At first glance, this may appear to be just another box-on-wheels Range Rover, but this is actually supposed to be the 2009 Range Rover Sport. Look closely and you'll notice the front end has been subtly reshaped to feel a bit more like the recent Land Rover LRX Concept. Yawn. So they re-drew a few lines, what's the big deal? According to the spies, the 2009 model will be available with a new 5.0-liter V8.
This new powerplant from Land Rover will have direct injection, and on the Range Rover Sport it'll be fitted with a supercharger. That means the SUV will have 500 HP to go play in the mud with. Of course, most will never see anything more than a cobblestone street or a gravel driveway. The real challenge for the Range Rover Sport will be if it can out-pose those pesky Porsche Cayenne Turbos in the mall parking lot. What we're really excited for is to see if that new V8 makes its way into any Jaguars. Who doesn't want a 500 HP XKR?
[via MotorAuthority] Spy Photos: 2009 Range Rover Sport Facelift?
Tata Motors has closed a deal to buy Ford's Jaguar and Land_Rover brands for $US2.65bn, according to Indian media reports.
According to Reuters, Indian news channel NDTV Profit, citing unnamed sources, said on Tuesday the deal would be announced around midnight Indian time (18:30GMT).
However, a Tata Group spokesman told the news agency discussions were still going on and the company had no guidance to give on the deal.
"We have nothing to tell you now," he told Reuters.
A source with knowledge of the deal told just-auto Ford planned an announcement at 12:00GMT on Wednesday - late afternoon in India and ahead of the 9am New York stock exchange opening in the US.
According to Reuters, CNBC TV-18, also citing unnamed sources, said the deal was likely to be signed on Wednesday and details of the agreement would be known only after the sale purchase agreement was signed by Tata Motors.
Ahead of the TV report, shares in Tata Motors rose 2.7% to a three-week closing high of 679.95 rupees, in a Mumbai market that surged 6.1%, Reuters added.
The news agency said Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata and Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant were scheduled to hold a media conference on the company's pick-up trucks at the Bangkok motor show on Thursday.
On Monday, Kant declined to answer questions on the Ford deal at a function in Mumbai for Fiat India Automobiles, the Indian joint venture between Tata and Fiat, Reuters said.
The Financial Times had on Monday said Ford would announce the sale of the brands to Tata for about $2bn on Wednesday, a day sources had previously told Reuters was a likely date for the deal.
Sources close to the deal told Reuters last week that Ford was expected to announce the sale this week, meeting Ford's target of closing the deal by the end of the first quarter.
Tata is launching a $3bn syndicated loan, and also said this month that it planned to raise up to $1bn in overseas and/or domestic markets, Reuters said.
Analysts have told the news agency the global liquidity crunch could make the deal more expensive than Tata initially planned, as the cost of borrowing has risen 200-300 basis points since last July when the Indian automaker's interest in the brands first surfaced.
Analysts have also expressed doubts about how Tata will incorporate the luxury brands into its stable of sturdy trucks and functional passenger cars, including the Nano, the world's cheapest car which it unveiled in January, Reuters added.
We've big fans of the Land Rover LRX concept's styling, which looked as good in black (unveiled in Geneva) as it did in the original white (unveiled in Detroit). So we're suitably pleased by reports that Land Rover is preparing to build the vehicle, which could get the nameplate Freelander Sport in keeping with the nomenclature already set in place by the Range Rover Sport.
The production LRX would target the likes of the upcoming BMW X1 and Audi Q5 (and potentially the Porsche Roxster), while offering a range of eco-friendly engine options that help Land Rover reduce its overall environmental impact. Such powertrain possibilities could include a 2.2-liter diesel and 3.2-liter gasoline inline-six with the potential for start-stop technology and even a hybrid system. Although the Freelander Sport would be oriented towards on-road driving dynamics, we wouldn't expect it to compromise the brand's legendary off-road prowess as much as recent offerings from Jeep. Reports place the production LRX on the road as early as 2010, and we hope much of the show car's dramatic styling would remain in place as the Land Rover rides the rocky road from concept to production.
Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Black & Silver Land Rover LRX
And here we thought it looked good in white. Land Rover is quick to remind that the LRX is just a concept, but it's sending a prettystrong message in Geneva, where a second, black-and-silver LRX will join the original white truck that premiered in Detroit. And the new one is even hotter than the original, itself one of the best concepts of the last year. It's supposed to demonstrate how a (potential) production LRX could be personalized, and we would like to have one delivered to our personal garage approximately yesterday.
The rakish shape now features a silver roof fitted with side rails and a removable carbon-composite panel. This beautifully contrasts the black primary finish, and aluminum-accented details do their part to further dress up the exterior. As a subtle reminder to onlookers that this is still a Land Rover despite its elegance, matte-finished protective trim adorns the side sills and wheel flares. Furthermore, carbon-composite skidplates supply underbody protection. Inside, a sumptuous-sounding (LR hasn't released any pictures yet) tan-and-dark chocolate interior awaits. Motivation comes from a 2.0L diesel hybrid that is theoretically capable of 60 mpg on the EU combined cycle. The Electric Rear Axle Drive can power the SUV on its own up to 20 mph, and it also can be used to supply additional torque when the LRX is playing in 4x4 mode. Like we said earlier, the LRX is still only a concept, but Land Rover will be actively monitoring customer and dealer interest in Geneva.
The white one got our attention, but this one closes the deal. Hey Land Rover: white or black, just color us interested.
Gallery: Land Rover LRX Concept - Black & Silver ... [Read More]
The 2009 Range Rover Sport looks like it's getting a slightly revised face. After undergoing minor cosmetic surgery, the Sport comes out with grillework that's reminiscent of the Land Rover LR2's as well as a new front bumper. Out back and along the sides, the SUV seems to be unchanged compared to the current model. One of Brenda Priddy's clandestine operatives snagged the freshened Ranger Rover Sport frolicking undisguised somewhere in Europe where it looks cold and snowy. As for when it'll be shown to the public, who knows? Geneva's just around the corner, though, so we'll have our gang keep an eye out for it when they're not eyeballing Renaults or noshing on good chocolate and tasty Lake Geneva perch filets.
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