2008 Land Rover LR2 - Car and Driver
When the smallest SUV in Land Rover's lineup, the Freelander, went on sale in the U. S. in 2001, it had already been offered in other markets for three years. Land Rover tells us that it took those three years to develop a V-6 engine for the Freelander for the power-hungry American market. But by the time the little Land Rover made its stateside debut, it was already showing signs of being dated. Land Rover's compact luxury sport-utility didn't have much of a run in the U. S. after sales slowed dramatically in 2004, the British truckmaker stopped exporting it. The following year, the MG Rover Group in England closed, and that meant the... So Land Rover needed to find a replacement engine for its smallest ute. Power comes from a version of the new 3. 2-liter inline six-cylinder that will be under the hood of the '07 Volvo S80. In the LR2, the engine is upgraded for off-road use to resist dust, mud, and water. The transversely mounted six-cylinder makes 230 horsepower (five less than in Volvo form) and 234 pound-feet of torque (two less than the Volvo version). Hooked to a six-speed automatic, it will take the LR2 from standstill to 60 mph in 8. 4 seconds, claims Land Rover, and on to a 124-mph top speed. Source: www.caranddriver.com
