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The Detroit Motor Show is trundling along in the US at the moment, and manufacturers are using the opportunity to release a host of new cars and concept designs. Land Rover has announced a new design at the show, in the shape of the LRX concept car. The car claims to appeal to the luxury and executive sector, but also to be compact -- two things we always thought to be mutually exclusive.
"The LRX concept delivers the powerful message that we are as serious about sustainability as we are confident about the continuing relevance and desirability of our vehicles," says Phil Popham, Land Rover's managing director. "The LRX is in every respect a Land Rover, but it's a very different Land Rover."
Land Rover claim that the car's low weight (helped by polycarbonate windows), and smaller frontal area give it low aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency. It also has intelligent power management systems designed to reduce further wasted fuel and power.
The interior also has some nice sustainable touches -- vegetable-tanned leather is used for the seats, easily recycled aluminium on many fittings and a carpet made of felt from sustainable sources. The best part, though, is the fake suede used on the door inserts, which is made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.
It also has all of the traditional Land Rover off-road tricks: 4x4 and Hill Descent Control, and a new 'Eco' mode for lower emission driving when you're not trying to climb a mountain.
"We are determined to make sustainability a key element in our future product design and the way we do business, while still creating vehicles that have a strong emotional appeal as well as fulfilling people's practical needs," Popham insists.
We'll have to wait and see just how economical the LRX really is, however. After all, it's not exactly a small car, and despite Land Rover's claim of being lightweight, the car is packed with heavy gadgets like a motorised boot door, a coolbox and a bottle chiller, which are going to have an impact on fuel efficiency.
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