It’s official: LRX concept to go into production as a compact Range Rover
It’s more of a public secret by now but today Land Rover has officially come out to say that a small Land Rover based on the LRX concept will be built! After all, the UK government previously offered a grant of up to GBP 27 million to the automaker to produce an all- new vehicle based on the LRX Concept.
And apparently it’s going to be marketed under the Range Rover badge, since the press release constantly refers to it as a Range Rover instead of a Land Rover. This will mean the Range Rover series will have a third model – small, medium and large.
The original Range Rover is the large model and a new “medium” model was previously added, a model based on the Discovery called the Range Rover Sport. The flagship has a wheelbase of 2,880mm while the smaller Disco-based sport has a wheelbase of 2,745mm. That would make the LRX quite compact indeed as even the new “small” BMW X1 has a wheelbase of 2,760mm, longer than the Sport’s.
The production LRX will be built at Land Rover’s plant in Halewood, and will be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced. The original LRX concept was a 2-door compact SUV powered by a hybrid powertrain that combined a 2.0 liter turbodiesel and an Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) which allows it to run on zero-emissions electric mode at speeds of up to 32km/h.
“The new vehicle will be a natural extension to the Range Rover line-up, complementing the existing models and helping to define a new segment. It will be true to the concept and have many recognisable Range Rover design cues including the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid ‘wheel-at-each-corner’ stance,” said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director.
However I wonder if the UK government’s 27 million pound offer still stands, because of a particular announcement that Tata made today. Their intention is to close either a Jaguar plant in Castle Bromwich, or a Land Rover plant in Solihull, both in central England.
Their intention is probably to centralise production of both marques at a single plant – either Solihull or Castle Bromwich. As it is, the Halewood plant I mentioned above was a Jaguar plant, and the first Land Rover that started production there was the Freelander 2. But Tata did say there would be no compulsory layoffs…
September 24, 2009 @ 7:38 pm
2 doors? wow. handsome car.
September 24, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
Looking good and expensive
September 24, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
Looks racing
September 24, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
if i become successful mafia.. i will buy one.. =)
September 24, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
This is the only Range Rover i will buy. Super awesome looking car.
September 24, 2009 @ 10:03 pm
It sure looks good but going by what Range Rover is offering in Malaysia, it sure won’t be cheap!
It’ll more likely positoned as a premium sports SUV.
September 24, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
Wow.! very very nice and impressive design.
Love it!
September 24, 2009 @ 10:26 pm
Being a Range Rover instead of a Land Rover, this baby won’t come cheap!
September 24, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
Looks bulky and muscular: love it!
September 24, 2009 @ 10:35 pm
look nice & modern oso..
September 24, 2009 @ 10:59 pm
wow! I am impressed!
September 24, 2009 @ 11:47 pm
they are pushing “range” just like amg does to their every class.
September 25, 2009 @ 12:00 am
they need to send this proposal to nissan, or mini. because so far, the companies that manage to turn concept car into proper production cars are nissan and mini.
September 25, 2009 @ 12:20 am
They are more likely to close castle bromwich as that is the older factory
September 25, 2009 @ 8:51 am
Damn land rover….why must they put it under range rover mark..this THING is gonna cost a bomb….:(
September 25, 2009 @ 8:58 am
Very Sporty………Nice
September 25, 2009 @ 9:12 am
cool!!
September 25, 2009 @ 9:12 am
sh*t im drooliing….damn nice
September 25, 2009 @ 9:13 am
make mine a land rover defender, but with a modern commonrail diesel engine. i just love the boxiness like the old volvo 200 series
September 25, 2009 @ 11:23 am
nice SUV. like it very much. will compete with Lexus RX and Audi Q5 or more higher class?
September 25, 2009 @ 12:42 pm
tat rr is so hot man.
September 25, 2009 @ 5:25 pm
nice SUV among the range.
September 25, 2009 @ 6:40 pm
I want a black one!
September 25, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
fantastic…
September 26, 2009 @ 10:46 am
damn so nice car!!!gona get it!!y everyone goes for y-spoke kind of sport rim nowadays??i like 5 spoke like ferrari
September 28, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
niceeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!