Land Rover Straightline Archives

Packing a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque promises better on-road performance than any Land and/or Range Rover before it while still maintaining strong capabilities off the beaten path. While our verdant Fontana, California, test site provides little opportunity to try out the latter on the 2012 North American Truck of the Year, its abundant pavement allowed us to see how this stylish, inspired-by-Posh-Spice SUV stacks up numbers-wise in the increasingly crowded luxury crossover segment.

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Categories: Crossovers,Land Rover

The Range Rover Evoque beat out such notable trucks as the BMW X3, Honda CR-V and Mini Countryman to win the coveted North American Truck of the Year award announced today at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

There was real competition this year in the car category, however, where the Audi A6/A7, Buick Verano, Chevy Sonic, Chrysler 300, Fiat 500, Hyundai Accent, Scion iQ, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Camry, VW Passat and more all fought for the top spot.

When the dust cleared it was the Hyundai Elantra that walked away with the win. Previously on Inside Line the Elantra won a comparison against the Cruze and Civic, but was handily bested by the 2012 Ford Focus Titanium in another test.

Categories: Chicago Auto Show,Hyundai,Land Rover

Yes, everybody knows that the Jeep Wrangler is a wonderful choice if you're hoping to travel where the off-road path takes you. But the Wrangler -- for all its rustic, bare-bones charm -- may not be the most amenable companion during the five days of the week that you spend enduring tedious workday commutes and gridlocked city traffic. 

That's where these four picks come in.

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Categories: Jeep,Land Rover,Nissan,Toyota

The 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year finalists have just been announced and there are few surprises.

A group of 50 automotive journalists have voted on cars which are "all new or substantially changed" and have narrowed it down to three cars and three "trucks." The finalists are...

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Categories: BMW,Detroit Auto Show,Ford,Honda,Hyundai,Land Rover,Volkswagen

We last saw the Defender concepts at the Frankfurt auto show just last month, where they started the conversation about bringing a new Defender to the world. Land Rover confirmed today that it does intend to launch a new Defender for the global market in 2015.

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Categories: Land Rover

European Correspondant Alistair Weaver is in our neck of the woods this week for the 2011 LA Auto Show. After sampling from the generous Edmunds HQ coffee bar and laughing at our colonial accents, he hit the nearby Santa Monica beach to drive the Land Rover DC100 Concept.

Teaser: What, did you expect an Alistair video to not have a babe in it?  

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Categories: LA Auto Show,Land Rover

MSN Cars is reporting that "inside sources" in England saw a Range Rover Evoque delivered to Pinewood Studios this week. As that is the traditional production home of the James Bond franchise, people immediately put two and two together and decided that the Evoque will be featured in next year's new James Bond movie likely to be titled "Skyfall."

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Categories: Land Rover

 The short list of finalists for the 2012 North American Car and Truck of the Year were announced today with only a few surprises.

For NACOTY we have: Audi A6, Audi A7, Buick Verano, Chevy Sonic, Fiat 500, Chrysler 300/SRT-8, Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Veloster, Kia Rio/Rio5, Scion iQ, Subaru Impreza, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius V, VW Beetle, VW Passat.

NATOTY isn't so simple and has the only surprise of the group with the addition of the Mini Countryman. Other entries in the truck field include the BMW X3, Honda CR-V, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Mini Countryman, Nissan Quest and the Saab 9-4X.

The top three in each field will be announced in December and the winners will be announced at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. I've got solid money in iQ / 9-4X, you?

Categories: Audi,BMW,Buick,Chevrolet,Ford,Honda,Hyundai,Kia,Land Rover,MINI,Mercedes-Benz,Nissan,Saab

Jaguar-Land Rover's in-house video department put the video together after the jump. It includes running footage of the C-X16, C-X75 and DC100 concepts (or possibly CG footage) as well as interesting insights from key J-LR executives.

Teaser: "Feast your eyes on this beauty ..." Um, you're introducing a car, not a show pony.

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Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Jaguar,Land Rover

It's not every day Land Rover redesigns the Defender. Actually, it's not even every decade, or century for that matter. As such, the DC100 Concept is a very big deal, as it's Land Rover's first damp finger stuck into the air intended to gauge interest on one possible direction. But why read a Canadian's thoughts when you can hear an honest-to-god Brit's? Follow the jump for Alistair Weaver.

Teaser: "If you've waited 60 years to do it, you might as well do it right."

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Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Land Rover

It was no secret that Land Rover was unveiling a concept in Frankfurt for its future Defender, but the second Defender concept that pulled out onto the show stand was a surprise.

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Categories: Concept Vehicles,Frankfurt Auto Show,Land Rover,SUVs

What happens when a Bronco II, an FJ Cruiser and a Range Rover Evoque get too friendly? This happens. This is the Land Rover DC100 concept that could be the replacement for the Land Rover Defender in 2015. Could being the key word there...

"This concept is designed to stimulate debate. We are committed to a Defender replacement, but this concept will help us to understand what direction it must take." said a Land Rover spokesperson.

We have to wait until the Frankfurt Auto show to hear more about the DC100. Until then, we'll simply have to indulge them and discuss whether or not this is the direction the Defender should take. Do we really need another luxury soft-roader on 20s?

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Categories: Frankfurt Auto Show,Land Rover,SUVs

During our first drive of the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque our man across the pond, Alistair Weaver, said it's "A stylish, well-executed, compact SUV that's too small to do anything but look good."

He also said a number of other interesting things. But if you're in the tl;dr crowd you missed out, so here's our video review. Watch Alistair drive the stylish new Evoque around a side of the world you rarely see here on Inside Line. (And as you watch, keep in mind that AW is in the 6'4" - 6'5" ish neighborhood...when he says there's headroom, there's headroom.)

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Categories: Land Rover,SUVs

 Land Rover is hard at work on the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover and the proof is in this aerodynamically challenged prototype just spotted testing. The new truck looks remarkably similar to the one it replaces, although we look to have thicker C and D pillars while still maintaining the near-pillarless look of Range Rovers. The windshield is also more swept back for a sportier, more wind-friendly design.

Rumors on the new, fully-redesigned Range Rover have been flying fast and furious for months now but two persist. The first is that the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover will use aluminum for the chassis and the bodywork (Thanks, Jaguar!) shedding something like 20% of the current truck's weight. There are emissions and fuel economy standards to worry about after all. The second, and more fun rumor, is that the new RR will be powered by a hybrid powertrain. And not just any powertrain, but a Volt-like plug-in, extended range hybrid system.

If you consider how many of these you see in urban/suburban Los Angeles that rarely travel more than 20 miles in a trip, a PHEV seems just the thing. And really, shouldn't we be focusing on the big things for big gains instead of small cars for small gains?

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Categories: Land Rover,SUVs,Spy Photos

It's usually only a matter of days between the moment that a carmaker announces pricing on a vehicle and when the online configurator drops, and that holds true for the Range Rover Evoque. The RR Evoque was officially priced from $43,995 late last week and today, you can build your Beckham-inspired luxury CUV all the way up to $63K. At least, that's the highest I could manage.

Stil, not chump change, and call me American for this, pretty expensive for something with just a 2.0.

Categories: Crossovers,Land Rover

Land Rover released pricing today on the Victoria Beckham-pimped, 28-mpg 2012 Range Rover Evoque: $43,995 for a five-door Evoque and $44,995 for the coupe.

Land Rover is selling this as the lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever and with an EPA rating of 19/28 and a weight of only 3,680 lbs, they've managed that target easily. Credit the use of aluminum, Boron/high strength steel, polymer and composites as well as some 35 pounds of recycled plastics for the low weight. Recycled plastic can be found in the headliner, center console, wheel arch liners, air cleaner, cooling fan and shroud, air ducting, side under trays, parcel shelf and engine cover while recycled aluminum is on the center console and dashboard.

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Categories: Crossovers,Land Rover

Tired of that clattery old diesel engine scaring the crap out of unsuspecting water buffalo? Well, a private game park in South Africa was, so they asked if Land Rover wouldn't mind coming up with an electric-powered safari tourist truck. Jaguar Land Rover South Africa obliged, and with the help of Barker Performance Products and battery manufacturer Axeon, came up with the Electric Defender Game Viewer Concept.

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Categories: Land Rover

Land Rover's new "You'll Feel Safe Inside" campaign features a pathological liar and his confessions. Watch it. Does this ad do anything for you besides elicit a few laughs?

Also, dude, this is what texts are for. Texts or a G55 AMG. 

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Categories: Land Rover,SUVs

 Riding under that incredibly familiar body is the next generation Range Rover due out in 2012 that will, in 2013, spawn an hybrid version followed in 2014 by a range-extender hybrid. Think giant luxury Volt.

The 2012 Range Rover will be the start of a top-down strategy for hybrid implementation as the larger models are "where the greatest consumption gains are to be made" said John Edwards, Global Brand Director. Surprisingly, though, there are no plans to hybridize the Evoque, the city-going family member made for the image-conscious. Go figure.

Read the full story here.

Categories: Hybrids,Land Rover,SUVs

When the 2012 Range Rover Evoque goes on sale in the U.K. in September it will carry a base price of, wait for it, $45,375. That gets you an eD4 Pure five-door two-wheel drive with a six-speed manual which has a 148-horsepower 2.2-liter diesel engine. 

Upgrade to the dynamic coupe SD4 -- with automatic and AWD -- and you're looking at an additional 11,000 Pounds -- not dollars. And that's before any options. Like colors. It appears that Fuji White is the only color without an additional fee. 

Pricing in the US is expected to start at $45,000. You don't get the services of Victoria Beckham cheap. 

Configure your own UK version here. (mine rang up 49,280 pounds before I ran away)

Categories: Crossovers,Land Rover