2013 Land Rover LR2

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, First Drives, Luxury

Evoque's Older Brother Gets Some Love

Brands like Jeep, Land Rover and General Motors' now-defunct Hummer all come from rich military backgrounds, with their forebearers having proven their ability to tackle just about any terrain, from desert to jungle. Each has faced the difficult challenge of evolving from battle-tested off-road vehicles to civilian-ready status symbols. For Land Rover, which is arguably to New York City and Miami what the Toyota Prius is to Los Angeles, this is especially true. Yet even so, the British automaker still relies on rugged capability to sell products ranging from Range Rovers with six-figure price tags right on down to the LR2 shown here.

Positioned in a class full of vehicles with nicknames like "cute ute" and "soft roader," the 2013 LR2 - known as Freelander 2 in other markets - stands out even more for its respectable off-road abilities in spite of its car-based underpinnings, so Land Rover has focused its attention on refining its entry-level product as a midcycle refresh for 2013. The 2013 Land Rover LR2 still rides on the proven Ford/Volvo EUCD chassis also shared with the Range Rover Evoque, and rather than killing off the existing model when its sleeker, more street-minded relative arrived, Land Rover has done just the opposite, incorporating most of the technology developed for the Evoque into the 2013 LR2.

So how successful has Land Rover been at improving the finer aspects of its gateway model without messing up the off-road ruggedness that defines its brand as a whole? We spent a cold, snowy day near Montreal testing the limits of this baby Land Rover to find out.

Continue reading 2013 Land Rover LR2

2013 Land Rover LR2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Land Rover LR2 gets updated look, turbo four power for 2013

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:46:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Paris Motor Show, Land Rover, Luxury, Off-Road

Land Rover is being liberal with its amenities, distributing luxe features from its Range Rover Evoque, 2013 Range Rover and Jaguar sedans to its entry-level 2013 LR2. Right out front is a new engine: the same 240-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 250 pound-feet of torque found in the Evoque is now the sole engine offered in the LR2. It replaces the 3.2-liter six-cylinder and brings with it the benefits of being 88 pounds lighter, having 10 more horsepower and 16 more pound-feet of torque. Shifting remains through a six-speed transmission with CommandShift for manual cog swapping.

Outside are three new potential hues: Aintree Green, Havana and Mauritius Blue. Those new paint selections set off tweaked design cues like the revised Xenon headlamps and LED taillamps, refreshed brightwork around the grille and fog lamps, and "paint detailing changes" made to the grille insert and fender vents.

Inside, the center console gets a seven-inch touchscreen that is mission control for the updated-but-optional hard-drive based navigation system, the "Say What You See" voice control operation, an available rearview camera with Hitch Assist. In addition, buyers will get to chose between one of two Meridian surround sound stereos - the ultimate having 825-watts and 17-speakers. A new five-inch screen lives between the dials in the dash cluster, the steering wheel now fitted with switches to navigate menus that appear there.

On the practical side, the Terrain Response dial disappears, replaced by buttons, while an intelligent electronic parking brake keeps tabs on the temperature of the brakes and how much clamping force is being applied. A pushbutton start system has been adopted, relegating the key dock to history.

How much will the goodies cost you? It will take $37,250 to get in the 2013 LR2 door, a $700 bump over the 2012 model. The HSE goes up by $750 to $39,750, while the HSE LUX is $850 more dear at $42,350. Why get an LR2 instead of the similarly sized and far fresher Evoque, you ask? Presumably because the LR2 is still a lot cheaper - 2012 Evoque models start at $43,995. Besides, the LR2's more traditional and upright styling plays to a different audience than the fashion-forward Evoque.

You can peruse the press release below for more on the noteworthy changes before diving into the massive high-res gallery above. We expect to see the real thing in the metal at the Paris Motor Show late next month.

Continue reading Land Rover LR2 gets updated look, turbo four power for 2013

Land Rover LR2 gets updated look, turbo four power for 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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