A staple of British design and automotive engineering, Land Rover Defender, is being outsourced. The next generation model, which the company states will be absed off their DC100 concept, will be produced in Pune, India.

This variant won’t be on sale until late 2014 as a 2015 model. The move will apparently reduce costs while putting production closer to markets where the model is still popular. Despite the change, some vehicles could be sent back to Europe for final assembly.

Other rumors suggest 2015′s Defender could be carried on the T5 chassis, which underpins LR4 Discovery, as well as Range Rover Sport. Styling will be heavily influenced by the DC100 concepts, however.

Source: WCF

Tire manufacturer Marangoni, based out of Italy, has their very own take on the 2012 Range Rover Evoque – and the ladies love it. Premiering at the Bologna Motor Show, this model will include ruby red Marangoni M-Power tires (255/30R20 size), wrapped around Oz Racing Dakar 8.5×20 rims.

The Marangoni Evoque HFI-R (Hybrid Fuel Injection) also includes the “HFI” Hybrid Fuel Injection dual-fuel system:

“Using the base 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine, power output has been increased from the standard 237 bhp (177 kW / 240 PS) to 296 bhp (221 kW / 300 PS) via an upgraded turbocharger, larger stainless steel exhaust and carbon fiber air box.”

Evoque HFI-R’s range is 621 miles, thanks to a mix of hydrogen and natural gas. The vehicle can also travel on natural gas only, due to its separate tank. Further specifications will come after the Italian auto show.

Source: WorldCarFans

It was feared that the niche Defender would go the way of the Dodo bird by 2012, but that is not the case. The auto maker reports their Defender range is likely to continue until 2017, or maybe later. An entirely new Defender design will replace its current model in 2015.

A shorter wheel-based Defender, called DC100, was previewed at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This, along with longer 110 and 130 variants, will include a 2.2-liter diesel engine.

“There are a number of changes to the legislation that mean we can keep the current Defender in production longer than we thought,” said a Land Rover source. We’ll keep you posted on all the latest from land Rover, and congrats to all the Defender lovers out there!

Source: AutoCar

Also known as the Land Rover DC100 concept, this is the official preview of the upcoming next-generation Defender, scheduled for release in 2015. It will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.

According to Land Rover’s director of design, Gerry McGovern: “Replacing the iconic Defender is one of the biggest challenges in the automotive design world; it is a car that inspires people worldwide. This isn’t a production-ready concept but the beginning of a four-year journey to design a relevant Defender for the 21st century.”

Source: WCF

That price is for the 5-door variant. Add $1000, and you have your official Range Rover Evoque 3-door cost. Currently, the vehicle has an EPA rating of 19 miles per gallon in the city, 28 on the highway. It will come to dealership lots later this year.

In an interview with Inside Line, Land Rover’s Global Brand Director John Edwards revealed the auto maker will follow a top-down hybrid strategy, focusing on larger models “where the greatest consumption gains are to be made.”

The redesigned Land Rover Range Rover is set to be offered with a hybrid power plant in 2013. The following year, Land Rover will introduce a plug-in electric car, which will likely feature lithium-ion batteries and a small engine that acts as a generator.

The hybrid powertrains will use gasoline engines instead of the more efficient diesel setup teased in the Range_e concept. Vehicle specifics haven’t been finalized, Edwards added there are “currently no plans” for an Evoque hybrid in the US or UK.

Via: WCF

Three engine options are available: a 2.2-liter turbodiesel in 148bhp or 187bhp, and a 236bhp 2.0-liter turbocharged gas unit.

Land Rover predicts that the more economical of the turbodiesels will emit less than 130g/km of CO2 in two-wheel drive manual form.

The five-door Evoque is roomier than the coupe, with a 30mm higher roofline, but as an illustration of Land Rover’s strategy for the car the range-topping model will still be the coupe, at £44,320 ($62,800 USD) for the Si4 Dynamic with six-speed auto and LUX pack.

Source: Auto Car

LR4 comes with a 375-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-8 engine producing 375 pounds-feet of torque and is matted to a six-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive is standard, as it is on most Land Rover models. LR4 also has the company’s “Terrain Response system” – it allows the driver to change a vehicle’s characteristics, adapting to various driving conditions including mud, snow, and pavement.

Land Rover’s LR4 has a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds, payload topping out at 1,670 pounds. This puts the luxury auto ahead of most of its competition. Fuel economy is a bit of a downside, however – 12 mpg in the city and 17 highway. LR4 comes standard with 19-inch wheels with 20-inch ones optional. Halogen headlights are also standard, with bi-xenon units are offered if you want that high-tech look.

LR4′s height can be adjusted too, by using electronic air suspension if you require ground clearance – along with a hill start assist and hill descent feature. Land Rover says this gives “electronic assistance when navigating tough and slippery terrain.”

Inside, there’s plenty of luxury: heated leather seats and a heated steering wheel, door inserts and center console trim pieces made of straight-grained walnut wood and a 240-watt Harman Kardon audio system with nine speakers and an auxiliary input.

Need more? You can opt for a 480-watt Harman Kardon stereo with 14 speakers, or a HD and satellite radio, navigation system, and a DVD entertainment system. Land Rover adds wireless cell-phone links standard for 2011. The LR4 comes in from $48,000 to almost $60,000.

Source: Atlanta Auto Beat

The limited edition also features its own set of gloss-black 16-inch alloy wheels in a Saw Tooth design. For the interior is a leather finish in Ebony with leather side bolsters for the seats.

Under the hood is the standard 2.4 liter diesel unit with 122 bhp and 266 lb-ft of torque. The 2011 Defender X-Tech was introduced at the Brussels Motor Show on January 10th.

Source: WCF

The car is called a 2010 Range Rover Autobiography, and was presented to Top Gear star Jeremy Clarkson on behalf of charity ‘Help for Heroes.’ The 2010 Range Rover will be auctioned off in an effort to raise upwards of $140,000 in order to provide assistance to wounded service people, as well as their families.

According to Land Rover’s Managing Director Phil Popham, “Land Rover is very proud to support the Help for Heroes charity by donating the one millionth Range Rover. Everyone involved in Land Rover – from the management, to the employees at Solihull, to the original Range Rover team – will be happy we’re able to mark this landmark occasion in such a way after the 40 years of producing this iconic vehicle.”

Source | World Car Fans