-liter gasoline inline-six with the potential for start-stop technology and even a hybrid system. Although the Freelander Sport would be oriented towards on-road driving dynamics, we wouldn’t expect it to compromise the brand’s legendary off-road prowess as much as recent offerings from Jeep. Reports place the production LRX on the road as early as 2010, and we hope much of the show car’s dramatic styling would remain in place as the Land Rover rides the rocky road from concept to production.

Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept – Black & Silver

Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept – White

[Source: Auto Express]

Originally by Noah Joseph from Autoblog on March 19, 2008, 2:27am