These four incredible parkour athletes demonstrate the all-terrain, go anywhere capabilities of Land Rover vehicles!

Land Rover’s Design Director Gerry McGovern Wins British Luxury Design Talent Award

Land Rover's Design Director and Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern has won the British Luxury Design Talent award at the prestigious Walpole Awards for Excellence 2012.

The awards honour individuals and companies who exemplify British excellence by their work in the luxury sector in the UK and internationally.  The British Luxury Design Talent Award is presented to the company or individual that has maintained the highest standard of British Design Talent through innovation, design and quality product in 2012.

Receiving the award, Gerry McGovern said: "It's a great honour to receive such a prestigious accolade and my thanks go to Walpole.  Design is a collaborative effort and this award recognises the achievements of our multi-talented design team.

"Land Rover is an iconic British brand that's going from strength to strength.  Since its launch the Range Rover Evoque has captured imaginations the world over and contributed massively to our business success.  The recently launched all-new Range Rover is the next step in realising our design vision and it's already receiving resounding critical acclaim from all over the world."

A highlight in the British luxury calendar, the Walpole Awards for Excellence took place last night in London, with a panel of 60 illustrious judges deciding on winners across 10 categories.  Previous winners include Alexander McQueen, Victoria Beckham, the Royal Opera House and many others from the world of British luxury.

Courtesy of Land Rover 

New Land Rover Ambassador Kenton Cool On Top Of The World!

Kenton Cool, one of the world's most accomplished mountaineers, is partnering with Land Rover as the latest ambassador for the brand. His exceptional climbing feats and ground breaking use of latest technologies are perfectly in tune with the Above and Beyond spirit of adventure that is part of the Land Rover ethos.

Cool takes on this role as preparations for his next major expedition reach their final stages. At the end of April he will return to Everest with a mission to be the first person to host a Google Hang-out live call from the summit. Cool is no stranger to what is one of the remotest and challenging places on the planet; this will be his 11th Everest climb.

Land Rover has supported Cool in this current ambition by providing a Range Rover Evoque as the support vehicle for him and his team, taking them to the ice climbing training region in Arctic Norway earlier this year. 

The Range Rover Evoque proved its mettle in near blizzard treacherous conditions, as Cool explained: "As part of the team's training we went to the Lyngen Alps, Norway with the intention to climb previously unchartered routes, which were by their very nature off the beaten track. The Range Rover Evoque truly came into its own. By using the Terrain Response^® snow and gravel mode I had the confidence to go as close to the edge of the mountain as possible enabling the team to make the most of the short daylight hours to climb. This is critical in our preparation plans to conquer Everest. 

"The studded tyres gripped like spilt honey does to the floor, and no amount of playing with the wheel and controls could get the car to lose traction for more than an instant. At the end of each day the team were exhausted, having climbed for hours in temperatures of -15^oC. Returning to the Evoque was such a welcome sight, extremely comfortable and easily coping with four exhausted climbers loaded with ice climbing kit. It really was a site for sore eyes."

Cool adds: "I have to admit that the team did fight over who would drive, especially when I let slip about the heated steering wheel. Ice climbing can be brutal on the fingers, climbers call it 'Hot Aches', a searing pain that occurs when the fingers get seriously cold then warm up, wrapping cold hands around the heated steering wheel was heaven.

"However, one of the best things about the Range Rover Evoque was the panoramic glass roof which enabled us to catch our first glimpse of the Northern Lights. I had never experienced the Lights before and we watched this spectacular show from the best seat in the world." 

Mark Cameron, Land Rover Brand Experience Director, Global Marketing said: "We are delighted to have Kenton Cool as an ambassador for Land Rover, his skill, bravery and amazing achievements are a great reflection of the kind of spirit that is at the heart of our brand.

"His latest plan to host a Google Hang-out on the peak of Everest adds an extra dimension to the climb that promises to engage thousands of people around the world using the latest communications technology. Land Rover is delighted to be able to support him in this great adventure."

Courtesy of: Land Rover Media 

Here's your weekly maintenance tip to make those summer road trips a breeze.

Change Air Filters

All the air filters in your vehicle should be replaced at least twice a year. This means the one under the hood and any cabin air filters you may have. Replacing the air filters makes sure that not only your engine is getting the proper amount of clean air, but also you and your passengers are breathing clean air. There tends to be many more particles and allergens in the air during summer time, and filtering them out not only keeps your engine running better, but allows you to enjoy cleaner healthier air inside your vehicle.

Courtesy of Car Insurance Quotes Online

Land Rover Shows Off Range Rover Evoque Personalization Options

At the Los Angeles Auto Show last November we saw Jaguar roll out some new personalization options for its upcoming F-Type sports car, grouped under the “Design” and “Black” packs.

At the 2013 Geneva Motor Show this week, sister brand Land Rover is now getting some new personalization options of its own, which are being previewed on the Range Rover Evoque.

The latest package is called the “Black Design Pack” and it’s set to go on sale in April.

It adds a host of special touches including 20-inch wheels finished in gloss black; matching gloss black bumper inserts; and darkened exhaust tips, light surrounds and badging.

Fans of the Evoque will recall that many of these upgrades first appeared on the Range Rover Evoque Special Edition developed with celeb Victoria Beckham. Land Rover has confirmed that the special edition crossover is still available in certain markets, including in its new Sicilian Yellow color scheme.

“Offering our customers even greater choice with the option of the striking Black Design Pack can only make the Evoque appeal to an even bigger audience,” said Land Rover global brand director John Edwards at the Geneva launch. “With its dynamic and sporty handling, formidable all-terrain performance, choice of premium luxury interiors and color and feature combinations, customers truly can personalize their Evoque to suit their individual taste or requirements.”

Courtesy of Motor Authority

Increase Your Gas Mileage

 

Fill Your Tank Early in the Morning - or Late at Night:
Fuel is dispensed by volume. If you fill your tank when it is coolest outside - early in the morning or late at night, and avoid the heat of the day - the fuel will be more dense. As a result, you will get more gas for the same amount of money. 

 

Courtesy of Investopedia

How would you configure the 2014 Range Rover Sport?

After seeing the pre-show unveiling of the 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport (with a brief appearance by Daniel Craig), and then getting a bit more intimate with it, we're pretty keen on the new Sport.

It's lighter, more modern-looking, and still exceptionally well-finished, inside and out.

The new Range Rover Sport also gets a supercharged V-6 as the base engine now, generating 340 horsepower.

But the real question is: What would make for the best configuration of the new Sport?

Would you opt for a base engine and load up on the interior options? Go for a supercharged V-8 engine, but skip the extra add-ons? Or go full-tilt with an Autobiography build?

Pricing ranges from an entry point of $63,495 on up to more than $93,295.

For us, the sweet spot might just be the Range Rover Sport HSE in Santorini Black with Corris Grey panoramic roof, Dark Grey oak veneers and Ebony/Cirrus seats and upholstery, standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats, the Vision and Convenience package plus the Front Climate Comfort and Visibility Package, Meridian Premium Audio package, Adaptive Cruise Control, and the Extra Duty Package, for a grand total of $77,880.

Breaking that down, it's $9,385 in options on top of the HSE V-6 Supercharged base price of $68,495.

That's a pretty sweet spot.

Go build one for yourself and let us know what you come up with. 

Courtesy of: Motor Authority

Range Rover Evoque convertible unlikely to see production

From the time when all we had were rumors of a Range Rover Evoque convertible, to the grainy spy shots of said topless SUV in some English alley, to the time it rolled out on the floor of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, nothing could keep people from asking, "Is this really happening?"

To be fair, there were a number who asked in anticipation, enthused about the prospect of getting both a commanding driving position and wide open sky in a more toothsome package than the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Nevertheless, the number wasn't enough to recommend the concept for production: A report in Car and Driver says the prospects aren't "as bright as we were led to believe when the crossover cabrio debuted," and that instead an Evoque with a panoramic roof that opens is a better bet.

Elsewhere in the rapidly evolving Land Rover line-up, platform harmonization and more cowbell aluminum is the way forward. From the recent use of four platforms supporting six vehicles, there will soon be only two: the EUCD architecture for the LR2 and Evoque; all else will be built on a modified version of the D7 platform created for the new Range Rover. That puts not only variants like the Chinese-market long-wheelbase Range Rover in the aluminum game, but also models like the next Defender and LR4. That latter model is expected to bow next year, the Defender might need more time while the design department moves on from the DC100.

Courtesy of Autoblog

Land Rover U.S. sales increase 3 percent for March 2013; best March in the history of the brand in the U.S!

For the month of March, Range Rover Evoque established a new monthly sales record of 1,157 units, an increase of 47 percent from 785 units in March, 2012.  The volume leader continues to be the Range Rover Sport with 1,386 sales, an increase of 2 percent from 1,356 sales in March 2012.

For the first quarter 2013, Land Rover reached 12,419 units, its best Q1 sales in the history of the brand in the United States (previous high was 11,298 units in 2006). Quarterly sales increases came from LR2, Range Rover Evoque, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover.

At the 2013 New York International Auto Show, Land Rover debuted the All New 2014 MY Range Rover Sport, going on sale this fall.  The new Range Rover Sport, built on a weight saving aluminum architecture, will join the recently launched Range Rover and Range Rover Evoque in the brand's portfolio of all new Range Rover SUVs.

Land Rover's 2013 model year line-up features five models: The 240-hp 2.0 liter powered LR2 and Range Rover Evoque; the LR4 powered by the 375-hp 5.0 liter V8; the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover, both available with the Naturally-aspirated 375-hp V8 and 510-hp supercharged 5.0 liter V8 powertrains. For MY14 both the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport will come equipped with a choice of supercharged 340-hp 3.0 liter V6 or 510-hp supercharged 5.0 liter V8 powertrains.

Courtesy of: Land Rover Media Center

 

Be sure to keep up maintenance on your vehicle. So change the air filter to keep your car running smooth!

Over the winter, your car's air filter can get clogged with salt and other thick debris. A clogged air filter can really lower your fuel efficiency. Replacing a dirty or clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

But how do you know when to change your air filter? The recommended interval is every 12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers), but that can be affected by the particular road and air conditions in which you drive. If you do a lot of driving on dirt or gravel roads, then your air filter is going to clog up much faster than an air filter in a vehicle that's used strictly for highway driving. The only real way to know if you need to replace your air filter is take it out and give it a quick inspection.
Interestingly, a slightly dirty air filter works better than a totally clean one. This is because the debris in the filter becomes part of the filtering process, trapping smaller particles that might have otherwise slipped past.

There's no real science to knowing when it's time to replace the filter. If it's really filthy, then it obviously needs to be changed. Otherwise, go with your gut. If you're preparing for a long summer of hard driving, then you might as well replace it. Air filters are relatively inexpensive.

Courtesy of How Stuff Works