HSE2

Land Rover is celebrating record sales in the UK with over 45,000 vehicles sold, 15 per cent up on the previous year.

Total Land Rover sales in the UK for 2001 were 45,033. The best-selling Land Rover was the Freelander with 24,812 vehicles sold, an increase of 19 per cent over 2000. Freelander sales in 2001 were boosted by the introduction of a V6 derivative and a revised diesel engined version. The mid-sized Land Rover Discovery recorded sales of 11,528 vehicles, 17 per cent more than in 2000 with improved sales coming from product refinements introduced during 2001 as well as improved performance against competition. The Range Rover luxury 4x4 sold 3,545 vehicles in 2001, an increase of 3 per cent with improved sales coming from limited editions such as the 'Westminster' launched during the year. An all-new version of the Range Rover will be launched early in 2002. Sales of the Defender utility vehicle were 5,148, an increase of 1 per cent on the previous year. The increase in Defender sales was made despite a downturn in the agricultural sector and was due to improvements to the Defender product range made during 2001 and to increased fleet sales.

Commenting on the results Mike Wright, managing director of Land Rover UK said: ‘2001 was another record year for Land Rover in the UK which is great news for our customers, dealers and employees. Our success was built on our range of competitive products and the focus on the experiential strength of the Land Rover brand extending into holiday adventures, the driving experience and our unique dealer environment. This result paves the way for further development of the Land Rover brand in the UK with the launch of the new Range Rover in 2002.’