Wearing what would barely pass as anti-photo camouflage, our auto paparazzi snapped spy photos of the upcoming 2013 Land Rover Range Rover on the road.

Fuel economy is expected to improve on the upcoming model thanks to an all-aluminum structure shedding weight and a new eight-speed transmission. Along with the more conservative trans, roughly the same engine line is expected to make it into the newest version. A big 5.0-liter V8, along with a supercharged version for increased performance are expected to be available. Despite saving fuel, the new transmission should also help acceleration too.

Don’t be surprised if a hybrid model debuts as well. The automaker already showcased a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, though the fuel and engine are more likely to burn gas for production.

Our latest pictures show the SUV in minimally busy camo, allowing the camera to pick more details out than ever before. What you see above is almost certainly just a dressed up version of the production model rather than a test mule.

GALLERY: 2013 Range Rover spy photos

Despite little news on the Lagonda front as of late, Aston Martin is reportedly continuing to prepare for the launch of its new sub-brand.

With an all-new DBS currently in the works as well, the Lagonda SUV could debut as early as the Paris Motor Show this Fall with Aston boss Ulrich Bez recently commenting that we’ll see a refreshed version of the much-maligned concept, “in the coming year.” In fact, Bez was reported to have said the car was “almost complete” six months ago.

While initially proposed as a brand that will focus purely on SUVs, rumors have also surfaced that a large sedan could also be built as a rival to the Rolls-Royce Ghost.

Initially unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2009, the Mercedes GL-based Lagonda concept was not well received by the media and so the exclusive British automaker took a second look at the styling. Media commentary can, however, be misleading as we saw with the recent Bentley SUV concept, which offended journalists, but which stuck a cord with potential customers.

While sales of cars like the DBS continue to lag behind pre-recession levels, a high-dollar SUV like the proposed Lagonda is seen by many automakers as just the ticket to help improve sales – particularly in emerging markets like China, Russia and India where poor road infrastructure significantly limits the practicality of a low-slung sports car.

With Bentley recently showing its SUV concept and Lamborghini revealing the Urus SUV, the Lagonda can only be a question of when, not if.

GALLERY: Aston Martin Lagonda

[Source: AutoCar]

Lotus has adapted it’s Evora GT4 endurance racer for homologation in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and has confirmed at least one team will compete using the car.

Called the Evora GTC it’s over 60 lbs lighter than the Enduro car at just under 2,500 lbs. thanks to carbon-fiber used for the doors, roof and engine cover while Plexiglass is used for the windows. In addition, the car gains traction control and a BOSCH anit-lock bracing system.

Helping with grip are wider wheels and tires with 18×10-inch fronts and 18×12-inch rears. And to accommodate for the new rollers on the Evora GTC are wider wheel arches.

Power remains the same with the same 4.0-liter V6 engine making 450 hp mated to an XTRAC six-speed sequential gearbox.

Bought by McMahon Raceworks and Condor Motorsport, the team plans to enter the new Evora GTC in the Grand-Am series, though it’s not clear if they will be competing this season.

With just over 500 hp on tap in the latest Nurburgring taxi, the Jaguar XJ Supersport feeds thrill-seekers adrenaline through a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine.

As the latest automaker to offer such a service, Jaguar decided to send the XJ Supersport, with Sport and Speed Pack options, to offer passengers a chance to feel the “Green Hell” as it’s meant to be experienced: with a wide open throttle.

Previously, we brought you a story about BMW offering the M5 in a similar capacity, but now Jaguar is copying the idea. While the XJ won’t be able to compete with the BMW’s 560 hp, the ride might feel a bit more thrilling because of it’s all-aluminum chassis. It’s likely to be more comfortable too.

When it was first released, auto pundits praised the XJ for its surprisingly nimble handling which is a direct result of the chassis design.

“Of these models, we found it’s the XJ Supersport that most often surprises journalists with its speed simply because they perceive it to be a large luxury car. The XJ is both those things, of course, but its aluminium architecture means it’s rigid and lightweight too, which make it a very good car on track. To underline that fact, our engineering team created this special Nürburgring taxi version in which our trained drivers can safely take passengers on very hot laps,” Jaguar Land Rover exec Frank Klaas said.

A tiny car with big personality, Morgan CEO Charles Morgan announced that the radical Three-wheeler will be offered in the U.S. through the distribution channel of three select U.S. dealerships.

Blurring the boundaries of car and motorcycle, the retro-style Three-wheeler was inspired by the three-wheel sports cars that Morgan originally produced between 1911 to 1953. Featuring a 2.0-liter V-twin engine that sits between the front wheels and ahead of the snout, power is transferred to the single rear wheel via a Mazda Miata 5-speed gearbox.

Although the V-twin motor only produces about 80-hp, the three-wheeler’s minuscule dimensions and 1,155-pound curb weight allows the vehicle to rocket from 0-to-60 mph in just 4.5 seconds.

Seemingly simple and straightforward, the Morgan is actually handcrafted, featuring leather upholstery, an alloy steering wheel, wire wheels up front, polished exhausts down the side and aluminum aircraft-style toggle switches across the dash. In total, the Three-wheeler will set you back a steep $40,000.

Tailored for the more wealthy and whimsical buyer, Charles Morgan confirms that the Three-wheeler will be a low-volume affair. One of the three dealerships is confirmed to be located in Seattle while the remaining two dealers are expected to be located in California and somewhere on the East Coast.

To promote the Three-wheeler’s U.S. debut, CEO Charles Morgan will drive the car in next month’s 2012 Gumball 3000 rally. An infamous New York-to-Los Angeles road rally that accepts the entry of the most exotic of automobiles, the wealthy and adventuresome participants of the Gumball 3000 should possess just the right amount of extravagant folly for Morgan to find its perfect clientele.

GALLERY: Morgan Three-wheeler

[Source: InsideLine]

Simon Butler, affectionately known as the “Racing Reverend” as well as the Associate Rector of Ashtead Parish of Surrey, England, started racing in karting leagues at an early age. “I think I’m the only Anglican clergyman who has ever driven a modern Formula 1 car, but this will be my first experience in the historics,” Butler admits. “The C-type is owned by one of my parishioners, Tony Allen, and he invited me to share the car with Jonathon Crouch for the full series of Woodcote Trophy races.”

The backstory behind the 1952 C-type is perhaps even more interesting. Painted in a French racing blue, chassis number XKC 016 was originally supplied to a French Jaguar importer. When it competed in the Mille Miglia in 1953, a brutal crash killed driver Pierre Gilbert Ugnon and seriously injured team-mate Luc Descollanges.

According to Butler, the damaged C-type was then left abandoned in a yard for almost 20 years before it was painstakingly restored, piece-by-piece, in the 1970s. Since then, it has enjoyed many years of racing.

Known for its fast and fiercely competitive nature, the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy poses a true challenge for the Reverend. Addressing his level of confidence, Butler said, “Historic cars have no brakes! Seriously, though, I’ve really enjoyed the transition to historics, so much so that I might not go back. With a historic car, you need to keep it moving around a lot; there’s still a lot of precision needed, but it’s a different sort of precision.”

The first Woodcote Trophy race will be held at Donington Historic Festival from May 5-6. Races to follow include the Brands Hatch GP circuit, the Silverstone Classic, as well as the Spa Six-Hours Meeting in September.

Donington will be a home race for Reverend Simon Butler, as his previous parish is just 15 miles from the circuit, at West Bridgford in Nottinghamshire.

In show-worthy shape, the millionth Land Rover Discovery appeared yesterday at the Beijing Auto Show after making it’s “grueling” journey from the U.K. to China. 

It began on February 29 when the SUV rolled off the line, ready to raise money for charity by taking a historic cross-continent trek. A team of drivers would take the more than 8,000-mile journey, making stops along the way in places like Chernobyl, abandoned Soviet sub bases and the Kazakhstan desert, all the way to the Beijing  Auto Show.

The trip was a recreation of the same path that “The First Overland Expedition” followed in 1955, though it had to divert to Singapore and failed to complete the route.

Aiming to raise £1million, it seems the trip has yet to reach its goal. There weren’t any numbers in the company’s press release to signal how much has been raised to date, but there is a link to contribute, which is a surefire sign that they fell short. The donations will go to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, though it’s not entirely clear when the campaign will end.

In total, the trip visited 78 cities over 10,000 miles in 50 days. While that might seem like a lot, there were four drivers participating and they travelled roughly an average 200 miles per day. That’s 50 miles per driver, or less than an hour of driving at highway speeds.

The latest Land Rover Evoque “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” seems to possess all the right ingredients to become a proper special edition vehicle. The former “Posh Spice” member of the wildly successful Brit pop girl group Spice Girls, a stand-out BFA award-winning fashion designer, and wife of international soccer star David Beckham, Victoria has worked closely with the British Automaker in developing the latest model.

In its latest Victoria Beckham special edition offering, the Evoque features what Victoria described as a “masculine” treatment. Describing her process, Victoria Beckham explained, “When I first started working with the team I did a lot of research, and created mood boards to show the team my love of timeless and classic design. I looked at yachts, luxury jets and classic cars.”

The result is an exterior painted in a stealthy matte gray color scheme accented with a glossy black roof and trim pieces. The 20-inch wheels are black as well, each wearing 245/45 rubber, exclusive to this particular edition Evoque. Lending a softer “Posh” touch, Victoria sprinkled rose-gold accents, painted onto the wheels and plated to additional trim pieces inside and out.

As for the special Evoque’s interior, Victoria Beckham chose “vintage tan” semi-aniline leathers , finishing the seats with baseball stitching a composition that gets Mrs. Beckham to remember her family’s time in California. What’s more, Victoria also chose Mohair Carpets similar to those found in her father’s Rolls-Royce. Finally, no special edition is complete without a bespoke four-piece luggage set to go with the vehicle.

Mechanically untouched, the Evoque Special Edition with Victoria Beckham offers the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four engine producing 240-hp. Land Rover has decided not to tack on a bespoke “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” badge onto the Evoque either, as a long and clumsy moniker won’t do the car any favors anyway. Instead, the limited examples will be distinguished by Beckham’s signature found inside the leather folder for the Evoque owner’s manual.

Only 200 examples of “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” will be produced, beginning sales in the Chinese market first. Prices start at £80,000 to £90,000, or $130,000 to $145,000 after currency exchange. While a 200 percent mark up over a standard Evoque may seem outrageous, no price is too high for the well-heeled.

Check out the Evoque “Special Edition with Victoria Beckham” promo video below:

GALLERY: Land Rover Evoque Special Edition with Victoria Beckham

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While many businesses had been hurt badly by the tough economic times, some of which have never recovered, British luxury and sports car manufacturer Aston Martin is thriving.

The company just released its full year results for the 12-months ending on December 31, 2011 and are happy to report that the numbers are in the black.

Aston Martin’s revenues increased by 7 percent, to $817.3-million, its highest since 2008. Aston’s earnings before interest,taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) works out to be $112.8-million.

Aston Martin managed to make this profit by shifting 4200 vehicles in these 12-months, which also included selling all 77-examples of the One-77 supercar.

“Our 2011 results demonstrate the energy, passion and ongoing resilience of Aston Martin – a truly unique, independent manufacturer. We are on track with our expansion plans around the world, especially in China, and are investing in new models,” said Aston Martin’s CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez.

The Aston Martin brand is stronger than ever. This is demonstrated by intense interest in the new V12 Zagato, recently shown at the Geneva Motor Show, and our $1.93-million One-77 supercar – all 77 of which are now sold.”

Aston Martin has also accrued $122-million in projected sales since last months Geneva Motor Show, so the future is looking very bright indeed.

While many car enthusiasts have complained in recent years that Aston Martin has not come out with an all-new car in quite some time (apart from the mega-bucks One-77), it seems those who can afford such high-priced items are buying them and the people running the company know what they are doing.

According to Global Brand Leader for St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Paul James, “Starwood’s luxury brands continues to grow globally and so does the global nature of our guests. We are committed to providing experiences that far surpass their expectations, and this partnership with Bentley enables our discerning guests to explore must-see destinations in unparalleled style.”

Previously, St. Regis hosted a pilot bespoke Italian driving tour for Bentley model owners and guests of The St. Regis Rome and the newly opened St. Regis Florence in October, 2011. For the new partnership, the St. Regis hotels has chosen a line of Bentley Continental Flying Spur models for its house fleet of luxury travelers. The Bentley Flying Spurs will be appointed at resorts including The St. Regis Singapore, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, as well as the flagship hotel in New York.

Head of Bentely Motors customer relations Joe Ashworth is pleased with the partnership, “At Bentley, we are committed to maintaining our position as the definitive British luxury car company. It is therefore important that we partner with a pinnacle brand that underpins our own values of craftsmanship, style, and sophistication. Our current and prospective customers recognize the heritage of both brands, and with Starwood’s Luxury Brands, we aim to broaden the appeal and experience of Bentley.”

Later this month, The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts and Bentley will hold an inaugural “Springtime Bentley Grand Tour” from Vienna to Salzburg, Austria. A two day event, guests will receive a grand experience of scenic Austria behind the wheel of a Bentley Continental GT W12 or a Bentley Continental GT V8. The journey will also showcase four iconic Luxury Collection Hotels including the Hotel Imperial in Vienna and the Schloss Fuschl in Salzburg.

GALLERY: Starwood Hotel and Resorts Bentley Continental

Earlier warning signs were brought to attention this year when Lotus’ Malaysian parent company Proton sold a controlling stake to another Malaysian conglomerate, DRB-Hicom. As per Malaysian law, Lotus had to halt all business operations and freeze its financial accounts during the 60-day transition period.

The 60-day period ended in March and now, new owner DRB-Hicom is currently conducting the due diligence of Group Lotus, investigating worrisome figures including Lotus’ $320 million in accumulated debt.

Due to the mounting concerns, rumors have spread that Lotus may be put into administration to free itself from debt and that even CEO Dany Bahar has been let go from the company. What’s more, in line with our reports earlier this year, Chinese automaker Zhejian Youngman Lotus Automobile (Youngman) is a potential buyer of the brand, placing a bid on its remaining assets, including naming rights. The official importer of Proton and Lotus cars in China, Youngman is perhaps better known for its past failed attempt to purchase the now defunct Saab.

So far, a Lotus spokesperson has denied these rumors and insisted that DRB-Hicom and Lotus executives are working to keep the business running as usual, ”There have been and continue to be positive discussions between Group Lotus senior management and senior management at DRB-Hicom both here in Hethel and in Malaysia. Despite various rumours in the media to the contrary, at no point has DRB-Hicom indicated to Group Lotus that they intend to put the company into administration and we welcome the opportunity to put that rumour along with incorrect speculation that production has stopped, that Dany Bahar is no longer CEO and that we are no longer involved in F1 to bed.”

The spokesperson adds, “It’s no secret that we are going through a very difficult time at the moment due to the change in ownership but we’re doing everything we can to get through this period and come out the other side stronger than before.”

Optimistic words, but something definitely isn’t right in the house of Lotus. Stay tuned for more information as the situation continues to develop.

[Source: AutoCar]

It’s too bad that even though David Beckham could make enough money to purchase a fine collection of luxury and sports cars, he could never find the time to enjoy them.

Feeling a bit disappointed that his collection sits around in the UK collecting dust, Beckham’s loss can be someone’s gain as the 36 year old star soccer player (or is it football?) for the LA Galaxy has decided to sell his two Bentleys, a BMW 645i Convertible, a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lamborghini Gallardo. Beckham may also sell his three Harley Davidson motorcycles.

“David’s collection is amazing and each of these vehicles is worth a fortune,” says a friend of David Beckham. “They are hardly used and are kept in prize condition — but David sees little point in them just mothballing in the UK and it’s not practical to ship them to America.”

Beckham’s pal adds, “Their value easily exceeds half a million but their real worth will be the association with Becks.”

David Beckham has sold several cars in the past including a BMW M3 that he bought in 1997 for 44,000 pounds. Beckham sold his BMW M3 in 2005 for £90,000.

GALLERY: David Beckham’s Cars

[Source: The Sun]