Tata’s collaboration with Fiat may bring Maserati and Ferrari to India

Even though large parts of the western auto markets are in the doldrums, the eastern markets are doing well, seeing the examples of India and China in particular. Tata, which has made a success of its Nano, and has also bought Jaguar and Land Rover, is looking at expanding its portfolio.

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Jaguars and Land Rovers will now come in aluminum

Jaguars and Land Rovers will now be built in aluminum instead of the heavier steel, leading to as much and 40 percent reduction in the weight of the car. This will result in greater fuel efficiency as well as less carbon dioxide emissions. Tata Motors, which owns the brand, is going to extend this technology to other models as well to become more green.

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Land Rover LRX Concept is getting closer to the production

UK Government wants to see Land Rover LRX in production and offers up to £27 million in government aid. Land Rover will make final decision about the project later this year.

This Baby Land Rover would be based on the LRX concept that was first shown at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show.

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Tata to pump millions in Jaguar-Land Rover

“Tens of millions” of pounds pumped into Jaguar-Land Rover by Tata would not only provide a new lease of life to the Firms, but would also prevent a likely and immediate cash flow crisis.
The Indian firm had earlier this year, bought the duo for $2.3 billion from Ford Motor and injecting more money into J-LR would further strain Tata Motor’s finances. Car makers around the globe have been hit by a collapse in demand as the economic slowdown spreads access to credit is choked off by the financial crisis.

Continue to read: Tata to pump millions in Jaguar-Land Rover

Land Rover cancels G4 Challenge Program

For Land Rover fans who have ‘celebrated’ the transferring of ownership of their beloved marque from the ailing FoMoCo to the cash rich Tata Group, this might as well be dealt with a pinch of salt.

As Land Rover poised itself for the continuing hardship of current economic woes, the decision to cancel the G4 Challenge was rather a swift one, with no news whatsoever on preliminary discussions on ‘Possible strategic options’ (A common term used frequently now by car manufacturers).

Continue to read: Land Rover cancels G4 Challenge Program

Facelifted Range Rover Sport spotted in Britain

Facelifted Range Rover Sport will be available very likely beginning of 2009. Next generation should come earliest in 2013.

Exterior changes are very small and at first it is hard to spot the differences. If you look closely you will see new front and rear bumpers, revised grill and side air intakes. As the headlights are covered there is a high chance that Range Rover Sport is the next one to go with the LED boom.

Continue to read: Facelifted Range Rover Sport spotted in Britain

Electric Range Rover will be priced at around $200,000

Going electric seems to be the future, now there is an electric Range Rover prototype in development that will get 200 mile range per charge. This won’t be another rival to the Tesla Roadster, it will be an electric car for the off road crowd.

The car will have solar panels on the roof to charge the batteries when they get low and will also power many of the electrical systems.

Continue to read: Electric Range Rover will be priced at around $200,000

Range Rover facelift spotted on the Nürburgring

Here it is the facelifted third generation Range Rover. Exterior changes are very minor and include new lights and new front bumper.

Just like the facelifted Range Rover Sport it gets a new 5.0-liter supercharged V8. Last time the Range Rover got a facelift was for the 2007 model year. Things have changed a lot since the third generation was first introduced. The program started under BMW, then moved to Ford and now is part of Tata Motors.

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Spy pictures: 2009/2010 Range Rover Sport on the Nürburgring

This here is a 2009/2010 Range Rover Sport facelift that was spotted on the Nürburgring. Range Rover Sport gets a new 5.0-liter engine that replaces current 4.2-liter engine from Jaguar.

Power output is from 350 hp in the naturally aspirated configuration and 460 hp on the supercharged version. In addition to the engine changes the car also gets a revised bumper and grille.
This Porsche Cayenne Turbo rival should go on sale summer of 2009.

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Land Rover announces: Diesel ERAD Hybrid & e_Terrain Technologies

Land Rover’s engineers are now conducting real-world tests with some ground-breaking Diesel ERAD Hybrid vehicles, aimed at dramatically cutting CO2 and other emissions while still delivering characteristic Land Rover all-terrain performance.

These engineering ‘mules’ are based on Freelander 2 vehicles, but the technology is designed to be scalable and modular, so could be applied across a variety of Land Rover models and powertrains.

Continue to read: Land Rover announces: Diesel ERAD Hybrid & e_Terrain Technologies

World’s first Land Rover 4×4 “Off-roadster”

Two German Land Rover enthusiasts who also love classic British roadsters have decided to combine these two attributes into a single vehicle and in so doing have created the world’s first Land Rover 4×4 “Off-roadster”. Official name of the car will be Bell Aurens Land Rover.

So called Off-roadster is based on a classic Series Land Rover 109″ and will be equipped with four wheel drive, off-road gear reduction, central locking differential and a leaf sprung suspension. 8 and 12-cylinder engines will be available (thats why the car has such a long bonnet).

Continue to read: World’s first Land Rover 4×4

The most luxurious Range Rover will be called Autobiography

A new, high-specification ‘Autobiography’ model is to make a global debut at the British International Motor Show on July 22nd 2008.

The Range Rover model line-up for 2009 will feature the most luxurious top of the range production Range Rover yet. Taking the name ‘Autobiography’, it replaces the model previously reserved for bespoke versions of the luxury 4×4.

Contniue to read: Land Rover will unveil the most luxurious Range Rover named Autobiography

Liberty Electric Cars is investing £30 million to offer luxury electric cars

Newly formed Liberty Electric Cars Ltd is investing £30 million in the re engineering of large luxury cars and 4 x 4s into emission-free, high performance electric vehicles. The company will design and manufacture a unique electric drive-train platform to power a wide range of large vehicles, which will also have the flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies.
Annual vehicle production, which will include the world’s first zero emission, electrically powered Range Rover, will be in tens of thousands and will create around 250 new technology and manufacturing jobs.

Continue to read: Liberty Electric Cars is investing £30 million to offer luxury electric cars

Land Rover: Celebrating 60 years and going strong

60 years ago today, a motoring icon made its public debut, when the original Land Rover was shown at a motor show in Amsterdam, on April 30, 1948. The current Defender is clearly descended from that first vehicle, known as a Series 1. Extraordinarily, they even share a couple of original parts, an oil filler plug and a cleat for tying down the canvas roof. But the rest of the vehicle technology has moved on considerably.

Today, Land Rover goes from strength-to-strength, with a five-model line-up headed by the Range Rover, and record global sales of over 226,000 vehicles in 2007.

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Interesting things to know about Tata

As Tata makes headlines with the purchase of Jaguar-Land Rover from Ford, there is a short list of things that are useful to know about the Tata Group and its automotive unit.
We all have heard of least expensive car Tata Nano that is priced under 3000USD. In addition to that there are some interesting facts about the company.

Continue to read: Interesting things to know about Tata