Range Rover gets 10th anniversary makeover

LAND ROVER is producing a series of special edition vehicles to mark the 10th anniversary of the latest variant of the iconic Range Rover.

The new editions – The TDV8 Westminster, TDV8 Autobiography and Supercharged Autobiography – will have a strong focus on luxury.

The third generation Range Rover was originally introduced in 2002 and quickly went on to establish itself as one of the most popular in the vehicle’s 41-year history.

All three models will go on sale in March, ranging in price from £69,995 to £86,895, and the company is hoping the models will continue its push into new markets.

The fleet flagship has been overshadowed of late due to the outstanding success of the new Evoque, which is opening up the 4×4 manufacturer to entirely new markets and customers.

Zagato set for European debut

ASTON MARTIN has confirmed the production version of its new £330,000 special edition V12 Zagato supercar will make its European debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

The special edition, the pinnacle of the Vantage range, is scheduled to begin production later this year. Final design has been signed-off and engineering development work is progressing, the Gaydon company has said.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez, said the new model was a “celebration of both Aston Martin’s heritage and its future”.

“Our relationship with Zagato stretches back more than 50 years. Together in that time we have created a series of very special cars. The first – the DB4GT Zagato – is a true icon: fast, beautiful and incredibly desirable. In the V12 Zagato I believe we have captured the spirit of that car and combined it with a confident twist of modernity to give it a character all of its own,” he said.

Two racing versions of the car took part in last year’s 24-hour endurance race held at the Nürburgring. Both cars completed the race, continuing Aston Martin’s 100% finishing record in the event.

The car will be built at Gaydon and will be confined to a limited production run of 150 cars. Despite the hefty price tag, the company said it has already had an overwhelmingly positive response from customers.

MG parent sees record sales

MG Motor UK’s Chinese parent, SAIC Motor, has become the first automotive company in China to see annual sales top the 4m mark. The performance underpins SAIC as the No 1 vehicle manufacturer in China.

The figure was a 12% increase on 2010, even set against a slowdown in the Chinese domestic market.  

Meanwhile MG Motor UK started 2012 with 107 sales last month, the best January performance since the company was formed in 2009.

Both the award-winning MG6 GT and the MG6 Magnette sports-saloon are designed and engineered at the MG plant at Longbridge in Birmingham, where final assembly of the UK models also takes place.