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LAND ROVER AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW - 5 March 2002
Geneva, 5 March 2002 – Emphasising its presence in Europe, Land Rover will have a full range of its products on display at the Geneva Show with the new Range Rover being the main attraction. Significant changes to the Freelander and Defender models will also be showcased alongside the latest versions of the Discovery.

New Range Rover
With three examples forming the centrepiece of the Land Rover stand at the Geneva Motor Show, the new Range Rover combines legendary Land Rover talents with a series of technical innovations that keep it ahead of the opposition. A protected version of new Range Rover will also be on display during press days.

Range Rover, the world’s first luxury off-roader, has a reputation for breaking boundaries and redefining limits. It’s against this background of innovation, style, prestige and sheer ability that the latest car to wear the famous Range Rover badge is launched.

True to its roots, the latest Range Rover – only the third evolution of the breed in more than 30 years – scales new heights in terms of luxury and capability both on and off-road.

Its shape combines modern lines with familiar Range Rover styling cues, such as the clamshell bonnet with castellations, horizontally split tailgate and upright front end. Distinctive features such as the high-tech ‘jewellery’ – headlamps and tail lamps – and the dramatic front wing power vents add a futuristic slant to the evolutionary shape. Despite its instant recognition factor, it has no body panels in common with its predecessor. In fact, every part of the car is new.

Longer, taller and wider than the previous model, the new Range Rover has correspondingly more interior space and even stronger on-road presence. Greater ground clearance also helps to give it even higher off-road limits than its hugely capable forebear, while the vast increase in torsional stiffness offered by the monocoque body translates into superb on-road refinement and composure.

New V8 petrol and common rail six-cylinder turbo diesel engines mean better performance, lower emissions, improved fuel economy and greater refinement. State-of-the-art five speed fully electronic automatic transmissions – standard in both petrol and diesel versions – provide both fully automated and Steptronic manual shifts.

As with the original Range Rover, launched in 1970, the third generation model has permanent four-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer gearbox offering a low range for off-road use and a high range for normal driving. A new torque sensing centre differential continuously and automatically changes the torque bias between front and rear axles depending on available traction.

Freelander 2002 Model Year
Represented at the Geneva Show by both three and five door models with the four-cylinder Td4 diesel engine and V6 petrol engine, the latest Freelander models for 2002 feature revisions to exterior styling and interior comfort inspired by US market requirements and responding to customer feedback. Exterior styling is refreshed by a change to black bumpers and black exterior detailing. For the first time on Freelander, black interior trim is also now available. New cup holders, new in-car entertainment systems and a factory-fitted satellite navigation system are all offered on the latest versions.

Defender 2002 Model Year
For 2002, the iconic Defender – represented by a Defender 90 at the Geneva Show – has received significant upgrades. Body changes include a new pressed steel rear-end door for station wagon and hard top variants, central door locking and electric front windows. The facia is updated with a new centre console housing new in-car entertainment systems and revised switches. Chassis improvements include improved brakes and suspension.

Discovery 2002 Model Year
With a five cylinder diesel engined model on display at the Geneva Show, the Discovery features a package of changes for 2002. Automatic transmission versions of the 2.5-litre, Td5 diesel engine have been re-tuned to give a 10 per cent increase in torque to 340 Nm for improved driving behaviour while the interior has been upgraded with a new premium harman/kardon branded in-car entertainment system and a factory fitted satellite navigation system. The exterior is enhanced by new alloy wheel options.



From landrovers UK web site. www.landrover.co.uk