Land Rover confirms grant for LRX production
March 12, 2009 by George Skentzos
The stunning LRX SUV Concept is set to go into production, with the UK Government confirming a grant offer of up to A$57.4 million for Land Rover to develop an all-new vehicle based on its design.
The production LRX would be the smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the brand has ever produced, becoming a key addition to the Range Rover family of luxury vehicles.
Although the project is yet to go through a number of approval gateways in the product development process before getting the final go-ahead, with the company due to make its final decision later this year.
The grant offer has been made under the Government’s Grant for Business Investment scheme and forms a relatively small contribution towards the projected A$850 million cost of the project.
“We welcome the Government’s support for this project, which would form a key part of our future product plans and which we very much want to put into production,” said Phil Popham, Managing Director of Land Rover.
The compact size, lighter weight and sustainability-focused technologies of the LRX Concept establish a major step forward in enabling the implementation of Land Rover’s e-terrain technologies strategy and achievement of its goal to exceed a 20 per cent improvement in CO2 emissions.
“Despite the current economic challenges, we remain committed to investing for the future, to continue to deliver relevant vehicles for our customers, with the outstanding breadth of capability for which we are world-renowned.”
According to Mr Popham, the LRX Concept has generated a hugely positive reaction wherever it has been seen – and we are keen to agree following its appearance at the 2008 Melbourne International Motor Show.
Print it: 
Perhaps the coolest LR i’ve seen.
If they can get the reliability and build quality issues down, and made sure the thing was half capable off road, I’d sure be interested!
Tis kinda nice! The concept was actually drivable although it had none of the hybrid motors and ran with I think a 2.5 litre engine. Andrew Frankel of Autocar (UK Mag) is the only journo to have driven this (as of last year) around New York of all places!!
I think there is a lot going for this thing, however if it does have all the technology referred to by LR it’s going to be pricier than the Freelander IMO, so don’t think it will be cheap!!
Devil 666, they have gotten the reliability and build quality issues down. In fact, Land Rover make some of the best built cars in the world. Probably the tackiest things about them would be the space left in the dashboard when you don’t option sat nav and the little B&W screen they still have on the dashboard and with all the complaints about them, I don’t think they’ll be incorporating it into new models.
Land Rover would be stupid not to build this. This is the way out of the credit crunch for them. People would buy this car, I think I could find some space for one in my garage. They desperately need something small and economical that isn’t the Freelander because the Freelander is a bit too soccer mum and it isn’t cool, this is. This is the answer, don’t be stupid Land Rover.
And while you’re at it, surprise us with some Hydrogen technology.
I wouldn’t expect much off road ability though. I think this will be squarely aimed at city dwellers and they’ll want to keep costs and weight down so it probably will stay more on road orientated.
Not too sure about the reliability comments Alex – Having just seen my bosses LR Sport 4.2TDV8 yesterday. It has spent more time in LR’s grages being fixed for silly irritating faults than he had chnce to drive it. After only 3 months he’s regretting the choice and possibly swapping it sooner than he anticipated. Good old British Build Quality
Well I don’t know how he came across a 4.2 TDV8, seeing as they don’t make one but he must just be unlucky. Or maybe I’m just lucky. When I count the amount of Land Rovers built from 2003 onwards that either I or people I know own, the number is 39, if I’m not forgetting any. I know that NONE of them have had any problems. That is seven Freelander 2s, six Discovery 3s, three Range Rover Vogues, eight Defenders and fifteen Range Rover Sports with a range of engines (I’ll go into more detail if you like) and as written, I know that there have been no problems experienced.
Alex, to know 39 people with this brand of car (which on a world wide scale is not particularly large) would suggest that either you know a hell of a lot of people or you are a sales rep for Land Rover, so which is it?
This looks cool but agree with the comment that land rovers are generally bags of sh*t reliability wise, not worth the headache
I heard it’s going to be badged as a range rover.
If that front end was put on a Range Rover that would be bloody awesome!!
Bob, I know a hell of a lot of people. I’m certainly not a sales rep. I grew up in the British countryside, basically everybody I knew had a Land Rover if not a whole fleet, my parents certainly did. You just get used to having them around so you keep buying them. I know that up until a few years ago they were terrible as far as reliability goes but not these days.
Bell End, what experience have you actually had with the brand?
Alex, you may have seen 39 or 51 or 103 without issue, but 100% of the Land Rovers/Range Rovers i’ve seen have had massive issues, all of them being premium models. That is not a good ratio.
Unfortunately you not seeing faulty models is doesn’t prove that they don’t exist. It’s a false positive on your part. But rest assured, you have been lead astray. JD power surveys rate them as very, very close to the bottom.
Look it up: http://www.jdpower.com/autos/r.....s-by-brand
Oh you grew up in Britan!
Well no bias or anything….
While we are on the subject, Aston also have terrible reliability and mechanical problems. If you read the latest Top Gear mag you will read the article where Ulrich Bez has committed to improving these aspects, a general admission of issues.
Devil, I’m not defending British cars in general, just Land Rovers. And actually, no, there isn’t any bias just because I’m from Britain.
I have a Range Rover because there is no alternative. If you want something that’s good off road, you can get a Land Cruiser or maybe a Patrol or something. If you want an SUV that’s good on road, you can get an X5 and if you want a really comfortable car to do long or short trips in you could maybe get a Jaguar XJ or A Mercedes S Class. But only with the Range Rover do you get them all in one car and I would gladly trade perfect reliability (even though that is what I’ve had so far) for a car so competent any day. It’s nothing to do with being British.
And how many Land Rovers are you talking about here? You say 100% had problems, how many is 100%? Have you had personal experience?
I’m not saying that all Land Rovers are reliable, I’m saying that the ones I’ve had experience with were and are and as my experience has been good, I would recommend them just as you wouldn’t from your experience (even though it doesn’t sound like you’ve actually had one). And they are well built and somehow I doubt that when this new one comes out, it will have reliability problems. This is a car that will be catering to markets that Land Rover have never had before. New customers and more importantly, new engines. I think it’ll be just fine.