Winter 2005 As of January 1st 2005, “A new collectible has been born!” Land Rover reaffirms its commitment to the owners of Range Rover Classics by introducing Land Rover Classic Parts (LRCP), with the first account in North America going to Rovers North. Find out all the details of this remarkable event on pg. 2 Everything Land Rover No Middle Man Great Savings Fries with Your Land PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE Rover, Sir? PAID By Conor Hurley © 2005 Rovers North Inc • 1319 VT Route 128, Westford, Vermont 05494-9601, USA PERMIT NO. 21 (Conor Hurley has created a most interesting conversion of his 2.25 Series Burlington, VT Land Rover diesel. Hold your nose and read on -ed.) 1-800 403-7591 • Tech: 802.879.0032 • roversnorth.com I guess this story began when I decided that I was sick of driving the same minivan that I had been driving since high school. She’d served me well, but I was hankering for something a little more my style not to mention the fact that I was tired of being dependent on fossil fuels for transportation. I wanted a cleaner alternative to gasoline and diesel, but since Scotty couldn’t mean beam me up yet, I turned to vegetable oil. That’s right, the stuff that your favorite restaurant uses to cook all your fried delights. Just like your heart; your vehicle’s injector pump doesn’t like hydrogenated oils. I will admit, the ides of running a vehicle on vegetable may sound a bit outlandish, and perhaps it appeals to only a certain percentage of the Continued on pg 20 Happy New Year to A New Collectible By Jeffrey Aronson Thomas Buijs, Sainte-Foy, Quebec, found a ‘93 North president Mark Letorney said that the Range Rover Classic with only 107,000 miles in creation of LRCP “returns Land Rover parts Washington, D.C. He thought nothing of flying supply and availability to the high standing of to Washington and driving his new Range decades past when Land Rover was the indus- Rover home. Terry Hazzard, Camden, ME, try standard.” This is also a breakthrough for found his ‘95 Range Rover LWB Classic in Range Rover owners; as Letorney noted, “LRCP Maine. This ex-pat Brit loves his “new” family recognizes the Range Rover Classic customer car. Like thousands of Range Rover Classic as the do-it yourself owner/enthusiast who owners, they works on their own cars.” So adore their Rovers North and LRCP are now Range Rovers working closely together to and want to determine what parts North keep them in American Range Rover Classic great shape with owners needed for maintenance, Genuine Land restoration and off-roading. LRCP the lines, attract every viewer of a Range Rover. Rover parts. has made a firm commitment to Subsequent design changes have kept some of With the new assure the availability of Land the signature features of the original Range year, they’re Rover parts at affordable prices, Rover, but the Range Rover Classic has a about to get and Rovers North’s unique timeless appeal that makes Toyota Land terrific news. standing with Land Rover means Cruisers, Mercedes M-class cars, and their ilk that it can pass along price look very dated, very quickly. No wonder that Land Rover has savings to enthusiasts. Land Rover wants to support enthusiasts with been historically quality parts at reasonable prices. supportive of its Tom Pallister, Director of older vehicles. This is not common. Frankly, Customer Service for Land Rover in the UK, Rovers North has maintained a formal Land Rover’s corporate parent, Ford, does not described this new business initiative as “an relationship with Land Rover for decades; the have a good reputation for keeping genuine excellent opportunity for us to provide an announcement of this agreement with LRCP parts in their pipeline. Not to beat up on Ford; improved after-market service to a clearly solidifies Rovers North’s standing with only a handful of manufacturers, such as BMW, defined and loyal sector of Land Rover enthusiasts. Mark Letorney calls the Range Porsche and Mercedes, retain a pride in their consumers.” Rover Classic “a modern piece of earliest models that they back their enthusiast transportation that’s timeless, a superb driving owners with a comprehensive parts list. Over classic vehicle. Now the best news for Range the decades, Series I-II-III owners have “A modern piece of Rover Classic owners is that they can continue benefited from Land Rover’s corporate transportation that’s to purchase these wonderful vehicles and keep commitment. timeless, a superb them on the road with high quality, affordable driving classic parts direct from Land Rover. A new collectible As of January 1, 2005, Land Rover reaffirms its has been born!” commitment by establishing Land Rover vehicle”. Classic Parts (LRCP), aimed specifically at providing Genuine Parts for the owners of Range Rover Classics (1970-1994) and The Land Rover Classic Parts business unit will Discovery Series I’s (1989-1994). With their manage the purchase, warehousing, engineered-in durability and enthusiastic distribution and promotion of genuine Land owners, the demand for Genuine Parts remains Rover parts for specific older models. From strong for older vehicles. Land Rover has sold launch in October, the program will cover nearly 200,000 Range Rovers and Discoverys in Range Rover Classic (1970 to 1994), Discovery North America since 1987 (the year of official Series I (1989 to 1994 model year). To further importation). The Land Rover dealer network enhance the program an all-new Land Rover supports newer vehicles with Genuine Parts Classic identity has been developed, which will but this new operation will be a boon to the enable customers to relate to the brand and owner of earlier coil-spring vehicles. feel assured in the knowledge, that all products offered within this program are 100% Genuine In North America, the first account for Genuine Land Rover Parts. Parts through LRCP is Rovers North. With over 25 years of exclusively Land Rover experience, The first Range Rover in 1970 electrified the Rovers North is acknowledged as the center for automotive world. Geof Miller, an engineer on classic Land Rover expertise throughout the the original design team for the Range Rover, continent. Rovers North will warehouse the told this reporter a story of the early test drives entire line of Range Rover Classic parts. Rovers with European sales managers. While taking North’s agree- the German importer on a road ment with LRCP test trip in England, all Geof heard means that Land was the complaint that “no one Rover owners, will pay this much money for a contemplating Land Rover!” To convince the the purchase of skeptical importer, the driver older, classic pointed the car towards a field vehicles, can and said “let’s go this way.” They purchase them careened into a rock strewn field with the and pounded the car through hills assurance that and dales. When they rejoined the Genuine Parts paved road, the German asked will remain only when they would be available. available for sale. Owners can drive, maintain and restore their vehicles with A quick glance at the castle-ridged hood, the confidence, knowing that Land Rover continues high beltline, the airy cabin, the exceptional to maintain and improve the marque. Rovers driving position, and the elegant ruggedness of © 2005 Rovers North Inc • 1319 VT Route 128, Westford, Vermont 05494-9601, USA • 1-800 403-7591 • Tech: 802.879.0032 • [email protected] • roversnorth.com 2 Mars vs. Venus - The Land Tag Team Match by: Jac’Kiye McCollett and Jeff Aronson [Jac’Kiye McCollett, N. Monmouth, ME, took the editor car shopping on a visit to Land [Jeff Aronson] Daily driving in a Series Land Rover can inure you to the changes made by Rover Scarborough, Maine’s only Land Rover dealer. She wanted to see the full model Land Rover over the past, oh, 35 years or so. I had no idea that some Land Rover owners range of new and classic Land Rovers; what she noticed was how differently women and did not require mechanic’s boiler suits, full toolboxes, spare parts collections and Go-Jo or men view their Land Rovers -ed.] Fast Orange containers, just to get down the road. Did you know you can drive a Land Rover with clean clothes? There are owners who don’t carry the Haynes or Factory Early one Friday morning I found myself traveling on a long Service manuals with them can you believe it?! A trip to a Land overdue trip to really examine Land Rovers. As Jeff and I exited Rover dealer’s is a great way to drive these points home. As we his car, there they were Land Rovers, Discovery’s, Range Rovers pulled into the Land Rover Centre, lots of Landie eye candy caught and my favorite, a beautiful deep green Defender with a roof rack. my eye. Perched on a hillock was a ‘97 Defender 90 SW. A 2003 I immediately wanted to sit on top of the rack. Being a mother of Discovery Series II demonstrated its articulation by sitting atop an four teenagers can be a challenge, forcing me to set my child-like artfully collected pile of rocks. A new Range Rover and new LR3 sat image of myself aside; however, as I looked upon its sun-clad side by side making everything else in the lot look a bit dated. A exterior I said to myself, am I too “old” to sit on top of a car?? No, Toyota Land Cruiser and Ford Expedition in the used car lot looked of course not! Without a ladder, I demurred and instead opened forlorn and oh so ‘90’s I immediately begged for the keys to the ‘97 the drivers side door, hopped in and searched for the key.