LandRover

2011 Land Rover LRX to Debut at Paris Motor Show

Production 2011 Land Rover LRX rendering – Click above to enlarge

Is the world ready for a kinder, gentler Sport Utility Vehicle? Land Rover is betting on it, and the rugged British off-road brand will reportedly debut its hotly anticipated LRX at the Paris Motor Show later this year. Shortly thereafter, the production LRX will make its North American debut in LA. According to Automotive News, the LRX will go on sale in the third quarter of 2011.

We first saw the LRX Concept at the 2008 edition of the Detroit Auto Show, where it was generally well received by both the press and the showgoing public. The LRX is expected to be Land Rover's most efficient model and is likely to be offered with some sort of hybrid powertrain.

Late last year, Autocar reported that Land Rover's first hybrid drivetrain would include a 3.0-liter diesel V6 engine mated up to a 25kW electric motor. The system would be a full parallel hybrid, meaning it could operate on any combination of gasoline or electricity using its onboard lithium ion battery pack.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req'd]

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The Classicist: Celebrating the Best of the Season

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Shoes, Books, Men's Style, The Classicist

As we head inexorably into winter here on the East Coast, it's time for The Classicist to take a look back, raise a glass and celebrate the best of the season. Perhaps you're looking for a last-minute gift for the holidays or just want to treat yourself once the dust settles. Here's our rundown of seasonal favorites, some we've mentioned before and others appearing for the first time. See the gallery for full pix:

1. Barbour Dunelm jacket: A slimmed down version of the classic foul weather parka style jacket in signature waxed cotton with an attached hood, utility pockets and a two way zip under a studded-front storm flap, from the classic British outerwear company. Founded in 1894 and holders of the Royal Warrant, they've opened a new chapter in classic sporting style with updated designs.

2. LINCS by David Chu cardigan: From Chu's new collection of clothing for the "gentleman adventurer", a weighty cashmere cardigan in a heathery loden weave with a leather buckle at the collar and suede trim under the placket. The epitome of Chu's classic and rugged yet elegant ethos.

3. Ralph Lauren tartan duffel: Part of Lauren's luxe new Holiday Collection, rooted in the spirit of 1930's Sun Valley, the famous Idaho ski resort frequented by socialites and celebrities. Tartan plaid wool with saddle leather trim embodies wintry sophistication.

4. Wolverine Gentry Upland boots: From the 125-year-old company's new vintage-inspired 1000 Mile Collection, finished in rough full-grain leather with loden Pendleton wool inserts and lug soles. Equally at home in the field or on the town.

5. Caesar Guerini Apex shotgun: The rich heritage of fine Italian shotgun makers meets British lines and classic style in the Apex field and sporting models, blending beauty - Oiled Turkish Circassian walnut stock and intricate engraving - with performance and lasting value.

Gallery: The Classicist: Best of Fall / Winter '09

Tags: Barbour, Caesar Guerini, CaesarGuerini, David Chu, DavidChu, Land Rover, LandRover, laphroaig, LINCS, Project X, ProjectX, Ralph Lauren, RalphLauren, Range Rover, RangeRover, Rolex, Scotch, shotgun, sporting, The Classicist, The Equinox, TheClassicist, TheEquinox, Wolverine

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The Classicist: Rambling in the 2010 Range Rover Sport

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

The Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly upper class British sporting aesthetic, as quintessentially English and aristocratic as the country houses dotting the verdant landscape. The luxe SUV was introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948. The preferred country conveyance of Prince Charles and his kin, the marque continues to dominate the upper end of the SUV spectrum in the UK and abroad despite having passed out of British hands.

For 2010 the Range Rover and its rakish younger sibling, the Range Rover Sport, were treated to a makeover encompassing several significant engineering and design upgrades. We had a chance to ramble 'round the scenic byways of Vermont recently in the latter. At 375 hp, the normally aspirated Sport model has nearly the same power as the previous year's supercharged version, capable of 0 - 60 mph in 7.2 seconds (just 0.1 seconds off the pace of the outgoing supercharged unit).

The Sport's smooth, refined, responsive performance and good looks mark it as a thoroughbred in all respects. For 2010 the exterior has a somewhat cleaner, more sculpted appearance. LED headlamps combine with a new two-bar grille, front bumpers and fenders to create a more sporting, aerodynamic, low-slung stance. At the rear, new light clusters and a revised bumper design mirror the smoother front-end. The interior has been comprehensively redesigned as well, using higher quality materials and finishes.

Gallery: 2010 Range Rover Sport

Leather is used extensively on major surfaces, in a wider choice of colors. To create a more sporting feel, rich dark shades "sandwich" narrow sections in lighter tones, completed by a generous selection of stylish wood finishes. There are luxurious new seats front and rear, which feature a deeper, more sculpted shape. A new adaptive sport mode provides more aggressive shift points and "learns" an individual driver's style to provide more appropriate responses to throttle inputs. The supercharged model now comes with F1-style paddle shifters on the steering wheel as well.

The fascia-mounted touch-screen system houses a new hard-drive navigation system while a new portable audio interface also allows connectivity to an array of personal audio storage devices, USB sticks and iPods. A new Surround Camera System features five digital cameras which relay a near 360-degree view to the touch-screen display. You can even zoom in. And one of our favorite new features is the automatic High Beam Assist technology, which turns them on and off as needed, detecting preceding and approaching traffic. Perfect for those country roads at night.

Tags: British royalty, BritishRoyalty, Land Rover, LandRover, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, Range Rover, RangeRover, sporting, SUV, UK

Range Rover Sport Autobiography Edition Comes Stateside

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It was a long time ago, but once upon a time the Range Rover was the be-all-and-end-all when it came to luxury sport-utility vehicles. Since then, every premium automaker and its cousin has gotten into the luxo-SUV game, but the Range Rover isn't about to yield the high ground it's held for so long. Hence the Autobiography edition.

The top-of-the-line version of the avant-garde Range Rover Sport has been on sale for a few months now in overseas markets, but has made its North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The package includes special touches to the interior and exterior, from the 20" wheels and roof spoiler to the two-tone leather upholstery and special wood trim. They'll only be 250 examples on offer, commanding a princely $88,545 – about $14k over the standard Range Rover Sport – but then you can hardly put a price on exclusivity.

Gallery: 2009 LA Auto Show: Range Rover Sport Autobiography

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The Classicist: The Equinox, Updating An American Icon in Vermont

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

Presiding over the picturesque Vermont village of Manchester, The Equinox has played host to the well-heeled and well-traveled for nearly 250 years. Established in 1769, the archetypal grand old New England hotel has served as a meeting place for the fathers of the American Revolution and hosted American presidents including Taft, Grant, Harrison and Teddy Roosevelt. Now part of the Luxury Collection, the iconic 195-room resort recently underwent a $20 million restoration, adding luxury amenities, luxe accommodations, and a new restaurant and bar to update an American icon and uphold its legacy going forward.

Designer Geoffrey Bradfield was put in charge of the redecoration, and fitted out the new guestrooms with a muted palette of slate blue, dark brown and beige accented with hand-carved furniture. One wall of each guest room features a large black and white photograph of The Equinox from the early 1900's. Custom-made beds, marble vanities, dramatic floor length curtains and plush leather armchairs add the finishing touches. The lobby seating areas and library, both with fireplaces, have also been spruced up.

The Falcon Bar and Chop House are the new additions to the drinking and dining scene. The Falcon Bar features French doors opening onto a terrace with incredible mountain vistas and an open-air fire pit. Inside there's dark wood paneling and plush leather chairs, as well as an extensive collection of single malt Scotch and a comprehensive wine list. There's also a menu of locally sourced cheeses and gourmet chocolates. The Chop House, located at the original site of The Equinox House Hotel built by Franklin Orvis in 1853, features the original stone hearth and is designed in the manner of a refined hunter's lodge complementing the gourmet steak house fare. Leather banquettes and rugged palette are accented by old hardwood floors.

Gallery: The Equinox, Manchester

The adjacent Marsh Tavern, which has been the favorite watering hole of presidents since 1769, has been given a new menu of sophisticated, New England-style cuisine full of nostalgic flavors and simple, farm fresh ingredients. The bar specializes in an extensive selection of beers and ales and features snacks such as pretzels served with Raye's Mustard from Maine, the last stone ground mustard mill in the country. And of course there's lots to do besides eating and drinking: the indoor pool and spa, for starters.

The Equinox also offers the ultimate outdoor Vermont adventure experience with a variety of activities such as golf, falconry, archery, fly-fishing, shooting and Land Rover off-road driving. You can spend your morning maneuvering a Land Rover on rough terrain, midday practice your aim with recurve bows on the archery field, play golf on the lush course, and in the afternoon try field hunting alongside a majestic hawk, with some of the country's most scenic vistas as a backdrop.

Tags: Geoffrey Bradfield, GeoffreyBradfield, hotel, Land Rover, LandRover, Luxury Collection, LuxuryCollection, New England, NewEngland, The Equinox, TheEquinox, Vermont

Land Rover Confirms Small Range Rover for Production

by Jeremy Korzeniewski (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Production Land Rover LRX rendering - Click above to enlarge

Land Rover has today confirmed what we've long expected – that the popular LRX Concept from the 2008 edition of the Detroit Auto Show is headed for production. The British-born automaker doesn't actually say the new 'ute will be called the LRX when it hits the market in 2011, but it definitely will be wearing the Range Rover moniker and will therefore likely be marketed as a premium vehicle.

No details are given about the coupelike SUV's powertrain, but Land Rover does say the new vehicle "will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced." Previous reports have suggested the production LRX will share underpinnings with the LR2 (a.k.a. the Freelander) and will be offered with an optional all-wheel drive hybrid powertrain that may use an electric motor to power the rear wheels and a transverse engine underhood driving the front wheels.

Judging from the lone rendering released with this announcement, the basic shape from the LRX Concept should survive mostly intact, perhaps gaining a slightly more pronounced front fascia to go along with the production-necessary external door handles. Expect more details to filter out at the beginning of 2010, but in the meantime, click past the break for the press release.

Tags: land rover, land rover lrx, land rover range rover, land rover range rover lrx, LandRover, LandRoverLrx, LandRoverRangeRover, LandRoverRangeRoverLrx, lrx, lrx concept, LrxConcept, range rover, range rover lrx, RangeRover, RangeRoverLrx

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Land Rover Unveils Special Fire & Ice Edition Defenders

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Those looking for a hard-core, bare-bones off-roader have always had the Land Rover Defender to turn to. The same basic design has been hand-assembled at Land Rover's factory in the UK for over sixty years, equipped with only the features needed to make it across the Sahara or over the next mountain. But with the Fire & Ice editions, Land Rover has given the Defender all the luxury touches customers have come to expect from their SUVs. The interior is wrapped in leather and Alcantara suede, the seats have been replaced by Recaro buckets, there's a glass sunroof, alloy wheels, body-colored headlamp housings and more. The Fire edition features a special Vesuvius Orange metallic paint, the Ice edition in Alaska white, both of which are contrasted by Santorini black hoods, roofs and other accents. Only 850 examples will be produced at €68,400 ($95,000) and distributed across Europe, China and South Africa.

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Tags: fire and ice, fire ice, FireAndIce, FireIce, land rover, land rover defender, land rover defender fire, land rover defender fire and ice, land rover defender ice, land rover defender special edition, land rover fire and ice, land rover special edition, LandRover, LandRoverDefender, LandRoverDefenderFire, LandRoverDefenderFireAndIce, LandRoverDefenderIce, LandRoverDefenderSpecialEdition, LandRoverFireAndIce, LandRoverSpecialEdition

Dubai Debuts Desert Palm Nations Polo Cup

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports

Earlier this week we told you about Land Rover's polo team sporting in the snow in Aspen. Now the British auto maker has signed on to sponsor the inaugural Desert Palm Nations Polo Tournament in Dubai this Friday. The event is designed to "highlight and celebrate Dubai's achievements in the sport of polo" and will also serve as the official launch of the Desert Palm, Dubai, a Per AQUUM Resort & Spa and "the first dedicated boutique polo spa resort in the world." Participating in Desert Palm Nations tournament and representing the UAE team, sponsored by Land Rover, will be Adolfo Cambiaso, the number one polo player in the world, who will also playing for the first time in the Middle East. The tournament is set to become an annual affair and a highlight of the social season.

Tags: Aspen, Desert Palm Nations Polo Tournament, DesertPalmNationsPoloTournament, Dubai, Equestrian, Land Rover, LandRover, Polo, UAE

The Classicist: The World of Snow Polo

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, The Classicist

Snow polo was first introduced in 1985 in Switzerland's swank St. Moritz, and caught on immediately among the bon ton. It's no surprise that swells in equally upscale Aspen, CO decided to stage their own snow polo tournament nine years ago, the only one of its kind in the United States. The ninth annual World Snow Polo Championships just took place there, and the Land Rover America's Polo Cup Team, fielded by the famed British auto marque and the luxurious St. Regis Aspen Resort, made a strong showing.

The Land Rover team - comprised of John Gobin at 8 goals, (one of the highest rated arena polo players in the world) at position 3; Doug Barnes at position 2, rated at 3 goals; and Team Captain Tareq Salahi at position 1, rated at 1 goal - usually plays on grass, and of course some changes to the game are required for playing on snow.

For one thing, the polo ponies are shod with special cleated shoes to provide better traction in the snow, and the ball is larger, lighter, and painted bright red to accommodate winter conditions. The Championship is a four-team elimination tournament comprised of local and international players mounted on Colorado-raised ponies; teams are comprised of three players and play consists of four seven-minute chukkers.

Gallery: Snow Polo

The game played on snow is every bit as dramatic, aristocratic and, of course, expensive as the original. In Aspen, the Land Rover America's Cup Polo Team played a dramatic match against the Roaring Fork Polo Team, scoring the winning goal in the final five seconds. Prizes were presented by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and model Michaele Salahi. The game has now become so popular it has even spread to the Middle East; a tournament was held in Iran in 2006 and it and will be played in Dubai next winter, no doubt on artificially created snow.

The Land Rover America's Polo Cup is the world's most prestigious and largest international televised charity grass polo sporting event. The Land Rover team will take the field at the America's World Cup on May 9th, 2009 at their host club, the Capitol Polo Club in Potomac, Maryland. The first polo match will feature the New York Empires vs. the Washington DC Patriots. The main polo match will be the World Cup, in which team USA will being challenged by Australia in a weekend featuring concerts, fashion shows, military exhibitions and a spectacular fireworks show said to rival the 4th of July.

Tags: Americas Polo Cup, AmericasPoloCup, Aspen, Colorado, Equestrian, Horses, Land Rover, LandRover, Polo, Snow polo, SnowPolo

Super-Yacht Inspired Range Rover Concepts

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos

Luxury yacht brokerage Edmiston has commissioned seven avant-garde marine designers to come up with a nautical-themed take on Land Rover's classic Range Rover. The entry shown here, by self-described "yacht design pioneer" Dickie Bannenberg, features wooden side panels and a tailgate that folds into a nautical-style wooden bench, complete with champagne holders, while the rear windshield converts into a sun visor to shade it. The winner of the design competition will be announced on Sept. 25th during the Monaco Yacht Show, one of the megayacht community's biggest annual events. Visitors to the show will be able to custom order a Range Rover in any of the seven designs, with a delivery time of three to six months and a price range of about $300,000 - $1.2 million.

[via Megayacht News]

Tags: Dickie Bannenberg, DickieBannenberg, Edmiston, Land Rover, LandRover, Monaco, Monaco Yacht Show, MonacoYachtShow, Range Rover, RangeRover, Yacht, Yachts

The Classicist: Land Rover Celebrates 60 Years at the Top

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, The Classicist

2008 is the 60th anniversary of storied British SUV manufacturer Land Rover, and to mark the occasion the company has embarked on a "Choice of Experts" tour showcasing its capabilities. The other day we caught up with them at the historic Astor Courts in Rhinebeck, N.Y, designed by Stanford White as a country retreat for John Jacob Astor IV in 1902. It was the perfect setting for a brand that has come to signify rugged elegance and luxurious rusticity, and while there we got the opportunity to drive a new Range Rover Sport on a hazardous off-road course that showed style and comfort needn't sacrifice anything in the way of practical ability.

We've owned both Land Rovers and Range Rovers over the years, and though these days we don't particularly miss pulling up to the gas pump we certainly pine for them whenever the weather turns particularly nasty or we're called upon to do even the slightest bit of off-roading, so it was something of a treat. Land Rover and especially the Range Rover is the automotive embodiment of a distinctly English aesthetic - regular readers of The Classicist will recognize this as a recurring motif - as portrayed in books like Bernhard Roetzel's British Tradition. The luxe Range Rover was first introduced in 1970, expanding upon the utilitarian Land Rover first designed by the Wilks Brothers in 1948.

The Queen of England drives a Range Rover in the country, and Prince Charles is a longtime enthusiast. His 1978 Range Rover was auctioned off on eBay in 2005. While out for sport in inclement weather he is said to have simply opened a special "huntsman" sunroof, stood on the back seat and poked his Asprey shotgun out to shoot from the comfort of the cabin. We can't say we've ever tried that maneuver and we daresay it isn't the sort of thing encouraged by the company these days. In any case there was unfortunately no shooting to be had at Astor Courts, only demonstrations about cooking and decorating and so forth, but such are the depredations of the modern era.

Gallery: Land Rover's 60th Anniversary

Tags: Asprey, Astor Courts, Astor family, AstorCourts, AstorFamily, G4 Challenge, G4Challenge, Land Rover, LandRover, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, Queen of England, QueenOfEngland, Range Rover, RangeRover, Rhinebeck, Stanford White, StanfordWhite, The Equinox, TheEquinox

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Luxury Car Sales Fall

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

So the economy has been taking a hit lately, but as a general rule the highest of high end products haven't really been affected -- apparently those with money up to their ears haven't been feeling the pinch, until now.

Numbers are streaming in from luxury car brands reporting serious sales drops this year from 2007 -- Jaguar sales fell by 52% (whoa!), BMW by 27%, Porsche by 13%, and Land Rover by 17%. Even Ferrari (surprisingly) reported a decline for this past January, although they claim the drop from last year was both planned and expected.

It will be interesting to see what the rest of 2008 brings for the luxury car market.

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Tags: auto, autos, BMW, economy, Ferrari, Jaguar, LandRover, luxury cars, LuxuryCars, Porsche, wheels

Like Luxury Cars? Hope You Can Afford Luxury Insurance

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Sure, it's nice to ogle cars in the 200 mph club, or even the 150 mph club, for that matter. But have you ever considered the costs of insuring such prized possessions?

Forbes has done a little study on the subject for us, and while we're not surprised to find that the pricier the vehicle, the pricier the insurance, we're shocked to see how much it really costs to insure these beasts. Check it out:

That Mercedes S-class you've been hot for? Try in excess of $22,500 per year, and this with just $500 deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverage, $100,000 each for personal and property coverage and $25,000 each for medical and uninsured coverage, according to Forbes. Considering the likely owner of the car will have assets far beyond what's listed there, we're talking a huge chunk of change.

According to Forbes, 20% of the price of luxury cars is a good rule of thumb. That means, however, that someone paying a low lease payment on a car like the Mercedes S-class will likely end up paying more to cover it than the actual monthly payment itself.

Other surprising numbers:

BMW M5 and M6: $18,548
Mercedes G-Class: $17,784
Jaguar XK: $16,154
Land Rover Range Rover: $16,042

The moral of the story? Check with your insurer before committing to buy a lease a car to be sure on overall costs.

[Source: Forbes]

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Tags: bmw, car insurance, CarInsurance, ferrari, insurance, land rover, LandRover, mercedes

The Top 10 High-Tech Luxury Cars

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to combining technology and luxury vehicles is doing it in a way that is user-friendly, because it's about convenience, fun, and safety -- not frustration. These luxury cars can do everything from play your mp3s and DVDs to adjust automatically to treacherous driving conditions and off-road terrain. And perhaps best of all, they look good doing it.

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Tags: audi, auto, autos, bmw, cadillac, car, cars, drive, ferrari, hi-tech, infinity, land rover, LandRover, lexus, mercedes, mercedes benz, MercedesBenz, porsche, tech, technology, top 10, top ten, Top10, TopTen, vehicle, volvo, wheels

Ford's Premiere Automotive Group Up For Grabs

by Erin Mays (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Ford Motor Company has begun shopping around its Premiere Automotive Group, consisting of Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo and formerly Aston Martin. The news comes as no surprise as rumors floated about indicating Ford's interest in selling pretty much anything in its stable at the right price, though this time around, the rumors are accompanied by news that Ford has retained Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to find a buyer.

Ford reportedly broke off talks with Fiat recently regarding the group, though now it appears that potential suitors include Renault, David Richards (new Aston owner), and David James, who acquired the rights to manufacture a car based on smart roadster components and designs.Rumors also abound regarding BMW's interest in Volvo as it seeks to add a fourth brand to its lineup, supplementing BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce.

[Source: AutoIndustry.co.uk]

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Tags: aston martin, AstonMartin, bmw, ford, jaguar, land rover, LandRover, mini, pag, smart, volvo