Land Rover has announced its official sponsorship of Mountain High Organization’s multi-activity adventure quest in Jordan to raise awareness for Diabetes.

Aptly titled as ‘Jewels of Arabia’, this campaign brings together adventure-seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds, nationalities, genders, and age-groups to unite for a common quest of good health, more specifically in controlling the frantic spread of the deadly Diabetes disease. Relatively, the program aims to emphasize on this disease control message by banking on the ‘Power of three’ aspects, which is awareness, education and prevention.

The challenge will involve a series of much-needed attributes consisting of the test of intelligence, initiative, team spirit, physical fitness, navigational skills and a positive attitude. It is designed to be a culture-rich journey of Jordan, exploring the rich heritage of this magnificent city, traveling through some of Jordan’s most spectacular architectural wonders, living the life of a Bedouin, and all the while hunting for the supposedly ancient hidden pots that holds the knowledge to save the world from Diabetes.

The activities lined up for this campaign would surely whet the appetite of adventure enthusiasts. Such quest duties include an exciting treasure hunt, hiking up Jordan’s highest peak, sand skiing, kayaking, camel trekking, map reading, raft building, and off-road driving through the breathtaking terrains of Jordan. This is where the Rover comes in handy, as all Land Rover Engine Parts are built to perform in these extreme outdoor conditions. This also applies to the other Land Rover Parts in maintaining their tough material and quality.

Discussing Land Rover’s association, Managing Director of Land Rover Middle East, Andy Gawthorpe, has this to say, “We are very delighted to be part of such a positive initiative, which is in line with our brand philosophy to support activities that inspire, create and deliver a spirit of adventure for everyone. Our partnership with Mountain High has been the result of our common goal and vision to encourage people to ‘Go Beyond’ their everyday limits for a good cause.”

“We have provided a range of Land Rover vehicles to the team to help them cover some of the remote and challenging landscapes of Jordan. These include the Range Rover, our flagship model, Range Rover Sport, the performance SUV and a Sports Tourer, LR3; the brand’s luxury, family SUV and the LR2, our new, premium, compact SUV and recent addition to the family. All our products offer the dedicated, engineering pedigree that makes them truly capable of delivering across all terrains and hence would be ideal for such an adventure event. We wish all participants good luck and hope their experience is rewarding.”

Julie Amer, Founder of Mountain High, promotes the campaign, as well as singing the praises of Land Rover: “We are extremely excited about the “Jewels of Arabia” project as it is such a great way to raise awareness for Diabetes and encourage others to get into action and take charge of their health. The team members are all great role models and very enthusiastic about playing an active part in the campaign in the spirit of adventure.”

“We are all delighted with Land Rover’s support for this project. Apart from the skill, endurance, stamina and dedication of the team members, we also have to rely on strong, capable vehicles to cover the difficult terrains we will encounter. A big thanks to Land Rover for putting us in the driving seat, we know we have a winning combination to make this mission a great success.”

Land Rover will be fusing goodwill with the brand’s legacy for adventure. This can be clearly depicted in the brand’s ‘Land Rover G4 Challenge’ as it would be running in support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the world’s largest humanitarian organization.

Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham is looking to share the success of the company, despite an uncertain future due to parent company Ford Motors existing plans to sell the franchise. In a statement, Popham enthusiastically asserts: “The Land Rover G4 Challenge is an incredible program that demonstrates our products’ breadth of capability and displays our desire to always push the boundaries of adventure. It is ideal to work as a fundraising and awareness building platform for a humanitarian organization and we are delighted that we can now make the most of the Challenge’s success and leave a lasting positive legacy by working with the International Federation.”

“Land Rover is a strong brand that has a natural fit with humanitarian organizations in general. Our association with the International Federation goes back a long way, to 1954, when Land Rover supplied a long-wheelbase Series 1 to the British Red Cross for use in Dubai as a mobile dispensary. We are now looking forward to forging closer links with the International Federation through the Land Rover G4 Challenge.”

On the other side of the partnership, CEO of the British Red Cross Sir Nicholas Young, speaks on behalf of the International Federation as he pleasantly affirms the benefits of such an association. “An association with the Land Rover G4 Challenge offers a unique and positive way for the International Federation to reach completely new audiences. It will enable us to activate projects that may otherwise not be possible. This will be a partnership that will save lives - it’s as simple as that.”

The 2009 G4 Challenge.

Unlike the previous G4 challenges in 2003 and 2006, this 2009 Land Rover G4 Challenge will be involving mixed-gender national teams, and with the still-unselected competitors coming in from 18 different regions of the world. Prior to the race itself that would take place in Asia in early 2009, a rough and rigorous elimination system would be initially implemented, wherein the overall best male and female participants would be the ones entering the Challenge itself.

But like its G4 predecessors, this 2009 G4 Challenge would still have that fascinating blend of off-road driving, adventure sports, and extreme team initiative trials. Such foundations aim to showcase individual physical fitness, essential team spirit, and not to mention the ultimate test on the tough durability of Land Rover Parts. As always, the entire Land Rover fleet will be participating, with the Range Rover Sport, LR2 and LR3 all in action as competition vehicles. With its Red Cross partnership, the goal is to raise the equivalent of at least $2 million for charitable functions. And as an additional feature, the victorious national team will win a Land Rover for their National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society.

Pleased to offer his support for the event is Martin Dreyer, winner of the 2006 Challenge. With a bit of reminiscing and comparing, Dreyer has this to say: “The last Challenge was an amazing experience and it was a fantastic feeling to win after such a tough competition against competitors from all around the world. I am sure that the new format, with national teams and more female competitors, will make the next Challenge even more exciting.”

With Land Rover’s environmental campaign, this 2009 G4 Challenge is set to have Carbon Dioxide Offsetting on its program. Such a system will ensure that amidst the adventurous competition and humanitarian assistance, environmental settings are also well protected.

In its bid for sustainability, Land Rover is dead serious on enhancing the reputation for engine performance. Thus, each and every one of the Land Rover Parts is being dissected for further improvement and technological changes.

One major enhancement is the stop-start system that will be fitted as standard to all Freelander 2 TD4 manual vehicles beginning early 2009. This system turns off the engine when the vehicle is stationary and automatically restarts it when the driver is ready to move off, cutting CO2 emissions by 7% from 194 g/km to 179 g/km. Such a system would not only benefit human and environmental health, it would also be friendly on the Land Rover Engine Parts, and thus on the Land Rover vehicle as a whole. However, for a more scientific and technical approach, Land Rover estimates that this mechanism would save 10m tonnes of C02 a year based on 28,000 cars each driving 15,000 miles.

The said stop-start system is said to be just one of the various programs that would be tackled over the next five years by the £700m-investment venture of Land Rover and Jag into green technology.

Land Rover seems to be in the habit of producing teaser concepts whenever the Frankfurt Motor Show arises. In the previous IAA held in 2005, car enthusiasts and journalists were kept guessing on a series of mysterious silhouettes of an upcoming Land Rover model. As it went, it was only January of this year that the identity of said 2005 Frankfurt puzzle was unveiled in the form of the Range Stormer vehicle.

This year’s Frankfurt festivities made witness of a repeat on this seemingly similar strategy from Land Rover. Under a banner ‘Coming Soon’, Land Rover presented a teaser video of the companyt’s new concept baby. The footage shows a still-to-be-named Rover model spinning through the levels of a multi-story car park. Further means to heighten the audience’s interest is through flyer giveaways illustrating this new concept car speeding off into the sunset.

Based on the purposely limited views given, this new baby on the block will be a smaller and lower version of the Freelander.

What the minds behind the Land Rover could provide, though, is that this new mystery concept is aiming to be Rover’s offering to compete squarely against Audi Q3 and other planned small SUVs. This new car under the design expertise of new design chief Gerry McGovern is said to be geared on complementing the Freelander structure and features, but filling in some gaps in the process. Further comparisons to the classic version would result to conclusions that this new baby, with its Land Rover Parts, is more engineered for road-based handling, tighter rear cabin, and smaller boot space. It would also provide a more luxurious feel with its improved Land Rover Accessories. Land Rover representatives divulged as well that this baby Rover concept would be sure to use lightweight materials and potentially a hybrid engine to answer to the industry’s needs for reduced emissions and increased fuel economy.

Land Rover Managing Director has this to add for Rover’s new baby: “It’s only a concept at the moment, but this is a statement of intent about a new direction that Land Rover wants to go in, about sportiness and low C02.”

Expected to be shown as a concept at the Detroit Auto show in January 2008, Land Rover officials are asserting that they expect to offer the new model with a wide range of specifications and prices. Top-spec models could be priced at more than $45,000, whereas the lowest-spec models could be priced below the Freelander. The LR2 currently starts at $34,700.

The Land Rover Fest will happen at Peterborough on September 8-9 for this year.  For those that will have a chance to drop by, it is best to visit the Land Rover Owner International stand. One of the main attractions at the said show will be live LRO Workshop Answers sessions.  In these sessions, some of the best known gurus when it comes to Land Rover parts and vehicles– Eddie Evans, Dave Smith and Andrew Varrall – will be on hand during the weekend to help solve Land Rover owners’ technical inquiries. Evans, Smith and Varral will be joined by Steve Buck from Oxfordshire. Aside from them, Land Rover specialist James French, will also be around to answer technical inquiries and give advice when it comes to proper tuning and as well as the apt Land Rover aftermarket parts that best suits one’s Land Rover.

Fortunate Land Rover owners who will drop by will also have on hand Autologic diagnostic system that helps in tracking down elusive faults on readers’ vehicles. Free diagnostic test and free fault warning light diagnosis are also given.  One only has to ask Steve Buck to perform the necessary check-ups within those two days. 

LRO is running a free-to-enter competition to win a fabulous Britpart DB9500ti winch – which the winner can take away with them on the Sunday afternoon (prize draw at 4.00pm)

Last, but not least, you will see a fine display of LRO staff and contributor vehicles, including:

• Ed Cobley’s high flying Bowler Wildcat
• Editor-in-Chief John Pearson’s ex-G4 Defender 110
• Web Editor Simon Ward-Hastelow’s Defender 130 Azalai camper
• Mark Saville’s familiar Series I, Plimsoll.

The LRO marquee is in the club section, north-west of the showground’s main grandstand.

Through the hard working Land Rover employees, the company was able to donate a brand new Defender to a Solihull farm. The said farm specializes in training young people who have difficulties in learning. The Family Care Trust’s Newlands Bishop Farm was the fortunate beneficiary and received a Defender 110 Station Wagon. The Newlands Bishop Farm is the first beneficiary of a Land Rover vehicle—with top-quality Land Rover parts and Land Rover engine parts—under the 4×4 manufacturer’s ‘Motor-Vate’ program. It was nominated by Land Rover employee, Michael Dacre.

The Motor-Vate scheme is an incentive basis. Improvements in the employees’ attendance and the savings made by cutting absenteeism are shared among employees as well as the local community. Earlier, two randomly selected employees with perfect attendance records both received a brand new Ford car. Along with this, many other local organizations have already received generous donations.

The Newlands Bishop Farm, which is situated in Catherine de Barnes, serves to provide a good working and training environment for young people with learning disabilities. They seek to hone their social and work skills with the opportunity to gain accredited qualifications from Sutton Coldfield College in numeracy, literacy and ICT. A wide array of activities happens at the farm’s facilities. This includes a local gardening round, a woodworking unit and a horticultural, vegetable and animal area.

Daniel Adams, the manager of the farm, said: “The Defender will make an incredible difference to the farm. Not only will we use it extensively off-road to maintain the 10 acre site, our new 4×4 will also be used to support our community work, external events and provide transport for day trips. We are extremely grateful to the generosity of Land Rover and its workforce.”

Old vehicles have begun coming back in the past years. Television shows like MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” is one of the concrete manifestations that the old—with twist and turns here and there—can come back with a new look.  Car enthusiasts have been keeping an eye on that show.  Soon enough, another of that kind will spring in national television.  The show, working with NASCAR, serves to donate time and labor to deserving individuals in need of help to improve on their rides. 

Deborah Davey, a Californian woman lost her husband last 2005.  She spends her summers on Blakely Island and donates emergency medical care to the residents of the said island every summer.  What she uses to help out and transport the medical stuff she provides is her Land Rover, which unfortunately began to show signs of breaking down.  Because of her kindness, NASCAR approached Jason Hunt, the manager of Precision Collision, and asked him to help out restore Davey’s Land Rover.

According to Jason Hunt, “Basically, when we heard this lady’s story, we wanted to do it.” Davey’s Land Rover was then sent to a Mount Vernon technician for the necessary repairs and Land Rover parts replacement.  Some Land Rover tune up parts were also added on afterwards.  As a result, the Rover was in good shape to be presented to Davey again on Blakely Island.

Even though the crew from “NASCAR Angels” came to Kitsap, the show doesn’t. The closest television station to air the syndicated show is KIMA in Yakima, a CBS affiliate, where it can be seen at 4 p.m. on Sundays.

The Land Rove Freelander 2 takes on a new definition to the compact premium 4×4 class. This new Land Rover Freelander 2 has the capacity to deliver outstanding road performance because of its exceptional Land Rover parts. It has a vibrant design, smart-looking and quite spacious interior. Aside from these traits, the Land Rover Freelander 2 has a purposeful stance and has a lot of good technology that comes with the packeage.

“No other compact 4×4 has anything like its total breadth of capability,” says Phil Popham, Land Rover’s managing director. “The Freelander 2 sets new standards in the sector, combining the advantages of a premium car - such as polished ride, accomplished performance, attractive cabin and ease-of-use - with the attributes of a robust 4×4, including go-anywhere ability, toughness, panoramic seating, cabin versatility and spaciousness. We believe that no other compact 4×4 gets closer to blending these best-of-both-worlds abilities.”

The original Freelander that was launched last 1997, has created a whole new kind of vehicle: the compact premium 4×4. It has been the top-selling 4×4 in Europe for five years. Aside from this, it has remained UK’s best-selling 4×4 from its launch until the end of 2005. The all-new Freelander 2 greatly takes on the Freelander but carries with it improvements. It has better performance. It is more economical, more refined, and has a higher quality than the original Freelander. Some even say it even has a better Land Rover exhaust.

Chris Brown, an apprentice of the Land Rover’s Strength and Durability department in Solihull has recently been named the ‘West Midlands Practical Learner’ in the Edge Awards 2007. In the said award, he won a total prize of £2,000 that will be used as further investment in his personal development and training. As winner of the Edge Awards, he will now take part in the national finals that will be held this coming November.

For those who are not quite aware of it, Edge is a foundation that is dedicated to raising the desirability and status of vocational and practical learning. They intend to help especially those who are 14-25 year old. Edge helps hone all their levels of ability.

Chris Brown started the apprenticeship at Land Rover at 18 after achieving high grades in his A levels in Maths, Physics and Product Design. Even though Chris has had good marks, he preferred not to further continue this kind of education. He decided that an apprenticeship was the best route for him. On his first year of apprenticeship, Chris studied practical engineering in his first year of his apprenticeship. He has used the knowledge he gained in his first year to design rigs and fixtures for carrying out durability testing that can be applied to Land Rover Discovery parts and other Land Rover parts as well. In fact, he has recently added the use of CAE and finite element analysis to his skills base.

Chris’ manager, Ian Payne said: “We are extremely proud of the work Chris has achieved during his three years with us. His dedication to learn and improve and his initiative, action and delivery of every task he undertakes is second to none.”

The Range Rover Sport is a Land Rover Range Rover model for 2006. It is positioned between the LR3 and the flagship Range Rover. Although it is slightly shorter than the LR3, the new SUV considerably added a performance bent to the Land Rover lineup. It is able to do so with its 390-hp supercharged V-8 Land Rover engine parts. This unique engine of the Range Rover Sport is the reason behind its unsurpassed power. And is also what makes the Range Rover Sport all the more dear to Rover enthusiasts.

The Limited Edition package of the Range Rover Sport all the more makes it a lot more appealing for American buyers. How can it not be if these limited edition vehicles are especially made and “limited” to their consumption? On its exterior, the Range Rover Sport features Land Rover Range Rover parts such as the LE sports new 20-inch Stormer wheels. These wheels are especially designed to almost imitate the 22-inchers of the Range Stormer concept. This, along with the squared-off chrome exhaust tip, is actually where the Sport was based. Aside from these features, it has Land Rover accessories such as side skirts, bumpers, and a large roof spoiler, which basically gives it a one of a kind transformation.

The Range Rover Sport LE package is also geared with features such as an adaptive cruise control and adaptive headlights. Inside, a premium leather seating, oak trim, and a rear DVD player that seem to testify to its occupants just where the money they paid for it all went.