BY JAKE HOLMES
Limited Edition package is for North America only.
In Britain, a new government plan to tackle pollution proposes charging luxo-ute owners $50 per day if they want to drive in London. Not so here, where SUVs are as omnipresent as ever.
U.S. buyers continue to gobble up SUVs regardless of the environmental cost”although sales are still tracking down in some segments” with everything from the Ford Escape to the extravagant Cadillac Escalade continuing to sell despite elevated gas prices.
As a special thank you to American SUV buyers, Land Rover plans to endow 250 versions of the Range Rover Sport with an exclusive Limited Edition package, available only in North America.
The Range Rover Sport was a new-for-2006 model, positioned between the LR3 and flagship Range Rover. While slightly shorter than the LR3, the new SUV with its 390-hp, supercharged V-8 added a performance bent to the Land Rover lineup.
The Limited Edition package makes it even sexier. Outside, the LE sports new 20-inch Stormer wheels”the better to imitate the 22-inchers of the Range Stormer concept on which the Sport was based”and squared-off chrome exhaust tips. New side skirts, bumpers, and a large roof spoiler round off the visual transformation.
The LE package also adds adaptive cruise control and adaptive headlights. Inside, goodies such as premium leather seating, oak trim, and a rear-facing DVD player remind occupants of what they have paid for.
And they will have paid a lot. At $81,450, the Limited Edition package commands a $6000 price premium over a regular Sport Supercharged model.
