IRVINE, Calif. — Land Rover today passed a historic milestone when the four millionth vehicle rolled off the production line, 59 years after production began at the company’s factory in Solihull.

The vehicle, a Land Rover LR3, was donated to the Born Free Foundation, a charity dedicated to wildlife conservation and animal welfare. It was collected by the actress Joanna Lumley, Born Free’s Founder patron, and will become a ‘Rapid Response Rescue’ vehicle for deployment across the UK and Europe.

Will Travers, Born Free chief executive, said, “This important vehicle will enable us to carry out important frontline conservation and animal welfare missions at will. Without Land Rover’s support we simply would not be able to reach some of the off-road remote destinations or tackle some of the rescues that are a vital part of our work.”

This summer is likely to see the Born Free Rapid Response Rescue Discovery 3 extensively used by Born Free’s partner, British Divers Marine Life Rescue, rescuing, treating and releasing stranded or abandoned marine mammals, especially Common and Grey seals, who frequently get into trouble along Britain’s shores during the breeding season.

Born Free has been one of Land Rover’s Global Sponsorship Partners since 2002. The sponsorship includes financial and vehicle support in the UK, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa and Sri Lanka. In 2006 Land Rover’s support contributed to the rescue and relocation of three lions from a circus in France to Shamwari in South Africa.

Land Rover has pioneered responsible off-roading through its ‘Fragile Earth’ policy globally and Tread Lightly support in North America for many years and currently works with Earthwatch, Royal Geographical Society (RGS), China Exploration and Research Society (CERS), and Biosphere Expeditions.

Land Rover helps sustain over 50,000 jobs and exports 78 percent of all production, generating substantial wealth for Britain. Since the production of the 3 millionth Land Rover in 2001, an average of 700 cars have rolled off the production lines per day.

Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, said, “We are delighted to hand this car over to Born Free. The production of the four millionth Land Rover is a major milestone and it is only fitting that it goes to such a worthy cause. I’m proud of our support for the charity and the company’s contribution to both the local and national economy over the past 59 years.”

The Land Rover Range Rover Awarded Third Consecutive Automotive Loyalty Award by Polk

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 24 /PRNewswire/ — Land Rover was honored by R. L. Polk & Co. during its eleventh annual Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards ceremony at the 2007 Automotive News World Congress in Dearborn, MI. Range Rover won the Prestige SUV category for the third consecutive year.

“We are elated that our customers are loyal to the Range Rover,” said Kevin Donovan, Market Manager for Land Rover North America. “To lead the Prestige SUV segment for three consecutive years reflects our customers’ passion for the unique driving experience provided by this award winning vehicle.”

The Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards recognize manufacturers for superior owner loyalty performance. Loyalty is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle returns to purchase or lease another new vehicle of the same model or make.

Land Rover has produced preeminent sport-utility vehicles since 1948 and has positioned itself globally as a brand synonymous with adventure, innovation and understated luxury. The Range Rover, Land Rover’s flagship model, epitomizes these attributes.

Land Rover North America is part of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover with headquarters in Irvine, California. Land Rover established operations in the U.S. in 1986, and now imports and distributes Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR3 vehicles manufactured by Land Rover in Solihull, England. Land Rover’s worldwide operations are wholly owned by Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan. For information about the Land Rover retailer nearest you, call 800- FIND-4WD or log on to www.LandRoverusa.com.

Vehicle specifications and features are subject to change. For the latest Land Rover pricing and product information, contact Land Rover North America Corporate Communications at (949) 341-5800. Land Rover-related press releases and electronic photos of the company’s products are available on-line in the Land Rover section of Ford Motor Company’s news media website (media.landrover.com).

With a history of pioneering initiatives both off-road and on, Land Rover now leads into cyberspace with the global launch of a new interactive adventure website called Go Beyond.

Go Beyond can be accessed through the www.landrover.com website, or you can go directly here: http://gobeyond.landrover.com/index.html.

The Gobeyond website is flash-driven and kind of slow. Content is limited and the media player on some segments works better with Internet Explorer than Firefox. In fact, my first run through a segment the media player crashed Firefox on me.

Neat idea - let’s see if it actually catches on, though…

IRVINE, Calif. — Land Rover revealed the all- new LR2 that enters the compact premium SUV market with outstanding breadth of capability and Land Rover’s signature technologies.

The fourth new model from Land Rover in just four years, LR2 joins the impressive line-up of Range Rover (2002), Land Rover LR3 (2004) and Range Rover Sport (2005) that together have seen record-breaking sales performance around the world.

New from the ground up, LR2 delivers outstanding on-road performance as well as the class-leading off-road ability of a Land Rover. A dynamic design, purposeful stance, smart and spacious interior, and an abundance of advanced technologies complete the LR2 package.

“LR2 combines the advantages of a premium sedan — such as polished ride, accomplished performance, an attractive cabin and ease-of-use — with the attributes of a robust SUV, including go-anywhere ability, toughness, stadium seating, cabin versatility and spaciousness,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s managing director. “We believe that no other compact SUV gets closer to blending these best-of-both-worlds abilities.”

Technical highlights of the LR2 include a brand-new 230bhp* transversely mounted 3.2-liter inline-six engine featuring advanced technologies to deliver an outstanding combination of performance and economy.

The engine is matched to a new six-speed automatic transmission, with Land Rover’s CommandShift(TM) offering manual sequential gear changes when required. There is also a driver-selectable sport mode for livelier performance.

The exterior and interior design of LR2 is completely fresh, integrating the company’s unique design language with a form that is instantly recognizable as the latest Land Rover.

“We purposely kept strong Land Rover design cues, such as the clamshell bonnet, stepped roof and the basic form,” says Land Rover design director Geoff Upex. “The overall look is new and contemporary. The design is chiseled, geometric and simple — it looks like it’s hewn from the solid. We have kept a close design relationship with the LR3 and Range Rover Sport, but interpreted the design language to suit the requirements of customers for a more compact SUV.”

The body is a five-door monocoque structure, with a high level of torsional rigidity which benefits refinement, comfort and handling on-road as well as ensuring the vehicle is fit for serious off-road use. The suspension is fully independent and uses the most modern stability control systems, including Roll Stability Control (RSC�), a sophisticated technology that helps mitigate the risk of roll-over even in extreme conditions.

LR2 is packed with new technologies to improve both on-road and off-road performance. Land Rover’s unique Terrain Response(TM) is standard, making off-road use easier. Other interesting technologies include a new intelligent permanent all-wheel-drive system for superior traction and better on-road fuel economy, and the patented Gradient Release Control, which improves driver confidence and control when releasing the brakes on steep and slippery slopes.

Designed and engineered by Land Rover at Gaydon, near Warwick, England, LR2 is built at the Halewood plant in Liverpool, where outstanding build quality has been acknowledged with a JD Power European Plant Quality Gold Award in 2005.

The Land Rover Discovery 3 has scooped an Auto Express New Car Honour - in the 4×4 Off-Roader category - for the second year running, beating off tougher competition than ever.

To claim the 2006 New Car Honour, the Discovery 3 defeated stiff opposition from the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. With a highly acclaimed TDV6 2.7 litre diesel engine, spacious seven-seat layout and plentiful storage, the Discovery 3 is an agile and practical offering on-road whilst off-road technology such as Terrain Response�, Hill Descent Control and Electronic Traction Control makes it unbeatable off-road too.

Auto Express editor in chief, David Johns commented: “Whether towing, mountain climbing, family carrying or simply taking the sting out of the daily commute, Land Rover�s Discovery never fails to impress us. Champion for the second year in a row, the big Brit has an unmatched range of abilities that sets it apart from every other car in the class.”

John Edwards, Land Rover UK managing director added: “It’’s fantastic that the Discovery 3 has proved yet again its versatility and staying-power in an increasingly competitive sector, with this, it�s 77th award off experts from around the world.”

For further information on the Discovery 3 or to arrange a test drive, log onto www.landrover.co.uk to locate your local Land Rover dealership.