Land Rover to Premiere Range E Diesel-Electric Plug-in Hybrid at Geneva Show

The new Land Rover Range_e diesel-electric plug-in prototype that was first teased back in May, 2010, will make its motor show debut at next month's Geneva Salon. The Range_e is said to be one of several working prototypes currently being developed at Land Rover's design and engineering centre in the UK. It is based on the Range Rover Sport model and features a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine with an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission mated to an, as-of-yet unspecified, electric motor and battery pack.

The British automaker said the all-wheel drive prototype can run purely on electricity for up to a distance of 20 miles or approximately 32 kilometers and emits as low as 89g/km of CO2. The Range_e also has a top speed of 120 mph or 193 km/h and a combined driving range of 690 miles or 1,110 kilometers.

The Range_e will be joined at Land Rover's Geneva Motor Show stand by two new Limited Editions, the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate and the 2011 Discovery 4 'Landmark' with Black and White themes.

Land Rover added that it will also be announcing full European pricing (excluding UK) for the new Range Rover Evoque in both 3- and 5-door forms, and will also showing a comprehensive range of accessories and options for the vehicle.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director said: "Customers like to make their own unique statement with a vehicle and we have provided individuals with lots of opportunity to personalise their new Range Rover Evoque, whilst maintaining the essence of the design."

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Jaguar Reportedly Looking into the SUV Segment

According to UK magazine Autocar, Jaguar is considering the development of a crossover / SUV model, presumably to boost sales in Europe and the North America. While creating internal competition for Land Rover models, such as the Evoque, doesn�t sound like a good idea, the project has the backing of Jaguar boss Adrian Hallmark.

�We need a crossover and we need to stop being a saloon-based company�, he told Autocar. This gives the news some credibility, otherwise we might have been tempted to dismiss it as an empty rumor.

But what could determine Jaguar to make such a move? The first thing that comes to mind is economy of scale. Creating an entry-level crossover � if that�s what Jaguar aims for � wouldn�t cost the British automaker an arm and a leg. The Evoque can provide the base, at minimal expense.

With this out of the way, the problem of positioning the new model remains. The alleged Jaguar crossover would cost more and we're not sure if customers will be willing to fork out the extra cash. On the other hand, pricing it as a comparable Land Rover model would create unwanted internal competition.

However, there are success stories of once niche-manufactures embracing the crossover/SUV hype, most notably Porsche with the Cayenne. When it hit the market, much to the dismay of Porsche purists, no one predicted just how important the SUV would become for the German maker.

Today, the bulk of Porsche sales are made up by the Cayenne and, who knows, that could also be the case with Jaguar.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Autocar

Project Kahn Teases Ranger Rover Evoque Cosworth

Land Rover's newcomer won't be arriving in dealerships before the second half of 2011, yet the tuning industry is already rubbing its hands and making plans for the development of numerous sport packages for the Range Rover-badged Evoque. Project Kahn, known for its tinkered Land Rover proposals, has released this single teaser image of the Evoque 5d along with the information that the compact SUV will be powered by a Cosworth-prepped engine.

Apart from that, the British tuner didn't reveal anything else about the model, though it's probably safe to assume that Cosworth will work on the 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, which delivers 240-horsepower in stock form.

Source: Project Kahn , Via: Autoblog.nl

VIDEO: New Range Rover Evoque 5-Door Launch Film

Now that Land Rover has unleashed most of the details surrounding its new Range Rover Evoque 5-door, the British company is turning its attention on promoting the crossover model to the social media. Beginning from Wednesday, December 1st, the automaker will share a new animated film of the five-door Evoque on its official social media pages including Facebook. For those curious enough (or bored...) to want to take a look, follow the break for the official clip.

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Range Rover Evoque 5-Door Blasts into LA Show

Following the presentation of the three-door model earlier this year, the five-door version of the all-new Range Rover Evoque made its global public debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. Despite the added practicality and -according to Land Rover- slightly more spacious cabin, the 5-door Evoque looks as good as it's three-door sibling.

"The addition of the five-door to the Range Rover Evoque line-up extends the appeal of our brand still further," said Land Rover's Managing Director Phil Popham. "While retaining everything that's great about the Range Rover Evoque coupe, this new five-door bodystyle will offer customers even more choice, greater versatility and flexibility."

The new 5d model measures 1.18 inches (30mm) taller than the so-called coupe model offering more headroom, while rear seat passengers also benefit from over 1.97 inches (50mm) more shoulder room. When required, the Evoque's luggage capacity can be expanded to a considerable 51 cubic ft (1445 liters) with the rear seats folded down.

While European buyers will get the option of diesel powerplants, here in the U.S. the Evoque 5d will be offered exclusively with a 2.0-liter Si4 gasoline engine that combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing, for an output of 240bhp and a 0-60 mph [96 km/h] sprint time of 7.1 seconds.

At launch, U.S. models will come fitted with standard permanent all-wheel-drive with the Land Rover Terrain Response system and a six-speed auto transmission.

North American deliveries will begin from Fall 2011 with indicative pricing starting from around $45,000.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

VIDEO: New Range Rover Evoque 5-Door Previewed on Film

The wait for the five-door version of the promising Range Rover Evoque soft roader is almost over as in less than a week's time, we'll see the SUV up close at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Following yesterday's detailed photo presentation, we now have the first video footage of the Evoque, which will hit U.S. dealerships next fall with a 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot petrol and a starting price of around $45,000.

In most of Europe, the Evoque will go on sale earlier in summer of 2011, with powertain options including a pair of diesel engines as well as the 2.0-liter turbo petrol. At least in the UK, France, Italy and Portugal, the base Evoque 5d with front wheel drive will start at around �35,000. Watch the two films after the jump.

_______________________________VIDEO_______________________________

Land Rover fully reveals 5-Door Range Rover Evoque before LA Show debut [20 Photos]

After teasing us at the end of September with a single photo, Land Rover today came out with more details and a full image gallery of the 5-door version of the Range Rover Evoque ahead of its global debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, on November 17.

The Evoque Coupe's five-door sibling combines the same bold design, first seen on the Land Rover Concept Car, with increased space and more practicality.

"While retaining everything that's great about the Range Rover Evoque coup�, this new 5-Door bodystyle will offer customers even more choice, greater practicality, versatility and flexibility" said Land Rover's Managing Director Phil Popham.

Design-wise, the rising beltline and muscular look are still there, but the 5-door has a slightly higher roof, as it's 30 mm taller than the coupe. Even though the overall length and width remained the same, Land Rover's designers managed to offer 50mm (2 inches) more shoulder room for the rear seat passengers, alongside ample headroom.

Opting for a full-sized glass panoramic roof, which lets plenty of natural light through, can further enhance the sensation of space.

The Evoque will offer customers the ability to specify premium leather packages, which can cover almost any surface of the interior. Furthermore, it gets 60/40 folding seat squabs with ISOFIX child seat mounts and, when required, luggage capacity can be expanded to a decent 1,445 liters.

Most of the SUV's functions can be controlled by using an intuitive touch-screen display, available with dual-view technology, so that driver and passenger can access separate functions or content at the same time. Integrated Bluetooth and a range of USB and auxiliary inputs are also available.

There's also a new, high-end sound system from Meridian, which offers 17 speakers for a total of 825 W of surround-sound performance.

Underneath the sheetmetal, the Evoque can be equipped with the optional Adaptive Dynamics System with MagneRide that promises to offer a better balance between handling and ride quality, while the company's signature Terrain Response manages the full-time four-wheel-drive system in off-road conditions. The Evoque is also the first Range Rover to offer a front-wheel drive option.

The turbocharged powertrain line-up is shared with the Coupe and consists of modern petrol and diesel engines, said to offer "four-cylinder efficiency with six-cylinder refinement and power".

Diesel variants will make up the bulk of sales in Europe, so it's no surprise that the 2.2-liter unit has two derivatives, with 150 hp (112 kW) and 190 hp (142 kW).

The lonely 2.0-liter petrol unit combines turbocharging with direct fuel injection and twin variable valve timing to produce a very respectable 240 hp or 179 kW.

The 5-door Range Rover Evoque will go on sale in more than 160 countries starting from summer 2011 with a base price of �30,000 in the UK, and from US$45,000 in the US. More details (performance figures, photos, etc.) are likely to emerge during next week's LA Auto Show.

By Csaba Daradics

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________