Seems like the Westminster gets the old Autobiography look, while the actual Autobiography gets the new standard for 2012, Range Rover Exterior Design Pack.  And clearly this is a UK model, doubt we’ll see it here…

RANGE ROVER CELEBRATES ITS 10^TH ANNIVERSARY WITH NEW SPECIAL EDITIONS

· New 2012 Special Edition Range Rover models: delivering increased luxury and higher specifications as current Range Rover enters its 10^th anniversary year

· TDV8 Westminster Edition: new model builds on the success of the TDV8 Vogue and Vogue SE, with added styling, comfort and entertainment features

· TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography: both new versions presented, as standard, with the Range Rover Exterior Design Pack – a collection of exterior styling highlights specifically designed to enhance road presence

Gaydon, Warwickshire, 6^th February 2012 – The Range Rover enters its 10^th anniversary year in 2012, continuing to set benchmarks in luxury, capability and performance. Going beyond the 2012 model year enhancements that were introduced in October 2011, the Range Rover line-up is being developed to include three new Special Editions; The TDV8 Westminster, TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography.

The new arrivals focus on further extending the luxury and high specifications that are at the core of the Range Rover brand.

In 2012 Land Rover celebrates 10 years of Range Rover in its current guise. The third generation Range Rover was introduced in 2002 to critical acclaim setting new benchmarks in levels of luxury and all-terrain capability. Over the past decade, several facelifts and model year updates have kept the Range Rover at the cutting edge of technology leading up to the latest special editions, which will provide customers with increased options and convenience.

Westminster Edition

The new Range Rover Westminster Edition joins the line-up to replace the previous TDV8 Vogue and Vogue SE models. Going further than its predecessors, it comes handsomely equipped with an extensive collection of additional features that raise both the vehicle’s prestige style and comfort levels for everyone on board.

The exterior of the Westminster Edition is distinguished by the bright ‘Noble’ finish to the front grille and side vents, ‘Titan’ silver lower splitter bar and fog lamp bezels, 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels and ‘Westminster’ badging. Opening the doors reveals illuminated treadplates and a cabin finished with luxury carpets and Grand Black lacquer trim elements, plus bright-finished pedal finishers. The front seats feature both heating and cooling functions and the in car entertainment system benefits from a 19-speaker, 1,200W harman/kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system as well as Range Rover’s innovative Dual View infotainment screen.

Featuring the powerful yet refined 4.4-litre TDV8 engine with eight-speed automatic transmission, the new Westminster Edition is available in a choice of seven exterior colours, with five interior colour combinations. The standard equipment specification further includes an electric sunroof, automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, Park Distance Control with rear-view camera, memory setting for the steering wheel, driver’s seat and rear-view mirror and a heated, leather trimmed steering wheel.

TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography

Bold design and ultimate luxury underpin the new Range Rover TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography. Both benefit as standard from the Range Rover Design Pack, a collection of exterior styling features that are seamlessly integrated to compliment the car’s powerful appearance, without compromising its classic lines.

The pack introduces new front and rear bumpers, ‘Titan’ silver front grille and side vent treatments and fog lamp surrounds, integrated stainless steel exhaust finishers and side skirts. These are complemented by striking 20-inch alloy wheels in Shadow Chrome.

Inside the focus is on unparalleled luxury and comfort with the Range Rover Seat Style Pack. This comprises rear seats with recline and lumbar adjustment, heating and cooling functions and multi-adjustable aircraft-style headrests with wings for added support. The passenger “front seat away” function provides a simple control for adding extra rear legroom, while the front passenger seat itself benefits from a memory function than can store up to three different personalised settings.

Both versions gain the 19-speaker, 1,200W harman/kardon LOGIC7 surround sound system and are fitted with illuminated treadplates. Seven exterior finishes are available, together with an extensive range of interior colour and trim combination options. The TDV8 Autobiography retains its 4.4-litre engine and eight-speed automatic transmission, with the Supercharged Autobiography powered by the 5.0-litre LR-V8 petrol unit with six-speed automatic gearbox.

Sales and pricing

The new Range Rover Special Edition models go on sale in March. The TDV8 Westminster Edition is £69,995, presenting customers with significant additional feature content over and above the specification of the former Vogue and Vogue SE models.

On-the-road prices for the TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography are £84,295 and £86,895 respectively.

ENDS

Land Rover Celebrates 50 Years at Eastnor Castle

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Land Rover is celebrating 50 years of using the Eastnor Castle estate in Herefordshire as its centre for off road testing and development. Tucked away in rural Herefordshire, this historic piece of English countryside is still an important tool in the research and development of new Land Rovers as well as offering a completely unique Land Rover driving experience to members of the public.

In 1961, Land Rover first chose the 5,000 acre Eastnor Castle estate located near Ledbury, Herefordshire to assess the off-road credentials of their vehicles. Half a century on, the tradition continues, with Eastnor playing a pivotal role in the research and development of Land Rover’s outstanding all-round capability and class-leading off road performance.

As well as the cars themselves, Eastnor has been instrumental in developing an impressive collection of Land Rover technologies; such as Anti-lock Brakes, Adjustable Air Suspension, Electronic Traction Control, Hill Descent Control and Terrain Response® – many of which were world firsts in the 4×4 sector.

The tradition of testing all Land Rover models at Eastnor continues to this day. The Range Rover Evoque was the most recent model to complete its off-road apprenticeship and a large part of the Evoque’s technology, including MagneRide™, was proven on the estate, where ride dampers were tested extensively.

Terrain Response® offers drivers optimal vehicle set-up (electronic and mechanical), and performance, under a variety of off-road conditions.

Whether driving in mud, ruts, rocks, sand, grass, gravel or snow, Terrain Response® has the appropriate setting, and will optimise ride height, engine torque Response®, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Traction Control and transmission settings, ensuring a safe and controlled passage across any terrain. The Eastnor estate provides the ultimate test for all these conditions and is instrumental in the continuing development of this technology.

Eastnor has been used as not only an ideal off-road engineering ground, but since 1989, as an off-road learning centre for the emergency services, explorers, humanitarian societies such as the British Red Cross and, more recently, the general public.

Customers and fans of the brand can now book drive experience days to hone their on and off-road driving skills with tuition from a team of highly qualified Land Rover Experience instructors. Eastnor is one of over 30 centres around the world, and hosts over five and a half thousand visitors every year participating in half or full days, beginner and intermediate training as well as exciting night drives. Over a third of these visitors have travelled from overseas, keen to experience Land Rover in its heartland.

Left Lane News: Interview: Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern

Wall Street Journal: Car Designer Gerry McGovern Heads Off Road

THE JOY OF A 55-YEAR-OLD LANDIE from Kim McCullough, Brand Vice President, Land Rover North America.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness: Off-Road, Through The Canyons Of My Land Roving Mind

Range Rover Evoque Instructional Videos

Startech-Tuned Range Rover Evoque to Debut at Dubai Motor Show

And finally, not really a link but just more great how-to videos from Powerful UK:

How to remove center console from Range Rover Evoque 2012

How to remove Side Vents on Range Rover Sport 2010

How to remove the front door card on a Range Rover Vogue

Enjoy…

http://www.euroncap.com/results/range_rover/evoque/2011/469.aspx

And their channel, lots more tests on all sorts of vehicles.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Search-Results/Spyshots/Range-Rover-2012-scooped/

Not sure if I’d know it was a Range Rover just from that shot, but I think that’s the point with these test cars. 

For comparison, here’s some other Range Rover “noses” through the years.

Official PR – 2012 Land Rover Defender

• New, 2.2-litre diesel engine with DPF meets EU5
• New "S" and "SE" option packs
• Five new individual option packs
• New gloss black Saw Tooth alloy wheel option
• New plain black pickup hood option

A new EU5 2.2-litre diesel engine replaces the EU4 2.4-litre diesel for 2011, bringing new levels of performance and refinement to the Defender for 2012. The smaller capacity engine delivers the same power, torque and economy as its outgoing sister but makes this the cleanest Land Rover Defender yet produced. In EU5 markets, the new engine comes with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to ensure the lowest possible levels of regulated emissions.

Following a major upgrade in 2007 which included a new facia and six-speed manual transmission, the Defender’s specification has been further improved for 2012. In addition to the existing ‘S’ and ‘SE’ trim levels, there are five new option packs, new alloy wheels, ventilated discs on all variants and a number of detail improvements to the interior. Three speed-limiting options will also be offered to fleet users wanting to gain more effective control of fuel costs.

The Defender can trace its roots back to 1948 and during that period Land Rovers have earned a reputation as the most rugged and versatile off-road vehicles in the world. Since 2002, the Defender has consistently sold an average of 25,000 units a year worldwide. Retail and utility customers, armed forces and NGOs in over 100 countries believe that the Defender’s off-road ability, durability and towing capability are still head and shoulders above the competition. Such a unique combination of attributes explains why this legendary vehicle commands such exceptionally high standards of customer loyalty.

"The substantial improvements to the Defender in 2007 transformed its on-road refinement and comfort whilst extending its legendary capability off-road for which Defender is synonymous. With the introduction of the new 2.2-litre diesel engine and five option packs, the Defender for 2012 now offers greater customer choice than ever before," said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

Smaller, cleaner diesel engine for 2012

The new EU5 2.2-litre diesel engine replaces the EU4 2.4-litre diesel while matching it for power, torque and fuel consumption. A new, full acoustic engine cover replaces the previous splash cover, reducing radiated engine noise and improving driving refinement. Meeting EU5 regulations, the engine delivers lower levels of the regulated emissions,NOx,COand HC thanks to an improved combustion system and sophisticated engine management system. In EU5 markets, particulate matter has been reduced to EU5 levels with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

Despite the smaller capacity and reduced emissions, the new engine produces the same power, 122PS@3,500rpm and torque, 360Nm@2,000rpm, as the outgoing 2.4-litre engine. Performance remains similar too, with a 0-60mph time of 14.7 seconds as before, though the top speed has been raised to 90mph compared to 82mph for the previous version. CO₂ emissions on the combined cycle are consistent at 266g/km for the 90 and 295g/km for the 110 and 130.

The GFT MT 82 six-speed gearbox has been retained for 2012 with its excellent ratio spread, high top gear for cruising and enhanced low-speed crawl capability. The lower first gear offers low crawl speed making towing on-road and off-road much easier. The low-down engine torque also helps in-gear acceleration and the tall sixth gear ensures excellent real-world cruising, refinement and fuel economy. Ground gears in both the gearbox and transfer box help contribute to the refinement of the transmission.

Interiors move up a notch

In addition to the ‘S’ and ‘SE’ trim levels, five new option packs have been introduced to the Defender for 2012 to offer more bespoke combinations including, for the first time, part leather seats and leather steering wheel across the model range. The option packs comprise of the following:

Comfort Pack- Air conditioning, CD Player with auxiliary input and convenience pack.

Exterior Pack- Brunel grille and headlamp surrounds, body coloured roof, wheel arches and side runners.

Interior Pack- Carpeted floors, high line cubby, part leather seats and leather steering wheel. Rear stowage net is included in Station Wagons and Hard Tops and the roof appointment pack is included in 90 Hard Tops.

Leather Pack-Part leather seats and leather steering wheel are available on all body styles for the first time.

Off-Road Pack- ABS, heavy duty rim and MTR tyre, tow ball and under-ride protection bar.

In response to customer feedback, a plain black Pick Up hood will now be available as an option whilst a plain beige hood will be introduced for the 110 Double Cab Pick Up. Both options are in addition to existing styles.

Further enhancements for 2012 include the addition of tinted glass on all models and the option of part leather seats. A new gloss black, Saw Tooth alloy wheel with MTR tyre is also being introduced as an option on Station Wagon and Hard Top body styles.

The Defender’s facia is based on a single, large moulding supported on a robust steel rail to help eliminate squeaks and rattles. The instruments provide clear, concise information to the driver, and details like all-LED instrument illumination help ensure high standards of reliability. Versatile stowage shelves are conveniently located for both the driver and passenger and two console options are available: a practical open-tray design that keeps contents to hand and a large, lidded design that provides an impressive 14-litres of stowage.

A powerful heating and ventilation system is designed to cope with the most extreme climates and features aluminium plate and fin heat exchangers to deliver impressive performance.

Tall front seats are designed to improve maximum back support and head restraint ergonomics in the most demanding driving conditions and there are robust, supportive second row seats too. 110 Station Wagon and 130 Crew Cab models can comfortably accommodate three occupants on an asymmetrically-split second row seat. A spring-assisted fold mechanism helps when folding the seats for carrying large or awkward loads.

Defender 90 Station Wagon second row occupants benefit from a pair of individual, full-size, forward-facing rear seats. Providing excellent comfort levels, these seats are also available as a third row option on the 110 Station Wagon. Accessed either through the rear door or by folding the second row seats, they can be easily folded and stowed sideways in the loadspace.

Seat trims include durable all-vinyl and cloth specifications; a half-leather option is also available to add a touch of luxury to the cabin. Three-point safety belts are specified for all seating positions.

Defender’s unique vehicle architecture has been retained for 2012. The chassis frame is available in three different wheelbases and in both standard and heavy-duty guise (for even greater load-bearing capabilities). A total of 14 separate body styles – from pick-ups and soft-tops to crew cabs and station wagons – are produced on the mainstream production line. Beyond this, Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations team offer a range of products from standard drop-side or box-body conversions to bespoke design and build adaptations into ambulances, mobile hydraulic platforms and even airport fire tenders – all of which are covered by Land Rover’s extensive warranty.

A classic feature from the original Land Rover Series vehicles, the power take off, an optional item that allowed the Land Rover’s engine to power all sort of accessories.  From a generator and welder to an air compressor or power saw.  It gave the original Land Rover that “tractor” functionality that really made it popular.

So back to the survey, they give a list of the new features and ask you to rank your top three. 

Things like:

• Spiked tyres
• Removable sound system
• Driveline Disconnect

And then the fourth item in the list:

Power take-off – Inductive charging areas throughout the cabins and rear load spaces which can charge and power any number of modern electronic devices.

I bet marketing had real fun with that one.  While I can complain about it, it is a modern interpretation of the PTO.  I just laughed and got slightly more worried about what the next Defender really will be.

I have no problem with modernizing it, but please don’t make it look so much like a toy!

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/new-off-road-tech-for-next-range-rover/260097/

And it discussed the already talked about Land Rover DC100 technology coming to the Range Rover Next, which does make sense, similar to the way Terrain Response, show on the Range Stormer then showed up in the Range Rover Sport & LR3.

I found higher resolution shots of the 2013 Range Rover at MOTORAUTHORITY.COM, and did a little OCD zooming, rotating and cropping.  Along with some crazy overanalyzing.

Here we see what looks like Terrain Response controls.  They appear to have gone back to being a round control but it doesn’t look like a knob and it does have that one button illuminated in the middle – could that be the “Terrain-i” button – hit it and forget it?

The updated and simplified Evoque-inspired steering wheel controls?