media bulletin – Land Rover

Simple fuel choice with Land Rover

Land Rover buyers will have a simple choice from now on as to what model they buy.

In a price realignment strategy, Motorcorp Distributors Ltd, the New Zealand importer and distributor for Land Rover has made the price of comparable diesel and petrol engined models the same.

"We have made it a simple choice between the two fuels," said Wallis Dumper, the Managing Director of Motorcorp Distributors.

Until now the price of a petrol engined Discovery, Range Rover or Range Rover Sport was more expensive than its diesel engined equivalent.

The prices of the petrol models have been reduced while diesel models have increased slightly.

"The specification levels in both vehicles are the same. It is simply a matter of buyers choosing whether they want to put petrol or diesel in the fuel tank," said Mr Dumper.

As an example, the Discovery3 Turbo diesel V6 SE and the petrol V8 SE are both priced at $94,990. A Range Rover Sport TD V6 and its petrol V8 equivalent have a $129,990 price tag, while the flag ship Range Rover Vogue with either a Td V6 or the V8 will cost $179,990.

Since its launch, the Range Rover Sport has taken over the mantle of the biggest selling luxury SUV in the New Zealand market.

"It has brought a number of new luxury SUV buyers to Land Rover," said Mr Dumper. "Rather than coming to the brand via our price leading models, they are buying their first Land Rover product nearer the top of our price ladder."

There has also been an upsurge in interest in the Defender range in which Motorcorp stocks the 90 and 110 station wagon models.

"Its minimalist design has become trendy for city users," said Mr Dumper. "The Defender traces its origins directly back to the original 1948 Land Rover and obviously that has some appeal like the new Mini and new Golf with their retro styling. Of course there is a certain ambience one invokes in a Defender, you don’t just drive a Defender, you arrive!"

The Defender cab chassis is only available to special order for its mainly rural buyers.

ENDS