Send to a friendslimjim September 13th, 2007 1:27 PM Link
Looks just like the range stormer concept that did not translate well in the RR sport.
If they did a production version of Rstormer or this then I would be interested.
Frankfurt: Land Rover Teases Sporty Small Concept
Written By: Chris Paukert
While Land Rover didn’t actually introduce anything major at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it did release a rendering of a coupe-esque crossover, which it intends to produce to compete with the growing crop of premium small SUVs like the BMW X3.
Penned under the leadership of new design head Gerry McGovern, the vehicle looks to be smaller and lower than its current bottom-rung offering, the LR2. The new concept, which will likely be shown at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January, is said to be a sporting yet eco-friendly proposition.
Despite being smaller than the current baby Rover, the (as-yet unnamed) concept is expected to spawn a production model that will likely be around as expensive as the LR2, with highly optioned models potentially fetching in excess of $45,000.
With what looks to be a more road-biased concept, will Land Rover risk alienating its core off-road audience (or at least those who aspire to the image its products project)? Have your say in ‘Comments.’
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13 Comments
smythe1 September 13th, 2007 1:37 PM Link
There’s no one left to alienate in the States. We don’t get the Defender, and what we do get has become, for the most part, stylistically and functionally identical to the rest of the market. I have three rovers, ranging in age from 12 to 38 years old, but if I were in the market for a modern SUV, I wouldn’t buy a rover. There’s no longer enough cachet value to justify the reliability problems.
Tom September 13th, 2007 2:15 PM Link
I like the idea of a more road-biased LR. This seems to be the second step (the RR Sport was the first, I think) in shifting the brand from a functional definition (HD offroading + something) to a qualitative definition. The question is whether Ford knows what the qualitative definition is. Porsche does, and I think that is why their shift is working and will continue to succeed.
John Carder September 13th, 2007 2:20 PM Link
smythe1 has it right.
If they don’t offer the Defender, how can they aspire to an “off-road audience”. They now sell very expensive station wagons that break down a lot, and are expensive to fix.
B.F. Franks September 13th, 2007 3:52 PM Link
Other than a few thousand guys in the mountainous regions of America (I’d guess a small portion of sales), LR stopped aspiring to capture a purely off road audience. They correctly figured out that there was more volume and margin in people who wanted a luxury SUV than there were offroaders.
“Enthusiasts” by a common definition are not pleased by this. But this disregards the fact that there are new “enthusiasts” for LR — enthusiasts for luxury SUVs. They do exist.
I think this concept looks pretty neat and I’d love a vehicle that did the Stormer in production form. I just can’t see it working with only two doors.
Jonathan Fung [Gotakon] September 13th, 2007 10:13 PM Link
For some reason, I have never even imagined Land Rovers going off road. I guess it has to do with how people use their off-road-capable cars here. Here, offroading is done in Jeeps. Almost exclusively in jeeps. Land Rovers are just like luxury SUVs.
I know that Jeremy Clarkson says that Land Rovers are great offroad, but somehow, the image of this leather-filled luxury SUV going offroad just doesn’t fit for me. So, I don’t think that they’d be alienating the offroaders. But that teaser shot looks pretty sweet.
Mehul Kamdar September 13th, 2007 10:27 PM Link
Realistically speaking, with L-R on the block and Ford unable to even design a new Range Rover some 7 (?) years after the current model was launched, does this drawing have an icicle’s hope in hellfire? Or is this just a gimmick to try and push the asking price for the L-R and Jaguar companies from interested buyers?
LandCrusher September 14th, 2007 12:54 AM Link
Landy had better ship some Defenders over to the states before it’s too late (if it’s not already).
Smythe is spot on.
Land Rover has lost its adventure cache’ and moved into the world of Bling. How many people under 40 have seen all those old movies with the Series vehicles galavanting across Africa?
The adventure store concept no longer fits the product.
Sad, really sad. Likely gonna cost Ford a few $B on the resell value.
Ducati Minor September 14th, 2007 11:14 PM Link
How can any of you think that all those rappers don’t use their Land Rovers for off-road use?
Winding Road » Archive » Land Rover Investing Big in Lower Emissions October 3rd, 2007 1:52 PM Link
[…] Land Rover has already initiated advances focusing on environmental concerns; launching carbon offset programs and showing stop-start engine technology. With the massive new investment the company has plans to develop a baby SUV and implement hybrid engine options for future models. Use of aluminum and other weight saving measures are in the works as well. […]
Winding Road » Archive » Baby Land Rover Spied in California! October 11th, 2007 10:22 AM Link
[…] This could very well be the unnamed baby Land Rover that was hinted at in Frankfurt and slated to debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. […]
Winding Road » Archive » Is the Kia Soul Visiting Land Rover Dealerships? October 11th, 2007 10:44 AM Link
[…] We were sent some interesting spy shots this morning that we originally thought might be the unnamed baby Land Rover that was hinted at in Frankfurt and slated to debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. […]
LXR? This Potential Land Rover Concept May Show at Detroit - Winding Road December 10th, 2007 1:40 PM Link
[…] possible follow-up to the darkly mysterious SUV-shaped sketch that Land Rover showed at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, this image purports to be the first […]
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