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(Wed 11 Mar 09) Production of a new, small and relatively light Range Rover has come a step closer with the announcement that the UK Government has offered Land Rover a grant of up to £27 million towards the £400 million total cost of the project through its Grant For Business Investment Scheme.
If the plans come to fruition, the new model will be based on the Land Rover LRX concept which appeared first at last year's Detroit Show and subsequently at Geneva. It would be branded as a Range Rover because of an emphasis on luxury, but perhaps more important is the fact that it would be the cleanest and most economical vehicle the company has ever produced. Originally, Land Rover spoke in terms of combined fuel economy in the region of 60mpg and CO2 emissions of 120g/km, but that would be possible only with the hybrid system (consisting of a two-litre turbo diesel engine and an electric motor) which Land Rover later admitted was only one of several powertrains under consideration. But a production version of the LRX would certainly be part of the company's aim to reduce the official CO2 emissions of its models by 20%. The Government grant has nothing to do with the proposed £2.3 billion Automotive Assistance Programme, but rather a lot to do with the low-CO2 nature of the new vehicle. "The Government is fully committed to supporting the UK automotive industry as it moves to a lower carbon future," said Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. "This project aims to design and build a greener car in the UK, safeguarding vital skills and technologies. "This is an important investment for the future and we are delighted to be able to offer this grant support." A decision on whether to put the LRX into production will be made later this year. If the decision is positive, the car will be built at the Halewood factory in Merseyside, currently the home of the Freelander and the Jaguar X-Type. |
