New Range Rover in Ireland

1 March 2002: The new Range Rover goes on sale here this month at a price range of 84,415-124,620 euros. There are two engine options - a 3-litre turbodiesel and a 4.4-litre V8 petrol, both matched to 5-speed automatic gearboxes.

Land Rover Ireland MD David Harpur reckons on selling some 140 of the new vehicles a year, a modest increase on the average sales of 120 a year for the outgoing model.

The new car, which has been made look much tougher than the older vehicle, in order to score in the US market, will come in three specification levels - SE, HSE and Vogue.

Dave Harpur says the Range Rover is 'undisputably the finest SUV in the world' and the new one also competes easily with the world's top luxury saloons.

Up to 30 options on an already highly specced vehicle, along with 12 colours and seven colour-key sets, will allow the discerning owner to customise his or her purchase over a wide range of preferenaces.

The vehicle is built on monocoque arrangement rather than the traditional ladder-frame, allowing for better on-road performance. Independent air suspension and the ubiquitous electronic driving and safety aids all feature, as does the familiar full-time 4x4 system and now the Hill Descent system produced first for the Land Rover Freelander.

Land Rover sales in Ireland have increased fourfold since 1998 and the company has recently moved to a new headquarters off the M50.

Purchasers of Land Rover vehicles will in future be able to experience true offroad driving in Aughrim, Co Wicklow, where a Land Rover Driving Experience Centre is being established.

March 2002