First Look At The New Land Rover LR2
Thankfully renamed the LR2, it has the potential to be a significantly better machine than the Freelander. We use "potential" because we haven't driven the LR2 as yet, and sales in the U.S. 2007. But the sheet metal and specs are impressive. From there rearward it's as though the small Land Rover were sent back to the tailor who clothed the Range Rover Sport, and who knows how to make the shape smaller without losing any impact. There are some differences, like the LR2's A- and C-pillars being body color, but the overall look, the stance and the presence are all Range Rover Sport. Ditto inside, right down to using the same seats and steering wheel as the Sport. The center stack controls are a condensed version of the Range Rover's with none of the cheapness seen in the Freelander. Power comes from a 3.2-liter inline-6 mounted transversely up front, which is not surprising considering it is also used in Volvo's newest S80. Matched to a 6-speed automatic, the six is said to bring 60 mph up in 8.4 seconds, about a half second down on BMW's 3.0-liter X3, the LR2's stated rival. Naturally the driveline features full-time all-wheel drive and expected attributes like Hill Descent Control and the new Gradient Release Control. Inherited from Volvo is Roll Stability Control. This isn't quite the climb-any-mountain, ford-any-stream (should that be Ford-any-stream?) chassis of the Range Rover, but darned close. 27,000 starting point, given what's been done to upgrade the junior Land Rover to the LR2.
This year it continues to sell well, even though there are some supply constraints. One of the big changes in the Medium SUV segment this year will involve what since 2012 has been one of the most popular vehicles - the Mazda CX-5. A brand-new model is scheduled for launch here in May, and this will obviously boost the sales potential of what is already Mazda's most popular model in New Zealand. It will be exactly the same size as now, but it will feature a sharper interpretation of the brand's Kodo styling themes, just like the larger CX-9. It will also have a classy new cabin, replacing the slightly downbeat interior architecture of the outgoing model. Powertrains will be carried over, although the CX-5 will feature updated driver-assistance and safety technology. Hyundai's Tucson is another model that is doing well, including substantial sales to the rental market. This is the vehicle that used to top the Small SUV segment as the ix35, but the new Tucson grew in size so had to officially be considered a Medium SUV.
The engine you choose is a personal and often emotional choice. Many Americans grew up in Ford or Chevy biased households so will be biased towards one marque or the other. Many people will want to keep a Rover engine in the series LR at any cost and will stay with the GM derived Rover V8. Some people like diesels, some don't. All the small block American block V8 engines and their V6 derivatives can be made to fit within a series engine bay. Most American small block V8's are very close in weight to the 2.25L Land Rover engine so the suspension and handling characteristics are not affected by the engine weight. I'm not going to spend much time discussing Rover V8 engines. The Rover V8 drive train has been engineered at the factory so an engine swap is mostly a matter of modifying the bulkhead, mounts and using factory parts. I personally think that these are great engines for lightweight sports cars but are not as good as the American V8s for use in big heavy Land Rovers.
As you might expect given that 7 model years separate the arrival of the aging LR2 from the all-new Discovery Sport, the newest member of the Land Rover family boasts some major upgrades over its older stablemate. The biggest technology gap relates to safety features. While the Discovery Sport offers many modern items, including rear cross-traffic alert, a blind spot monitoring system, lane-departure warning and frontal-collision warning with automatic braking, the LR2 offers only the basics: side-curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes and stability control. The Discovery Sport also holds some convenience features over the LR2, including a power lift gate, an automatic parking system and smartphone-app integration for the infotainment system. Simply put, when it comes to technology, the Discovery Sport is ahead of the curve, while the LR2 feels like a dinosaur struggling to keep up. Although you might expect the Discovery Sport to dramatically outshine the older LR2 in terms of on-road performance, we didn't find that to be the case. That's not to say that the Discovery Sport feels old. On the contrary, we happen to enjoy the LR2's driving experience; it's smooth, comfortable and surefooted. And since both SUVs use the same engine, performance is relatively similar, though we admit that the Discovery Sport is a little more spirited, likely a result of its new 9-speed automatic transmission.
Ford's battle with the Selden group led to a decision by the Supreme Court in 1911, eight years after the initial suit. The Court ruled that the Selden patent was invalid. The decision freed many automobile manufacturers from costly licensing obligations; it also enabled others to enter the business. When the United States became involved in World War I (April 1917), the Ford Motor Company placed its resources at the disposal of the government. For the duration of the war, Ford Motor produced large quantities of automobiles, trucks, and ambulances, as well as Liberty airplane motors, Whippet tanks, Eagle submarine chasers, and munitions. In 1918, Henry Ford officially retired from the company, naming his son Edsel president and ceding to him a controlling interest. But, in fact, Henry continued to direct company strategy and spent much of his time developing a farm tractor called the Fordson. He also published a conservative weekly journal, the Dearborn Independent. Edsel, who was more reserved and pragmatic than his father, concerned himself with routine operations.
