Land Rover could eventually sell a Range Rover coupe and a baby off-roader positioned below the Freelander and Volvo a V8 model, says Premier Automotive Group boss Wolfgang Reitzle (pictured). Speaking at the Range Rover launch in Scotland yesterday, Reitzle explained that, once the current Land Rover range has been replaced - a process begun with the new Range Rover - and a new model, unofficially known as the mini-Range Rover, is slotted between the full-size version and the Discovery, the company will consider new segments. Reitzle sees Range Rover almost as a brand in its own right, which could 'diverge a little' from Land Rover with models such as a prestige off-road coupe.At the other end of the scale, he sees a small Land Rover - he calls it a Landie - slotting below the Freelander to provide a high-volume seller. It wouldn't have quite the sophistication of pricier Land Rovers - including the next-generation Freelander, which is likely to get a low-range gearbox - but he says, it will be true to 'the Land Rover experience', and be superior to its rivals.
Reitzle also revealed that the existing Range Rover was originally to have been facelifted in 2000, and carried on until 2007, but when BMW bought Land Rover he scrapped the plan because he didn't consider that the just-replaced model was good enough. 'We would have lost the equity in the brand', he said, alluding to the model's quality problems. Instead, he initiated the product plan that produced the all-new 2002 Range Rover.
Fellow PAG brand Volvo is to offer a V8 option.
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