Sure, Land Rover vehicles and endurance athletes have certain skill sets in common, mostly involving the ability to go places and do things that might give pause to other people or vehicles.
But my experience with the folks who are in a negative body fat situation and are anxious to live on a diet of twigs, lichen and self-abuse is that they aren't currently among the British SUV brand's target market. Land Rover always seems more Sloane Square than Sherwood Forest to me.
Either this apparent disconnect doesn't bother the Ford-owned company or it doesn't stop Land Rover from getting a good bang for its publicity buck, as this very story suggests may be the case.
Anyway, along with sponsoring the G4 Challenge every two years (which the Canadian and U.S. branches are sitting out this time around), Land Rover does a lot of work relating to the people who like adventure, endurance or extreme sports.
So Land Rover has created a special version of the LR3 for endurance athletes and wannabes, using a good portion of its own accessory range and a letter-to-Santa lineup of stuff from sporting goods gear.
According to Sally Eastwood, the marketing vice-president for Land Rover North America, "the LR3 can be personalized to carry and stow virtually any piece of athletic gear." This resulted in a concept vehicle "fitted with best-of-breed products and accessories, to demonstrate the enormous possibilities for an endurance athlete to travel, train and compete in style."
Eastwood makes the point that Land Rover vehicles "are already among the most versatile available, and the LR3 offers numerous possibilities for showcasing, stowing and carrying performance-oriented gear."
This concept vehicle starts with such Land Rover accessories as a hitch-mounted bike rack, rubber mats, waterproof seat covers, and cargo dividers.
To that, Eastwood's team added "a premium collection of such endurance brands as Cervélo bikes, Mizuno shoes, Zipp carbon fiber wheels, Orca wet-suits," which means the LR3 "is well-suited for the needs of triathletes," or at least rich or well-sponsored triathletes.
Hooking the LR3 up with this after-market gear was a "natural fit," says Eastwood. "It combines the most sought-after gear for the triathlete with LR3's extraordinary performance, adaptability, and stowage solutions, making it the perfect choice for anyone passionate about endurance sports."
According to Eastwood, "the credentials of the LR3 and these endurance brands, from purposeful design to durability, are imperatives for the endurance athlete, thus making an LR3 geared up for triathlon racing a complete solution."
Personal experience in the wilds of Scotland showed me last summer that the LR3 is as capable off-road as any vehicle on the market, and since then I've come to appreciate its on-road skills as well. So it's probably as adept at getting into what a friend of mine calls "the backskirts" of civilization as anything in the world.
What's most particularly interest is the LR3's Terrain Response, which Eastwood describes as "a permanent, active system, which optimizes the vehicle's set-up for different driving conditions, providing optimum traction, drivability and vehicle composure."
But my experience with the folks who are in a negative body fat situation and are anxious to live on a diet of twigs, lichen and self-abuse is that they aren't currently among the British SUV brand's target market. Land Rover always seems more Sloane Square than Sherwood Forest to me.
Either this apparent disconnect doesn't bother the Ford-owned company or it doesn't stop Land Rover from getting a good bang for its publicity buck, as this very story suggests may be the case.
Anyway, along with sponsoring the G4 Challenge every two years (which the Canadian and U.S. branches are sitting out this time around), Land Rover does a lot of work relating to the people who like adventure, endurance or extreme sports.
So Land Rover has created a special version of the LR3 for endurance athletes and wannabes, using a good portion of its own accessory range and a letter-to-Santa lineup of stuff from sporting goods gear.
According to Sally Eastwood, the marketing vice-president for Land Rover North America, "the LR3 can be personalized to carry and stow virtually any piece of athletic gear." This resulted in a concept vehicle "fitted with best-of-breed products and accessories, to demonstrate the enormous possibilities for an endurance athlete to travel, train and compete in style."
Eastwood makes the point that Land Rover vehicles "are already among the most versatile available, and the LR3 offers numerous possibilities for showcasing, stowing and carrying performance-oriented gear."
This concept vehicle starts with such Land Rover accessories as a hitch-mounted bike rack, rubber mats, waterproof seat covers, and cargo dividers.
To that, Eastwood's team added "a premium collection of such endurance brands as Cervélo bikes, Mizuno shoes, Zipp carbon fiber wheels, Orca wet-suits," which means the LR3 "is well-suited for the needs of triathletes," or at least rich or well-sponsored triathletes.
Hooking the LR3 up with this after-market gear was a "natural fit," says Eastwood. "It combines the most sought-after gear for the triathlete with LR3's extraordinary performance, adaptability, and stowage solutions, making it the perfect choice for anyone passionate about endurance sports."
According to Eastwood, "the credentials of the LR3 and these endurance brands, from purposeful design to durability, are imperatives for the endurance athlete, thus making an LR3 geared up for triathlon racing a complete solution."
Personal experience in the wilds of Scotland showed me last summer that the LR3 is as capable off-road as any vehicle on the market, and since then I've come to appreciate its on-road skills as well. So it's probably as adept at getting into what a friend of mine calls "the backskirts" of civilization as anything in the world.
What's most particularly interest is the LR3's Terrain Response, which Eastwood describes as "a permanent, active system, which optimizes the vehicle's set-up for different driving conditions, providing optimum traction, drivability and vehicle composure."