The folks over at Autoblog snagged some spy shots of the upcoming 2011 Land Rover LRX. For the record, this may be the craziest, most wild camouflage I’ve ever seen on a pre-production vehicle.

The 2011 LRX is going to be Land Rover’s smallest offering. Beyond being small, there’s something else unique that the LRX will bring to the table. Are you ready for this? The entry-level LRX will send power to the front wheels.

Say what?

While AWD will be available, FWD will be standard on the LRX. Much like I think a FWD Jeep goes agains what the brand stands for, I’m not a fan of a FWD Land Rover. These vehicles are supposed to be purpose-built. They are (in theory) fantastic off-road machines, regardless of whether they ever actually leave the pavement or not. A FWD SUV isn’t really keeping in line with this.

Those thoughs aside, the LRX is a 2 door small SUV by a luxury SUV brand. The price will likely be higher than everything else in it’s class, the reliability will likely lag behind, and I wonder who the buyer is. Hopefully Land Rover knows what they’re doing, because I don’t.

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If you’re the owner of a shiny new 2010 Range Rover, then your servants have probably already gotten this handled. In case you don’t trust them, then perhaps you should pay attention. 4001 2010 Range Rovers are affected by this recall, which involves those pesky airbags.

Sometimes, the passenger airbag warning light could come on, even if there is a passenger in the front seat. The not so cool thing is, the airbags won’t actually deploy if that light is on. Certainly you can see the issue here.

It’s good to see that Land Rover is staying true to it’s long heritage of wild unreliability, even in the hands of its new Indian owners.

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Though the details aren’t public yet, this much is for sure – Ford has sold Land Rover and Jaguar to Indian automaker Tata.  The deal is for “over $2 billion” – with Ford contributing $600 million for Jag and LR employee pensions.  Tata did take out a whopping $3 billion loan to finance this purchase.

Wow, it sure looks like Ford got away clean.  Even though they had to front $600 million to pay off their employees, they got the better deal, far and away.  Sure, Land Rover is reportedly profitable ( though they don’t break out the numbers ).  But Jaguar has been hemorrhaging money for years, with no end in site.  Tata bought these two brands without having the cash on hand to do so.  Are they going to take out a loan every year to cover Jaguar’s loss?

Maybe money works differently in India, and a loss is a profit.  Or something like that.  Otherwise I fail to see Tata’s logic in making this deal.  Ford, on the other hand, Kudos.  In a few years we’ll look back and call this the greatest auto deal of all time.

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. Tata purchases Land Rover and Jaguar for $2+ Billion is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.

The 2008 Land Rover LR2 is the latest mini-SUV from Ford’s British automaker. The LR2 replaces the old & forgotten Freelander, which was only known for being one of the least reliable vehicles ever to grace the roadways with it’s presence.

The LR2 is technically made with off-roading in mind – and it does perform better in that area than it’s main rivals, the BMW X3 and Acura RDX. However, the LR2 is built on a unibody platform, rather than the traditional truck body on frame, which in my eyes limits it’s durability. Couple that with the fact that there’s no “4 LO” mode, and I have serious doubts about the LR2′s off-road credentials. I wouldn’t take this mini-ute to the same places I would take a Wrangler.

Overall, the 2008 Land Rover LR2 seems to fall short. It plays up the rugged, off-roading factor, yet falls short. And it isn’t comfortable or fancy enough to compete in the luxury area. Add to that the reliability question mark, and the fact that the base price is nearly $34,000, and I’m just not convined that the LR2 is a good choice for, well, anyone.

2008 Land Rover LR2 Specs

• 230 HP 3.2 liter Inline 6
• 6 speed automatic transmission
• AWD
• Standard side curtain airbags
• 4 wheel ABS
• 320 watt Alpine stereo system
• MSRP starts at $33,985
• EPA Ratings not yet available

2008 Land Rover LR2 Reviews

TTAC reviews the 2008 Land Rover LR2 and writes – ‘Land Rover may be hemorrhaging Ford’s money (for now), but it does channel traditional British automotive spirit. The LR2 is not particularly fast, uses too much gas, cramps passengers and can’t match a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited off-road. Land Rover reliability may have improved in recent years, but it’s gone from “worst by a mile” to “worst.” The LR2 will be utterly crushed in sales by Asian, German, and even American competition. And yet it’s an utterly charming machine: a genuine Land Rover.

Cnet reviews the Land Rover LR2 and writes – ‘We weren’t disappointed in the engine’s power. The LR2 isn’t going to win drag races, but it can be made to move fast off the line, and works well in passing maneuvers. We tried it on a few steep hills around San Francisco, and it climbed them easily. Unfortunately, we don’t have fuel economy numbers on this car. It’s a 2008, and the EPA hasn’t posted numbers for its new test. Also, we only had the LR2 in for a few days, which we didn’t feel was adequate time to judge the fuel economy. We can only speculate that an engine of this size should rate around 20mpg, give or take 3mpg.’

Edmunds reviews the Land Rover LR2 and writes – ‘The 2008 Land Rover LR2 is easily Land Rover’s most accessible SUV to date, thanks to its relatively modest size and weight that make it easy to toss around and park. On the downside, acceleration is mediocre for a luxury SUV, due to the engine’s minimal low-end torque and the transmission’s sluggish response off the line. Handling on pavement is unimpressive, as the LR2 exhibits considerable body roll around turns. The steering is well weighted but low on feedback, and more demanding drivers may be put off by its unusually quick response just off center. The brakes are strong with a progressive pedal feel, but the suspension allows a bit too much front-end dive. One advantage the Land Rover does offer is a comfortable ride quality, as it’s more compliant than either the RDX or X3.’

Hi there – could you help spread the word about Houston Cars? I could really use your help in getting my work out to new readers. If you would send someone a link, email, or even mention it to your friends, I would appreciate it. 2008 Land Rover LR2 Review is a post from: Houston Cars, home of the best darn car reviews around.