Land Rover promises Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid for Geneva

Land Rover Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid is heading to Geneva – Click above for high-res image gallery

Land Rover is gearing up for the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and it's bringing four new models to show off, one of which shows the automaker is thinking a bit more green: the Land Rover Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid.

Power for the electrified Range Rover Sport comes courtesy of a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as an electric motor. The Range_e's driving range is said to be nearly 700 miles and it can drive approximately 20 miles on electric power alone, which should be good enough to get the SUV into the heart of London.

Also getting the bright light auto show treatment are the luxurious Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, Evoque in two and four-door guise and the 2011 Discovery/LR4 Landmark Edition. The Autobiography Ultimate is described as the most luxurious Land Rover ever produced and features yacht-inspired teak flooring and Apple iPad tablets for the rear passengers. The Evoque will be featured in a handful of trims that offer unique customization options for consumers. Finally, the limited-edition Landmark LR4 will be available in either a Black or a White theme with upscale interiors and unique color treatments.

[Source: Land Rover] 

Upcoming Land Rover LRX to get front wheel drive, a Land Rover first

Land Rover will be unveiling its first-ever front-wheel drive vehicle when it introduces the new LRX compact SUV coupe at the Paris motor show in September.

The Golf/C-segment-sized LRX is expected to go to production next year. The front-wheel drive version will not be made available right away as the LRX will launch first with its all-wheel drive variant.

That 4-wheel drive LRX is expected to come with a 2.2 liter diesel engine with 185 bhp (138 kW) supplied by PSA. It will come coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox. An automatic transmission will also be made available.

The front-wheel drive LRX will help reduce fleet CO2 emissions at Land Rover - with 130g/km versus 140 g/km for the all-wheel drive version. Land Rover also said it is still shopping for a name for the new vehicle as the LRX designation is just a code. It is considering calling it the Range Rover Compact.

Prices for the all-wheel drive LRX are expected to start at around £35,000 (€40,500). The front-drive variant will begin at about £30,000 (€34,700).
Source: autocar.co.uk