Star Cars 2010 part 3 - 4x4s

Land Rover Range Rover LRX
Price from £25,000 (est)
On sale 2011
What is it? A smaller, greener, upmarket 4x4 from Land Rover

From the time it appeared as a concept car in 2008, the LRX seemed to be one of those cars that was always about 12 months away. However, it will appear in production form in 2010, with factory lines rolling in 2011.

The LRX concept car began life as a Land Rover, but it will join Range Rover’s ranks as that brand’s smallest and greenest model ever. Land Rover says every LRX in the range will emit less than 150g/km of CO2, but it is also working on a hybrid design that can return more than 60mpg on average and scrape in at under 120g/km.

There will also be an eco driving mode for the Terrain Response system, the system that optimises traction for different surfaces. Don’t think that an eco mode means it will be a wimpy Range Rover: it will retain off-road driving modes and four-wheel drive. It’ll also be posh (and pricey).

The LRX is going to remain true to the famous Range Rover look, too, with Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern promising there will be ‘many recognisable design cues, including the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid wheel-at-each-corner stance’.

After speculation that Land Rover owners Tata would move production to India, it’s great news to hear that the car will be built on Merseyside, where 300 jobs were lost after the Jaguar X-type was axed.

Speculation now is that a five-door version of the LRX is also in development.