front-wheel-drive land rover

Land Rover Announces First-Ever Front-Wheel Drive and Hybrid Models

Production 2011 Land Rover LRX rendering – Click above to enlarge

When you think of Land Rover, it's likely that scenes of bushwacking and overland travels spring to mind, and perhaps more recently, some of the most luxurious sport utility vehicles in the world. But the times, they are a'changing, and Land Rover needs to improve the efficiency of its brand of vehicles just the same as every other automaker the world over.

Hence, it should probably come as little surprise that the famous British marque has announced both its first-ever front-wheel drive model and its first-ever production hybrid. It remains to be seen whether or not the automaker is able to bake any off-road capabilities into its upcoming small Range Rover, which most of the world knows as the LRX.

Land Rover says the front-wheel-drive compact Range Rover will go on sale in 2011 and claims it will be the lightest and most fuel efficient vehicle the company has ever offered. Following two years later will be a hybrid version of the same vehicle that will pair a 3.0-liter diesel engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a large electric motor capable of powering the vehicle for 20 miles using no fossil fuels at all.

[Source: Land Rover]

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