HSE2

NEW LAND ROVER MODEL COMING
The off-road arm of Ford's "Brit Group" has plans to add an all-new
version of the Freelander to its lineup, Steve McKnight, general manager
of Land Rover's U.S. operations reveals. The three-door ute, due during
the fourth quarter of this year, will be targeted at younger buyers who
might otherwise ignore Land Rover. Look for even more new models and
variants spinning off of the existing Land Rover lineup, according to
company officials interviewed by TheCarConnection. Among the
possibilities: an all-new, radically revised version of the Defender, not
currently sold in the States. McKnight, meanwhile, stressed that there
will be big changes in the way Land Rover plans and develops new products.
Traditionally, they've been aimed at Europe and other overseas markets.
"Going forward, everything will be designed and engineered for the North
American market," he says, a reflection of the fact that the U.S. accounts
for about a third of Land Rover sales, making it the company's largest
single market.