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<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>ICONIC RANGE ROVER TURNS 40</FONT></STRONG></P>
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<LI><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover celebrates its 40th birthday on 17 June 2010</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover was the world's first fully capable luxury 4x4</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>There have been three generations of Range Rover: the original (Classic) in 1970; second-generation (P38a) in 1994; and third-generation (L322) in 2001</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Second model line – Range Rover Sport – launched in 2005 became Land Rover's biggest selling vehicle worldwide in 2007</FONT></LI>
<LI><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Third model line to be revealed at Paris Motor Show 2010</FONT></LI></UL>
<P><FONT size=4><FONT face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif><EM>"Land Rover has a unique history of product innovation. But the Range Rover probably remains the most historically significant vehicle we have ever launched. It is one of the most important vehicles in the history of motoring." </EM><BR><STRONG>Phil Popham, Land Rover Managing Director</STRONG></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Overview</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover celebrates its 40th birthday on 17 June, 2010. One of the most significant vehicles in the history of motoring, the Range Rover was the world's first vehicle that performed as well on the road as it did off-road. It was the first fully capable luxury 4x4 and was a milestone in the development of the SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>There have been three generations of Range Rovers. The original -- now known as the Classic -- went on sale in 1970 and continued in production, with numerous upgrades and a multiplicity of variants, for just over 25 years.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The second-generation vehicle -- known as the P38a -- went on sale in 1994 and was replaced in 2001 by the current model. The continuing success of the Range Rover ensured that other premium makers jumped into the booming luxury SUV market. The latest version has enjoyed higher annual sales than any previous models and continues to be popular globally. From London to Los Angeles, Sydney to Shanghai, Turin to Tokyo, the Range Rover remains the ultimate choice for the luxury SUV customer.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one," says managing director Phil Popham. "It's a seven-days-a-week luxury motor car; a leisure vehicle that will range far and wide on the highways of the world; a high-performance car for long distance travel; and a working cross-country vehicle."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>From princes to politicians, from rock gods to rock climbers, from footballers to farmers, the Range Rover has always appealed to a diverse group of customers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A second model line -- the Range Rover Sport -- was launched in 2005, aimed at more sports-oriented, driver-focused customers. It has been a great success, and in 2007 was the Land Rover brand's biggest selling vehicle worldwide.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Later this year, another member of the Range Rover family will be added, bringing the portfolio to three model lines. The new vehicle will be smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient, tying in perfectly with the Range Rover brand's commitment to environmental sustainability. Yet it will be no less premium, no less luxurious, and no less special than the other Range Rover models.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A Brief History</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>1966: Work began on the first Range Rover prototype, known as the "100-inch station wagon"<BR>1970: The original two-door Range Rover – known as the Classic – goes on sale<BR>1971: Range Rover receives the RAC (Royal Automobile Club) Dewar award for outstanding technical achievement<BR>1972: The Range Rover is the first vehicle to cross the Darien Gap on a British Army Trans-America expedition<BR>1974: Range Rover completes a west-to-east Sahara desert expedition – 7,500 miles in 100 days<BR>1977: A modified Range Rover wins the 4x4 class in the London-Sydney Marathon, a gruelling 30,000 km (18,750 mile) event and the longest-ever speed-based car rally<BR>1979: A specially modified Range Rover wins the first Paris-Dakar rally (a Range Rover wins again in 1981)<BR>1981: First production four-door Range Rover appears along with the first factory-produced limited-edition Range Rover – the In Vogue<BR>1982: Automatic transmission becomes available on Range Rover<BR>1983: Range Rover 5-speed manual gearbox is introduced<BR>1985: The diesel-powered Range Rover Bullet breaks 27 speed records, including a diesel record for averaging more than 100mph for 24 hours<BR>1987: Range Rover launched in North America<BR>1989: Range Rover is the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes<BR>1990: Limited Edition CSK -- named after founder Charles Spencer King -- is launched as a sportier Range Rover<BR>1992: Range Rover Classic is the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with electronic traction control (ETC)<BR>1992: Long-wheelbase LSE (known as the County LWB in the US) launched<BR>1992: World's first 4x4-based automatic electronic air suspension introduced<BR>1994: Second-generation (P38a) Range Rover goes on sale<BR>1996: Range Rover Classic bows out after total production of 317,615 units<BR>1999: Limited Edition Range Rover Linley appears at London Motor Show<BR>2001: All-New Range Rover (L322) launched<BR>2002: Half-millionth Range Rover produced at the Solihull plant<BR>2005: Second model line – the Range Rover Sport – launched<BR>2006: Terrain Response and TDV8 diesel introduced<BR>2009: Range Rover features all-new LR-V8 5.0 naturally-aspirated and supercharged all-aluminum engines and vast technology updates (model-year 2010)<BR>2010: Range Rover celebrates its 40th anniversary<BR>2010: All-New Range Rover to be revealed at Paris Motor Show</FONT></P>
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<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>HISTORY IN DETAIL</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4><FONT face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif><EM>"The idea was to combine the comfort and on-road ability of a Rover saloon with the <BR>off-road ability of a Land Rover. Nobody was doing it." </EM><BR><STRONG>Charles Spencer "Spen" King – the father of the Range Rover</STRONG></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The inspiration came from the Rover car company's engineering chief for new vehicle projects. Charles Spencer "Spen" King worked mostly on Rover cars, not on Land Rover (at the time, Rover's 4x4 wing). Yet Land Rover was in his blood. His uncles were the Wilks brothers – Spencer and Maurice – who jointly founded Land Rover in 1948.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"The idea was to combine the comfort and on-road ability of a Rover saloon with the off-road ability of a Land Rover," says King. "Nobody was doing it at the time. It seemed worth a try and Land Rover needed a new product."</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The growing 4x4 leisure market</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>In the mid '60s, Rover engineers visited America to garner ideas on how to boost the company's sales in the US. Dealers there confirmed that a market for 4x4 leisure vehicles was growing. Appealing to those who liked towing, camping and led an outdoor life, but also wanted a vehicle with freeway and urban-driving potential.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>There were a few big-capacity vehicles, all American. The Jeep Wagoneer, Ford Bronco and International Harvester Scout were spacious, easy-driving station wagons that had selectable four-wheel drive to give some off-road potential, and gutsy engines to give reasonable on-road performance. In Europe, there was no such car. Land Rover engineers evaluated these American vehicles. They offered an interesting mix of abilities. But, in reality, they were not as capable as a Land Rover in the rough, or as relaxing and accomplished as a normal sedan on-road.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"The Range Rover turned out to be quite a different vehicle. The goal was to launch a 4x4 with similar comfort and on-road capability. At the same time, I really thought it must be possible to offer much greater comfort than a Land Rover without sacrificing the off-road ability," says King. "Then the V8 engine came along [which Rover bought from General Motors]. It all came together and nobody stopped us from doing it. Our American importers also told us that the 4x4 leisure market was going to be big."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>It took Land Rover another 17 years (until 1987) before the Range Rover was launched in North America, due to the initial success of the vehicle elsewhere in Europe. "I don't think there was any real urgency to get into America. The US's unique new safety and emissions legislation were too expensive to engineer," he added.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The "100-inch station wagon"</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Work on the first prototype Range Rover, then known as the "100-inch station wagon," began in 1966. "It was going to be a premium leisure vehicle, but not really a luxury vehicle," says former project engineer Geof Miller. "It was also intended to be technically adventurous. Spen was convinced the vehicle must have car-like coil springs front and rear for on-road ride comfort, and no other 4x4 offered them. It needed very long travel suspension for off-road suppleness." Other technical novelties would include an aluminum body (like the Land Rover), an all-aluminum engine and disc brakes at all four corners. (See "Technology" section for more information.)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>At the time, Land Rovers were enjoying record popularity. Many within Land Rover doubted the need for such a vehicle, and questioned the demand. Among the doubters was Land Rover's chief engineer, Tom Barton, a key figure in the development of the first Land Rover and a former railway engineer. He steadfastly maintained that the best suspension system for an off-road vehicle was leaf springs, as used by nearly all 4x4s of the time (a few large American 4x4s had front coils). The fact that the driving force behind the new Range Rover was Rover's car division, not the Land Rover 4x4 division, further alienated Barton and some other Land Rover diehards.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A Land Rover for the price of a Rover saloon</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Land Rover's sales people were also worried. "How can we sell a Land Rover for the price of a Rover 2000 saloon? That was their worry," says Geof Miller. "They weren't really sure exactly what the vehicle was, or who it would appeal to. That's always the challenge with a new type of vehicle."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>According to Spen King, target customers were "senior officers in the army, head guys on building sites, well-off farmers, that sort of person." It appealed to all those people – and many more. "To be frank, it appealed to all sorts of people who we hadn’t expected," adds Miller.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Only 10 prototypes were built before the first production vehicle came down the Solihull production line. Early prototypes carried "Velar" badges, jointly from the Spanish velar (meaning to look after; to watch over) and the Italian velare (meaning to veil, to cover). The actual Range Rover name was coined by stylist Tony Poole, after other model names – among them Panther and Leopard – were rejected.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Four vehicles in one</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover was announced to the world's media on June 17th, 1970 (the press launch was in Cornwall, with the off-road testing in tin mines near St. Agnes). The first Range Rover sales brochure spoke about "the most versatile motor car in the world," and the "interfusing of Rover car comfort with Land Rover strength and four-wheel drive mobility."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one," says managing director Phil Popham. "It's a seven-days-a-week luxury motor car; a leisure vehicle that will range far and wide on the highways of the world; a high-performance car for long distance travel; and a working cross-country vehicle."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>That first Range Rover could do all these things. No other vehicle in the world could even get close to that blend of abilities.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>At launch, the target audience had also been more carefully considered. The brochure said they were "business and professional people with a leaning towards the great outdoors, who want a purpose-built vehicle instead of an adapted one, the real thing instead of a compromise."</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A car for all seasons</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The press kit called the car "the Range Rover Station Wagon" (though the station wagon tag was soon dropped), and said it was "equally at home on a ranch in Texas as in the fast lane of a motorway in Europe". It was also called the car "for all seasons," a catchy promotional tag that stuck.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Early marketing material highlighted the car's towing capacity. "Harnessed to a trailer, caravan, boat or horse-box, the Range Rover is a tower of strength that takes all the normal stresses and strains, doubts and worries out of this kind of operation." It emphasized the vehicle's highway capability, unique among 4x4s: "On main roads and motorways, the Range Rover can cruise at speeds of up to 90mph."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Much was made of its ability of "roughing it in luxury": "One has only to experience the thrill of driving straight off the road and across a rough field with no slackening of speed and little change in the car's ride characteristics to realise that the Range Rover is a very special kind of vehicle."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Roger Crathorne – later head of the Land Rover Experience – was a Range Rover engineer during the first model's development. "I remember the first time I drove a prototype at the MIRA test track in England. It was brilliant. I remember doing 100mph on the track. I thought: 'This vehicle is extraordinary; comfortable, fast, a brilliant and spacious touring car'. Just as impressive was its off-road ability, which was much better than any contemporary Land Rover. The reason was axle articulation, on account of those coil springs. It had double the articulation of a normal Land Rover and, as a result, was more comfortable and more capable over rough terrain."</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The world's first luxury 4x4</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover went on to be the world's first luxury all-terrain vehicle. But, although that first Range Rover had a luxury car ride and premium saloon performance, it certainly did not have the trimmings of a luxury car. That came quite a few years later.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The first Range Rover was a relatively spartan vehicle inside, with vinyl seat trim and vinyl and moulded rubber flooring to make it easy to hose out. There was no wood, or leather, or even carpet. "It certainly wasn’t a luxury vehicle, at least not initially," says Spen King. "In many ways, it was quite basic."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Adds Geof Miller: "The 'basic' interior was a sop to the Land Rover people (as opposed to the Rover car engineers) who wanted a simple hose-out interior. Sales were excellent. There was a black market almost straight away, as demand exceeded supply. Yet we knew that the interior was too basic. There were moves, almost immediately, to up-spec the vehicle, including improved trim. Carpet came quite quickly. It started on the transmission tunnel, where it also had the happy effect of quieting transmission whine. The cargo area – which had been bare metal on prototypes – was soon trimmed, including a cover for the tool kit. This was partly because of feedback from Buckingham Palace. The tools were exposed in the boot and a man from the palace said a corgi could get hurt."</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Two doors only</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The original Range Rover had two doors only, and there was no automatic transmission option, although one of the early Land Rover-based prototypes had a Borg Warner three-speed automatic. Geof Miller stayed on the Range Rover project after its launch, and soon identified a four-door body as essential. Eighteen months after launch, a four-door prototype – with liftgate rear end – was built. However, management mothballed the car. A production four-door wasn't launched until 1981. Automatic transmission didn't become an option until 1982. Both were essential to any success in America, where sales began in 1987.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Classic lasts for 25 years</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>That first Range Rover was so far ahead of its time that it lasted in production, and sold well, for more than 25 years. Initially, in the '70s, the vehicle changed little. It was a bleak decade for the UK motor industry, with the three-day week and general political unrest. There was precious little development cash, and, besides, the Range Rover was selling well. Why change it? Cash-strapped British Leyland, Land Rover's owners at the time, spent development money elsewhere.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>By the 1980s, the pace of development picked up, mostly to make the vehicle more luxurious. The cabin was regularly upgraded, and carpet, leather upholstery and wood trim elevated the Range Rover into a viable alternative to luxury cars, the first 4x4 to do so.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The 3.5-liter aluminum V8 was enlarged to 3.9 liters in 1989, and then to 4.2 liters in 1992, improving performance and refinement. The three-speed automatic gearbox – first available in 1982 – was replaced by a smoother and more efficient ZF four-speed in 1985, further broadening appeal.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The long-wheelbase LSE version of 1992 featured height-adjustable electronic suspension, a few years before the launch of the next Range Rover. The electronic suspension was also optional on the normal 100-inch wheelbase model.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Second-generation Range Rover, the P38a</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The next generation Range Rover, now often known as the P38a because it was developed in building 38A in the Solihull factory, dialed up luxury, on-road ability and off-road versatility. It was an evolutionary design, retaining many of the key design features of the classic model. Burr walnut and leather upholstery were used extensively to underscore the car's luxury credentials, and to win over owners of conventional luxury cars.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Three engines were offered, including a BMW 2.5-liter, six-cylinder turbo diesel – which offered considerably better performance than the old Classic diesel – and both 3.9-liter and 4.6-liter versions of the aluminum Rover V8. The 4.6-liter gave a top speed of 125mph and 0-60 acceleration in 9.3 seconds, the fastest production Range Rover to date.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The height adjustable suspension, which made its debut at the twilight of the Classic's life, was further developed for the P38a and was offered as standard, improving both ride comfort and off-road potential.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Third-generation Range Rover, the L322</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The latest Range Rover represented a big jump. Launched in 2001, it scaled new heights in the 4x4 sector in both luxury and on- and off-road capability. CEO Bob Dover called it "the world's most capable vehicle, with the greatest breadth of ability of any car ever made."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Among new features were the stiffer monocoque body (replacing the traditional 4x4 ladder frame) and the fully independent suspension with interconnected air springs (nearly all 4x4s had, and many still have, rigid axles). The interior was also widely lauded as the finest of any car cabin.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>At the car's launch, the head of Ford's Premier Automotive Group (of which Land Rover formed part), Dr. Wolfgang Reitzle, said: "The new Range Rover is truly extraordinary. Its unique combination of go-anywhere skill and luxury means its closest rivals aren't other 4x4s but the finest luxury [sedans] in the world."</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>DESIGN</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><EM><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>It’s not difficult to see why it was so successful. Like the current version, the original Range Rover is such a simple and iconic shape.</FONT></EM></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>– Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Member of the Board of Management</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The shape of a Range Rover is instantly recognisable. "You can describe a Range Rover with three or four lines on a piece of paper," says former design director Geoff Upex, responsible for the current model. "A child could draw the basic shape, so it's instantly recognisable in the same way as a Mini or a Porsche 911 or a Volkswagen Beetle."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"There are four or five elements that make up a Range Rover design: the simplicity of the side elevation, the relationship of the glass to the body, the floating roof and the castellated hood. The same is true of the inside of the car. It was designed so that people sit as far out as possible and have the best view. They can see out down the hood and see all corners of the vehicle. So it's about command driving. It's also a very nice place to be. I have driven many different vehicles. Nothing quite gives that same sense of well-being as being inside a Range Rover."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Current design director Gerry McGovern adds: "It's not difficult to see why it was so successful. Like the current version, the original Range Rover is such a simple and iconic shape."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Those iconic details are all there for a reason, for the Range Rover is a highly functional vehicle. The hood castellations improve the driver's ability to see the corners of the car. They're helpful in congested city driving, in parking, and when driving off-road. The floating roof is partly an upshot of those comparatively thin pillars, to improve visibility.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>On the very early production Range Rovers, the roof pillars were body coloured. It was not possible to manufacture these pressings with a suitable quality finish, so the pillars were soon covered in a black finish. This boosted the floating roof effect.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The comparatively flat sides and lack of tumblehome curvature allow driver and passenger to sit as far out as possible, improving visibility. Those flat sides also improve the driver's ability to judge vehicle width, important for maneuverability on- and off-road.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Even though the Range Rover has become a design classic – it's been displayed inside the Louvre in Paris, while an actual vehicle was simultaneously shown just outside – Spen King claims that "we probably only spent about 0.001 percent of our time on the appearance." Like many design icons, form followed function. Exceptional functionality led to a simple style and a simple shape.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The concept and basic shape – flat sides, thin roof pillars, short overhangs, all dimensions including wheelbase, upright nose and tail – was determined by engineers, principally King and chassis engineer Gordon Bashford. The initial press information didn't even cover design.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The design for King's concept came from David Bache, Rover's design boss. Bache's design resume is impressive: Rover SD1, Rover P5 and P6, Series II Land Rover. But the Range Rover Classic was his finest hour.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>He tidied up the King/Bashford proposal, adding his design ideas to the inherent functionality. In particular, he changed the grille, headlamps and tail lamps. He also altered the window surrounds and side swage lines. They were not major details, but they made a huge difference to the car's presence and aesthetic appeal.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Nowadays, of course, the design department has an early and important voice in a new car's development. "Back then, it didn't," says design director Gerry McGovern. "The design department gave 'style' to the engineering department's vision. It was a fundamentally different approach."</FONT></P>
<P><BR><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The second-generation Range Rover</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover's design has remained evolutionary. "The original vehicle was such a classic that it made sense to retain the basic shape and keep the car's classic design cues," says design director Gerry McGovern.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The second-generation vehicle, the P38a, was a "clean sheet" design, but it soon became clear to the design team that they radically changed the style at their peril. They were very conscious that Range Rover customers were an extremely loyal group, and over the years market research had shown that they would be reluctant to accept major changes in exterior design.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The key qualities they protected, as explained at launch, were the command driving position; the floating roof (caused by the black, rather than body color, roof pillars); the deep glass area and low waistline; wrap-over hood (including "castle features" on the front edge); distinctive rear "E" pillar; a two-piece tailgate (the lower part of which was widely used as a viewing platform); the straight feature lines (no wedge or step-in side contour); and the close wheel cuts (to improve stance).</FONT></P>
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<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The third-generation model</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>All the classic Range Rover design cues continued with the third-generation model launched in late 2001 for 2002. The new car was bigger and more spacious. It also included eye-catching modern jewelry, including distinctive head- and tail-lamps and Brunel finish power vents on the flanks.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>This model was a more integrated, more pure design than the P38a. Although subsequently upgraded with improved lights, grille, wheels and many other changes, the essential shape has stayed the same, and remains one of the most modern and desirable designs in the luxury 4x4 sector.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The interior saw a big improvement over its predecessor. The design team took inspiration from products as diverse as audio equipment, ocean-going yachts, first-class airline seating, fine furniture and jewelry. This was combined with the classic wood and leather Range Rover experience. The result brought new levels of luxury to the Range Rover, and to the 4x4 market. It was subsequently described, by a number of commentators, as the finest cabin in motoring.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>TECHNOLOGY</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><EM><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>We thought it was time to improve comfort, versatility and performance.</FONT></EM></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>– Spen King</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The key quality that gave the Range Rover its luxury road car feel, and its awesome off-road ability, was the long-travel suspension and coil springs at every corner. No other 4x4 had them, although a few large American off-roaders had front coils.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>"I always thought a Land Rover could be a lot better," says Spen King. "We thought it was time to improve comfort, versatility and performance." The new suspension was a key part of that improvement.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>King insisted the first Range Rover should use coil springs, although it was a move resisted by Land Rover's engineering department, who generally favored leaf springs because of their proven strength and durability. In fact, the coils used in the early Range Rovers were the same as those in the Rover 2000 P6 saloon, though the rates were different. Their long-travel nature also made for fantastic axle articulation, a big advantage off-road. A rear self-levelling unit maintained handling and ride quality irrespective of load, and helped make the Range Rover an exceptional tow vehicle.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover was also the first off-road vehicle to use disc brakes front and rear, for better braking power at speed. These were necessary because of the vehicle's considerable performance. A 96-mph top speed made it the fastest and quickest-accelerating 4x4 on the road. The parking brake, as with a Land Rover, operated on the transmission.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Aluminum V8 to boost power and torque</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Performance came from the brawny aluminum 3.5-liter 156hp V8, a modified version of a Buick/General Motors design. The engine, also used in a Rover saloon, was ideally suited to the Range Rover. It was light, powerful, torquey and mechanically simple. It was allied to a four-speed manual gearbox. The two-speed transfer gearbox gave, in effect, eight speeds. A center differential allowed for permanent four-wheel drive. Again, this was unique. All other production 4x4s of the time, including the contemporary Land Rover, had selectable 4x4. The centre diff could be locked for enhanced off-road prowess.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The full-time 4x4 ensured that the torque could be equally split between front and rear axles, and also crucially meant that those axles could be lighter than was typically the case with selectable 4x4s. There was no need for a massively strong (and heavy) rear axle, which would have damaged ride comfort.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The chassis was a strong box-section. Apart from the hood and tailgate, all body panels were made from lightweight, corrosion-resistant aluminum.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>ABS Anti-Lock Brakes</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover was the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with ABS anti-lock brakes. Land Rover engineers had been working on developing ABS for five years. The problem was that slippery surfaces and bumpy rocky ground upset early prototypes. A solution was found, and ABS was offered as standard on the top-line model from 1989, and was optional on lower-trim versions.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Electronic Traction Control</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover does not simply rely on its mechanical excellence for superb traction. It has also been the 4x4 pioneer in electronic controls. In 1992, the Range Rover Classic was the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with electronic traction control (ETC). Initially fitted on the rear axle only, but soon after extended to all four wheels, ETC gave a big boost to the vehicle's off-road ability, by transferring torque to the wheel offering the most grip. It also improved on-road safety.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The third-generation Range Rover's suite of electronic chassis and braking aids included Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Hill Descent Control (HDC) – a Land Rover invention, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA).</FONT></P>
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<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Electronic Air Suspension</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover was the world's first 4x4 to be fitted with automatic electronic air suspension (EAS). In 1992, the EAS system was fitted to the Range Rover Classic, at the same time that the long-wheelbase (LSE) version was offered. The driver could set one of five different ride heights: Access (the lowest setting), Low, Standard, High and Extended (for maximum ground clearance with associated off-road benefits).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Electronic Air Suspension was standard on the second- and third-generation Range Rovers.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Aluminum body</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Aluminum offers many advantages over conventional steel used for the vast majority of car bodies. It is lighter, rust-resistant, more recyclable and more durable. The very first Land Rover had aluminum bodywork partly because of its intrinsic advantages, but mostly because there was more aluminum available than steel in post-war Britain, when the first Land Rover was conceived. Most of it was leftover from the wartime aircraft industry.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>So it was no surprise that the Range Rover was originally specified with an all-aluminum body. It had become a Land Rover hallmark. For production, all the panels were aluminum, except for hood and tailgate. The hood had been redesigned, from the early prototypes, partly to incorporate those distinctive (and useful) corner castellations. It proved too difficult to press accurately in aluminum. So steel was used instead.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Aluminum continued to be used extensively in the second-generation Range Rover, when it debuted in 1994. Front fenders, door skins and lower tailgate were all aluminum.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The third and current generation Range Rover continues to use aluminum extensively, for the hood, front fenders and doors. The doors not only have aluminum outer skins but are entirely made from aluminum (the previous model had aluminum panels over a steel frame). This saves 88 lbs.</FONT></P>
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<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>TFT virtual instruments</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The 2010 Range Rover debuted revolutionary TFT (thin film transistor) virtual instruments. It was the most thorough automotive application yet of this new technology. The new instrumentation improves clarity and versatility. Instrument displays can change, depending on the situation or on safety requirements. For instance, major warning signs can momentarily replace dials, satellite navigation instructions can temporarily supplant a less important display when approaching a crucial junction. Numbers are highlighted as the speedometer sweeps around the dial, improving legibility.</FONT></P>
<P><BR><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>ADVENTURES</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Conscious that a premium 4x4 may be regarded as a "soft roader," Land Rover's promotional team soon set about an agenda to prove the car's off-road credentials.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Like its little brother, the Land Rover, the Range Rover was soon crossing deserts, climbing mountains, wading rivers and traversing swamps. That luxury touch in no way diminished the car's adventurous spirit.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Across the Sahara as a prototype</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Even before the vehicle went on sale, the Range Rover completed an arduous crossing of the Sahara driven by project engineer Geof Miller, Roger Crathorne (an engineer on the Range Rover project) and other test drivers and technicians. The trip took place from October to December 1969, six months or so before the vehicle went on sale.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Two vehicles were used -- prototypes five and six -- both with "Velar" badges (but otherwise precious little disguise to thwart spy photographers). The trip was primarily a hot weather testing exercise, although off-road sand performance was also evaluated. A promotional film was also made. When the cameras started to roll, the Velar badges were replaced with "Range Rover."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The journey began in northern Algeria, on the fringe of the Sahara. The two vehicles went into the Ténéré Desert in Niger, before heading back into Algeria, and then south again deep into the Sahara. A lot of development work was also done on tires and brakes. Dunes tested the vehicle's ability on sand, which proved to be excellent. The vehicles crossed the Hoggar mountains before reaching Tamanrasset, the oasis town virtually in the middle of the Sahara. Then, they followed old trade routes to the Moroccan border. The adventure finished at Casablanca, where the vehicles were shipped back to the U.K.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>As a result of that Saharan test – the first, but by no means the last crossing of the Sahara by Range Rover – the door dust seals were redesigned (dust ingress was terrible in Algeria) and the fuel tank was given an extra skin, to protect against stone damage. The engines and transmissions coped faultlessly with the heat.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Crossing the Darien Gap</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>To emphasise the Range Rover's blend of speed and ruggedness, there was a plan to enter the new vehicle in the 1970 World Cup rally from London to Mexico City via South America. The cars could not be readied in time.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Instead, the PR people were attracted by a proposal from Captain Gavin Thompson to use Range Rovers for a British Army expedition to drive from Alaska to the southern tip of Argentina. The key test would be the crossing of impenetrable swampland between Panama and Colombia called the Darien Gap. Two left-hand-drive Swiss-specification vehicles were prepared.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The expedition was led by Major John Blashford-Snell and began in December, 1971. It got off to a bad beginning. Not far from the start, one of the cars crashed into a stationary truck. The other Range Rover towed it 1,000 miles to Vancouver, where it was repaired.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>As predicted, the real challenge was crossing the Darien Gap. Just before the crossing, a reception was held for the team members. Blashford-Snell noted that, to the local people who knew about the Gap, "our scheme was complete madness, but they were too polite to say."</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The crossing took 99 days – an average of just three miles a day – and involved pushing, winching, coaxing, rafting and building makeshift bridges, as the cars cut a swath through the jungle. Only one team member stayed with the cars the whole way. Everyone else had to be taken away, for medical treatment, at some stage. There were broken bones, jungle sores, diarrhea, hornet stings and snakebites. One of the Range Rovers fell off a raft, and the whole vehicle was submerged. After the engine dried out, it kept going. The total Trans-America journey took seven months and covered 18,000 miles.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Transglobe</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The New York Times described it as the "world's last great adventure" and Prince Charles said it was "mad but marvelous." In 1979, adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, described by the Guinness Book of Records as the "world's greatest living explorer" and a band of his friends and fellow thrill-seekers set off from Greenwich, London in a small icebreaker, the Benjamin Bowring. Their goal? The world's first circumpolar journey around the globe.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The route took them from Greenwich by sea to France, where they journeyed overland across Europe, then across North Africa, including a crossing of the Sahara, to Abidjan on the Ivory Coast. There, the Benjamin Bowring was waiting for them, to resume the journey by sea. They sailed to the Antarctic, which they crossed by skidoo, then sailed north up the Pacific, before heading through the North West passage to the Arctic.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A Range Rover and two Land Rovers were used for the north-south crossing of the Sahara.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Great Divide Expedition</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>In 1989, Range Rover of North America – as the US-based company was then known – organised the first-ever off-road journey by car along the Great Divide. This mountainous region follows the peaks of the Rockies, and is easily the most prominent continental divide in North America.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The two-week 1,000-mile journey, done by a fleet of white four-door automatic transmission Range Rovers, went from Encampment, Wyoming to near Chama in New Mexico, using unpaved tracks and four-wheel drive trails originally carved out by Native Americans and early miners. The adventure was done in conjunction with the US Forest Service's Tread Lightly program, a national education campaign that encouraged environmentally responsible and safe off-road driving techniques.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A limited edition of 400 'Great Divide Edition' Range Rovers were produced in <BR>1990-1, all painted the same Alpine White as the expedition vehicles.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Motor Sport</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A specially modified Range Rover won the first Paris-Dakar rally in 1979 driven by Frenchmen Alain Génestier and Joseph Terbiaut. A Range Rover won again in 1981.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Paris-Dakar is a rally in which modified off-road vehicles and motorcycles race across Europe and North Africa. The event crosses the Sahara, where the event is won or lost. Recent "Dakar" rallies have been run in South America, following political problems driving through North Africa.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>A Range Rover won the 4x4 class in the 1977 London-Sydney Marathon, driven by Australian rally driver and TV presenter Evan Green. The Australian-modified vehicle used a 4.4-liter version of the alloy V8 engine and came 11th overall in the gruelling 30,000 km (18,750 miles) event, the longest ever speed-based car rally.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Land Speed Record</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>In 1985, a diesel-powered Range Rover broke 27 speed records, including a diesel record for averaging more than 100mph for 24 hours. The Range Rover "Bullet" used an Italian-built VM engine, a more highly tuned version of the production diesel motor.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Camel Trophy</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Sometimes called the '4x4 Olympics', the Camel Trophy was a sporting contest emphasising adventure and exploration. Range Rovers were used for the 1981, 1982 and 1987 events. The 1981 event crossed the Indonesian island of Sumatra mostly through tropical jungle, the 1982 event was held in Papua New Guinea, while the 1987 challenge saw the first-ever north-south vehicle crossing of Madagascar, a journey of 1,400 miles. The vehicles were heavily modified with roll-over cages, stronger under-body protection, winches, engine snorkels and navigation and communication equipment.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>SPECIAL EDITIONS</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The amazing versatility of the Range Rover meant there have been many extraordinary Special Edition models, all aiming for a niche in the broad Range Rover customer base. Very early specials were developed by outside companies and reflected Land Rover's reluctance to develop its best seller in that arena (there were few major factory changes through the '70s).</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>In the '80s, there was a wave of factory-produced special editions. The In Vogue and Westminster models hinted at the need for a more luxurious specification, while the CSK and Vitesse alluded to a sportier future.</FONT></P>
<P><BR><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Monteverdi Four Door</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The production four-door Range Rover didn't go on sale until 1981, although a prototype had actually been built as early as 1971. There was clearly a market for a car with rear doors, and coachbuilders weren't slow to spot it.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Swiss company Monteverdi produced the most convincing four-door design, and it went on sale in 1980. Land Rover engineers collaborated. The production four-door Range Rover was, in fact, based closely on the Monteverdi model.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The "In Vogue"</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The "In Vogue" was the first factory-produced limited-edition Range Rover. It was based on a specially prepared and well-equipped vehicle loaned to Vogue magazine, which acted as a prop for a fashion shoot celebrating the latest wares from Jaeger and Lancôme, which took place in Biarritz, France, in 1981.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The "In Vogue" that resulted was based on the photographic car. It had special pale blue metallic paintwork, a more luxurious interior including wooden trim and full carpeting, air conditioning and a picnic hamper. One thousand were built, and were priced at an £800 premium. The "In Vogue" set the marker for the car's move upmarket, which was subsequently cemented by the production Vogue model. This became the model name for the most luxurious Range Rover in many markets.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Popemobile</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Two specially modified Range Rovers were built for Pope John Paul II during his six-day visit to the U.K. in 1982. The Pope rode in a special rear display area protected by bullet-proof glass. These high-security vehicles were built following the failed assassination attempt in 1981.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The CSK</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The limited edition CSK – just 200 were made – was named after Range Rover founder Charles Spencer King. It was the first new two-door Range Rover in several years, yet its significance went well beyond that. The CSK, launched in 1990, was a sportier Range Rover. Just as the "In Vogue" began the route down the luxury path, so the CSK opened the door to a new sportier future, as epitomised 15 years later by the Range Rover Sport.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The CSK came with suspension anti-roll bars, the first Range Rover thus equipped. This sharpened the on-road handling, reducing the body roll that had been a characteristic of early Range Rovers. The CSK was an acknowledgement that sharp on-road performance would be crucial to the future success of the Range Rover.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Linley</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Vogue was a move upmarket for Range Rover. But the limited edition Linley – just 10 were made – was on another plane altogether. The price was £100,000.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Inspired by furniture designer Lord Linley, the 1999 Range Rover Linley featured lustrous all-black paintwork. Inside, all the trim was in black leather and the woodwork was piano black ebony. Even the steering wheel was in black wood. The thick-pile carpet was also black. It was the first Range Rover (and one of the first luxury cars) to feature satellite navigation. It also had a TV.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The first Linley model was sold to a Land Rover dealer in Wales. Within hours of its arrival, it was stolen from outside the workshop and never seen again.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Holland and Holland</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The famous London-based gunsmiths collaborated on this limited edition version of the series two model. Another upmarket vehicle, the Holland and Holland came in special dark green paint, brown leather upholstery with cream piping, part-green alloys, and had a DVD and TV. They sold for £65,000. Four hundred were made (300 of which went to North America) and all came with the top-spec 4.6-liter V8 engine.</FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>Armored Range Rover</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The Range Rover has long been a popular car with politicians and leading industrialists. It has served as official transport for many heads of state, including British prime ministers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4 face=tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif>The latest model was officially developed, by Land Rover Special Vehicles, into an armored vehicle (before that, many private specialists produced their own modified Range Rovers). The official armored model, first launched in 2007, is certified for European B6 ballistic protection.</FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE> |
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