Land Rover‘s new Range Rover Evoque two-door SUV is on a publicity blitz ahead of its deubt at the Paris Auto Show, and details are begging to emerge.

Rather than the usual 8-cylinder powerplant, the Evoque will use a 2.0L Ecoboost 4-cylinder, dubbed the Si4, which makes 240 horsepower.  Land Rover will likely have to resort to some creative marketing to sell customers on the idea of a 4-cylinder, even if it’s likely more than adequate for urban driving.

A 2.2L turbodiesel has also been announced, but power figures haven’t been announced yet beyond the 187 horsepower number. The torque figures will be far more important, and expect this engine to be sold in most of the Evoque’s 160 world markets, but not the United States.

Gallery: Range Rover Evoque

[Source: Land Rover]

For those who got their hands on a limited edition Land Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography, Kahn Design has just put together a tuning package for you. Already bored of the 510-hp from the supercharged 5.0L V8 engine? Turn over to Kahn Design and get that bumped up to 600-hp. Plus, Kahn also offers a 10-piece body kit, making your limited edition vehicle even more special.

MINI is apparently starting work on a two-door variation of the Countryman SUV, with a vehicle that would be similar in concept to the just announced Range Rover Evoque.

Year-to-date sales for August 2010 may look poor, but the numbers are actually much closer to reality now that the Cash for Clunkers scheme has wrapped up. Cash for Clunkers, which offered rebates ranging from $3,000-$4,000 on the purchase of a new car and trade-in of a used car, sent sales skyrocketing in 2009, and the best indication of this is how far down they are in August 2010. The numbers are also a good look at what consumer spending is really like in the absence of government stimulus money.

Despite Ford’s sale of Land Rover to Tata over a year ago, there appears to be a strong continuing partnership between the two automakers with the latest reports indicating the Range Rover Evoque crossover will get the American automaker’s EcoBoost technology.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Range Rover, parent company Land Rover is launching the most opulent SUV in its history, with the Range Rover Autobiography Black Limited Edition.

Porsche was the big winner for July 2010 sales, moving 75% more cars than in July 2009, with Hyundai/ Kia, Jaguar/ Land Rover and the Big Three all making solid gains. Japanese auto makers bore the brunt of the market, with Toyota and Honda losing a bit of market share, while Suzuki took the dubious title of “Biggest Loser” as sales fell by 43%.

In a move that’s hardly shocking to North Americans, Range Rover insiders told Autocar that the all-new TDV8 diesel engine will not be offered in North America.

With recent confirmation that Jaguar is planning to add new models to its lineup, company CEO Carl-Peter Forster has made clear plans that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will expand in a big way. “Over the next few years we plan to nearly double our vehicle selection,” he said in an interview with Automotive News publication Automobilwoche.

In an effort to drum up interest in its first completely new model in years, Land Rover is dispatching 10 Range Rover Evoque models to major cities in key markets. Included on the list are London, New York, Sao Paulo, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Berlin, Sydney, Shanghai and Moscow.

Oh Posh, what don’t you do? Victoria Beckham, aka Posh Spice, has just added creative design director to her already impressive resume, as she’ll be designing the interior of the special edition Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

Looking pretty much identical to the LRX concept car, Land Rover has now officially taken the wraps off what it will call the Evoque. Land Rover will brand the new “coupe” styled SUV as the Range Rover Evoque, joining the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.

No specific details have yet been provided but it will be the lightest and most fuel efficient model in the company’s lineup, which likely hints at a possible aluminum frame and hybrid powerplant.

Full details will be released at the SUV’s official debut at the Paris Auto Show this Fall, with sales starting in North America roughly 12 months later in 2011.

Official release after the jump:

Charles Spencer King, the engineer behind the Range Rover SUV and the Rover SD1 luxury sedan has died at age 85 after being involved in a traffic accident involving his bicycle and a van.

The venerable Range Rover has been given a few upgrades for 2011, including an all-new 4.4L diesel engine displacing 309 bhp and getting 30.1 mpg. The new diesel is also coupled to an 8-speed automatic, which should filter down to the rest of the lineup soon. The new Range also gets a rotary knob similar to Jaguar’s, rather than a traditional gear selector.

Afzal Kahn, CEO of Project Kahn, markets himself with a bold claim: the king of aesthetic conversions. While it might be a little overboard, Project Kahn does do a fantastic job with their RS-series packages for various Land Rover vehicles. Their RS600 for the Range Rover Sport was widely successful and their RS300 partnership with Cosworth was groundbreaking. Their transition to Land Rover’s Freelander now brings the RS200 package to the world.

On June 17th in 1970, the Range Rover brand was born as the Range Rover Classic rolled off the Land Rover assembly line. Forty years later and the luxury 4×4 brand is still going strong as Land Rover prepares to celebrate the introduction of a new model in the coming weeks (likely at a celebration on the 17th).

Nearly 13 years ago today, Britain handed over sovereignty of Hong Kong to the Chinese government, ending a 99-year lease on the territory, and signaling the end of a British presence in China.

The 2011 Range Rover will get a larger 4.4-liter diesel V8, in regions where a diesel is already offered. Replacing the outgoing 3.6-liter engine, the new powerplant will be mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and use 10.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (roughly 23 mpg), compared to the 3.6-liter’s 11.1 mpg rating.

With Tata just having announced a return to profitability based on increased demand of its Jaguar Land Rover models, the company is now laying out an ambitious plan for the future. Included in that plan is the production of the Jaguar F-Type – a more driver focused model that will likely compete more readily with the Porsche 911.

India’s Tata Motors is back in the black after rising demand for the Land Rover and Jaguar cars, as well demand in India for Tata products. The Tata group posted an overall profit of $543 million, compared to last year’s loss of $535 million. Tata was able to beat analyst expectations of a $321 million profit, thanks in part to Jaguar and Land Rover raking in their own profit of $46 million.

The whole term of VIP has really progressed over the last few decades. When it comes to automotive, there’s an entire VIP trend that outfits cars with a low-to-the-ground ride height and wildly aggressive wheels that poke beyond the fenders. This style, extremely popular in Japan, normally sees outfitted black vehicles with dark tint and even embroidered shades to conceal what’s inside.

ONYX Concept is an interesting tuning company based out of Dublin, Ireland. They market their brand as a Bespoke Automotive company, customizing cars for only the most distinguished of vehicle owners looking for a high degree of personalization and attention to detail during their build.

While they also work on Bentleys, Aston Martins, Porsches, and Lamborghinis, their most recent release is for the 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Vogue. The release is actually a pair of tuning packages, the Platinum S and Platinum V, that includes better performance and a full body kit for each vehicle.

We honestly don’t care too much about the styling on the exterior of these cars. They really go above and beyond what a classy Range Rover should look like, and sadly the body kits remind us of a Scion xB. It somehow is just “too square,” and that’s saying a lot for a Range Rover. And surprisingly, for a company that is supposed to tune very high-end vehicles, the body kit is made of fiberglass rather than urethane. This includes the front and rear bumpers, arches and spoilers. They do however use carbon fiber for the side vents, front grills and rear diffusers.

What we actually care about more is the increase of performance to 635-hp thanks to a remapped ECU, supercharger pulley and other tweaks that they choose not to reveal. But hey, we guess that’s OK since their whole formula is bespoke automotive. Those that are willing to pay the price tag attached to this (we have no idea what it is, but we’ll assume it’s not one bit of cheap) need to feel that they’re getting something that the general public doesn’t know about.

Official press release is available after the break.

GALLERY: ONYX Concept 2010 Range Rovers

Land Rover has announced that its first hybrid models will arrive 2013 and has unveiled the Range_e, a concept based on the Range Rover Sport, but using a hybrid diesel powertrain.

Land Rover is apparently working on a front drive SUV, as part of a push for smaller vehicles that produce fewer emissions. Autocar is reporting that the vehicle will be known as the Compact Range Rover, a smaller addition to the lineup that should emit significantly less CO2 than the current Range, without having to use hybrid technology.

When you associate Land Rover s and weapons, you tend to go with firearms as your tool for the job; whether it’s the “ Pink Panther” of the British Army, the Holland & Holland Range Rover (complete with shotgun rack) or one of the many Land Rovers used by the British Royal Family on hunting expeditions.

According to this new Land Rover ad for their LR4 SUV, the replacement for the LR3 is also…swordproof? The logic of sitting in a car with the windows down while trying to stave off an amateur samurai attack is a little questionable, but we get the point Land Rover is trying to make. Check the ad out after the jump.

[Source: Jalopnik]

Arden has been a long time tuner of Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, dating all the way back to 1976. They’ve done some radical things with Range Rover Sport s in the past, including wing doors that are reminiscent of Lamborghini’s vertical doors. Their choice of styling is a nice blend of subtle, yet aggressive – really complementing the natural lines of the luxury vehicles from Jaguar and Land Rover while lending a nicer, sportier look.

Surely, being part of a much smaller company affords Land Rover employees certain…perks. Other than a company blog (rare for an automaker), it seems the U.K.-based off-road specialists also allow employees like Andrew Polsinelli, general manager of product planning for Land Rover North America to say things that would have been censored in a larger company.

In a blog post entitled: “Terrain Response or Terrain Management — Remember where it was invented,” Polsinelli begins by saying: “Naturally we’re flattered that our friends at Ford are planning to mimic Land Rover’s award-winning Terrain Response system for their upcoming 2011 Ford Explorer…”

Ruh-roh! But wait, there’s more. “You may have seen a new video that’s making the rounds on YouTube where Todd Hoevener, New Explorer Vehicle Dynamics Manager, is extolling the virtues of the Explorer’s new Terrain Management System. We would expect the Explorer’s system will work well; after all, Todd’s boss, Jim Holland, the Chief Engineer, Explorer Platform Program, spent three years working at Land Rover in the U.K. as Chief engineer for Range Rover.”

Zing! And what would a piece of feature marketing be without a subtle game of one-upmanship?

“But while appearing to be similar in concept…to custom-tune the engine and drivetrain to provide maximize traction — it won’t have the six years of sophistication and refinements of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system.”

After the jump is Ford’s official Terrain Management System video:

The next generation Range Rover is due out in 2012 and according to a new report by AutoCar, it will be drastically different – although it might not necessarily look that way. The biggest change planned is that the fully-capable luxury SUV will ride on an all new platform similar to that used for the new XJ. It will be all aluminum, which, when combined with the use of composite body panels, will cut close to 992 lbs (450 kg) from the overall mass of the vehicle.

In an effort to reduce production costs and simplify the overall manufacturing and R&D process, Jaguar Land Rover is looking to move from its current setup of six platforms to just two. How is this possible, you might be asking yourself, especially looking at the varied models the company now produces, from the Jaguar XK luxury sports car, to the simply massive Range Rover.

Land Rover will debut its newest and smallest model at the Paris Auto Show later this year based on the LRX concept first shown at the Detroit Auto Show back in 2008. Originally thought to be a 2011 model, Automotive News is reporting that it will arrive in late 2011, likely as a 2012 model year vehicle.

Why do we call them SUVs? That’s probably a very good question, since most vehicles that fit the category are more like a pair of traditional golf trousers than sweatpants when it comes to sportiness. One that isn’t, is the aptly named Range Rover Sport. Along with a handful of mostly European 4,500 lb plus conveyances, it proves that relatively big and heavy doesn’t have to be boring.

Land Rover is currently developing a diesel hybrid version of its Range Rover Sport model with a targeted sales date in 2012. A small fleet of five vehicles is expected to be road-ready and testing next year.

Back in 1989, with the Range Rover growing in popularity, Land Rover felt the opportunity was right to introduce a junior version in the mid-priced off-roader field. Dubbed the Land Rover Discovery, it helped define a vehicle segment that has arguably become the hottest of them all, the mid-priced family SUV. In North America, the Discovery (renamed LR3 for 2005), continues to stand apart from an ever growing number of soft-road pretenders, by virtue of it’s all-around capability and numerous patented and award winning features.

When you a buy a watch, you’re often faced with a dilemma. Do you save a bit of money and go for one that looks the part, but can’t go 200 feet under water? Or do you go all about and by the real Swiss deal, that’ll go anywhere and probably last a lifetime?

Land Rover has now officially confirmed that it will build an SUV based on the LRX Concept, which debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. The new model will debut in 2010 as a 2011 model and rumors have suggested it will arrive on June 17th, the 40th anniversary of the original Range Rover.

Land Rover is keeping quiet about any details but has said that the new model will be, “the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced.” It is expected that a hybrid drivetrain will be offered.

“The production of a small Range Rover model is excellent news for our employees, dealers and customers,” said Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover. “It is a demonstration of our commitment to investing for the future, to continue to deliver relevant vehicles for our customers, with the outstanding breadth of capability for which we are world-renowned.”

Official release after the jump:

Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motorsw says it will close either a Jaguar or Land Rover factory in England by 2014. The decision as to which of the company’s three U.K. plants will be shuddered has not yet been made, but Tata has said which two are on the chopping block.

Land Rover’s smaller, fuel-efficient SUV model based on the LRX Concept, is expected to debut next year as a 2011 model. Several drivetrains will be offered including a hybrid powerplant – a first for Land Rover.

The acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) by Tata Motors Ltd. from Ford continues to hurt the Indian automaker as the two British brands recorded a combined net loss of $1.11 billion in 2008.

Tata Motors has posted its first annual loss in eight years due to a significant drop in demand for vehicles from its newly acquired Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) unit. The Indian automaker, also known for manufacturing the world’s cheapest car (the Nano), posted a net loss of $520 million for its 2009 fiscal year, with a $504 million loss at JLR.

Land Rover recently secured a $38 million grant from the U.K government to investigate building an environmentally responsible vehicle, likely to be based on the LRX Concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in 2008. And according to a recent report in the U.K.’s AutoExpress, Land Rover has given the project the green light.

Replacing the popular Land Rover LR3 model for the 2010 year is the evolutionary LR4. Looking in many ways quite similar to the previous model, the LR4 is more refined (particularly on the inside) while still keeping all the functionality that made the LR3 so good.

The new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport may only look slightly different from the ’09 models; and while there are some aesthetic changes, the real difference for both vehicles lies under their respective hoods. 

Land Rover is now poised to bring a new entry-level crossover model to market thanks to a grant from the British government. The U.K. government has confirmed a £27 million ($37.9 million) cash infusion towards a vehicle that would be based on the Land Rover LRX Concept.

The LRX was first displayed at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in 2008. The concept car features a 2.0-liter turbodiesel hybrid powertrain, allowing it to get 30 percent better fuel-economy over comparably-sized SUVs and crossovers.

The stylish LRX may be more compact that other Land Rover vehicles – measuring 5.9-inches less in length than the LR2/Freelancer and 8.1-inches lower in height – but it will still be a premium vehicle.

The production model would be the lightest and most fuel-efficient model Land Rover has ever produced.

When the concept was first shown in Detroit, Land Rover’s managing director, Phil Popham said that, “The LRX concept delivers the powerful message that we are as serious about sustainability as we are confident about the continuing relevance and desirability of our vehicles. LRX is in every respect a Land Rover, but it’s a very different Land Rover.”

“LRX has unmistakable Land Rover design and the breadth of capability that you’d expect from our vehicles. But it carries those essentials into a segment where the brand has never been before, and with a proposed level of efficiency that would make it one of the cleanest vehicles in its class. It is Land Rover’s way of affirming the brand’s responsible approach to future product development.”

The final decision on the project has yet to be made by Land Rover on the new model and while the $37.9 million grant helps, the expected cost of bringing this new vehicle to market is $560 million. Land Rover is expected to announce its decision to go ahead on the project later this year at the company’s Halewood plant.

Official release after the jump:

After purchasing Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, and then dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the two British brands, Indian carmaker Tata is just beginning to see the light – thanks to the Chinese government. According to a report in the Business Standard, the Chinese government has just signed a deal with Tata for the purchase of 13,000 new Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles.

In this volatile economic environment, no auto manufacturer is safe from hard times, including Jaguar and Land Rover. According to an Automotive News/Reuters report, the two historic British car companies are facing a “cash crisis.” Parent company Tata Motors, the Indian auto manufacturer that recently purchased the luxury brands from Ford for $2.3 Billion, recently secured funding from the banks for “tens of millions” of dollars in aid. The news comes after Tata poured “hundreds of millions” of dollars into the struggling companies earlier this year.

Welcome to the AutoGuide.com News Blog, your comprehensive source for breaking automotive news. Our staff of writers and contributors will keep you updated on all aspects of the auto industry, from vehicle unveilings, to concept cars, to news from auto shows, the aftermarket and the world of motorsports.