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From press release

Volkswagen Motorsport has agreed an exclusive three-year partnership with Sweden's Marklund Motorsport to enter the new-for-2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship.

This latest news follows hot on the heels of the recent announcement that both Ford and Peugeot are committing to this year's World RX, as well as news that 2013 Global Rallycross Champion Toomas ‘Topi' Heikkinen will join Marklund Motorsport as the team's lead driver for the next two seasons.

Finland's Heikkinen and his teammate Anton Marklund will compete in all 12 rounds of this year's World RX and the Scandinavian pairing will debut their new Marklund Motorsport Polo RX Supercars at Montalegre, Portugal (May3-4).

Volkswagen Polo rallycross car. (Photo: VW Europe)

"Rallycross is attracting ever-increasing levels of attention in Europe and overseas and is one of the fastest growing motorsport disciplines out there. The races are short and sweet, the cars are spectacular and look almost like factory models. Marklund Motorsport ranks among the most ambitious independent teams and has single-handedly developed the Polo for the 2014 FIA Rallycross World Championship,” said Volkswagen's Motorsport Director, Jost Capito.

“Jan Marklund's professional approach was our condition before embarking on this collaboration, in which Volkswagen Motorsport provides the team experience and expertise from rally sport. In Toomas Heikkinen and Anton Marklund they have one of the strongest driver pairs in this championship and we are already excited about seeing them behind the wheel of the Polo RX supercar,” Capito added.

So, you've made it in life. Your wife - she's a stunner, with a doctorate in something or other, and she's been able to clone herself perfectly into two equally beautiful children. Your job - executive, you're a magnate in your industry, able to cut through all the hiccups to make the real decisions, which you do very well and are compensated handsomely. Your house - it's big, but you prefer to be understated and traditional, along with having modern flair and convenience.

Your car - it's a Range Rover. Because you need to show the world you have everything mentioned above.

Once the mobility choice of British armed forces, the Range Rover has evolved into the luxury off-roader of today; a status symbol on wheels. And while it still possesses the same strength in capability, those ten letters across the hood are what really sell this tour de force to the awaiting elite.


What is the Range Rover V8 Supercharged?
Along with the recently deceased Hummer and ChryCo's Jeep brand, Range Rover finds its origins in the industrial military complex.

Yet, over the years, it has been treated like the corporate red headed stepchild of other automotive companies. Land Rover, after seeing ownership by British Leyland, BMW, and Ford, finally has a parent, India's Tata Motors, that's willing to give the legendary marque the attention (and money) it deserves.

The not-so-beaten path gladiators now find more homes in upscale neighborhoods than in the arid brush of Africa.

2014 Range Rover Supercharged Price and Specs
While one might expect the top-line Landie to start in the $80k range, the Range Rover V8 Supercharged gets a base price of $114,990. That's a mighty big pill.

For that stock portfolio cashout, you receive Range Rover lettering across the front (that is important as Land Rovers are for farmers) and a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine belching 510 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque mated to an eight-speed transmission. All that power is sent to an intelligent full-time four-wheel drive system managed by Land Rover's Terrain Response 2, an automatic system with General; Grass/Gravel/Snow; Mud/Ruts; Sand, and Rock Crawl modes.

While the Range Rover V8 Supercharged might look very similar to its little brother Range Rover Sport, the split rear hatch and bigger body shows your fellow man you are top management material.

Along with the recently deceased Hummer and ChryCo's Jeep brand, Range Rover finds its origins in the industrial military complex. (Photo: Mark Stevenson)

Driving the 2014 Range Rover V8 Supercharged
While I was expecting the luxo-off-roader to be a mix of suave creature comforts and effortless power delivery, the truth is a bit more rough and tumble.

Range Rover's 5.0-litre supercharged V8 is smooth, but not silky, and the eight-speed automatic doesn't do it any favors. Giving the accelerator a heftier push than normal results in some fairly harsh kick-downs for a car costing well north of a hundred grand.

That said, the Range Rover did get power to the ground, no matter the conditions. During a snowy week in Montreal, the Range Rover took everything thrown at it and I'm sure it could handle a hell of a lot more.

On road, the Range Rover V8 Supercharged was fairly velvety, though a slightly suppler ride would be preferred. While you could definitely feel the tar-sealed cracks, they weren't displeasingly jarring or smooth as glass. Quebec's notorious potholes and other road imperfections did their best to unsettle the sure-footed Landie to no avail as the big SUV took it all in stride.

While I was expecting the luxo-off-roader to be a mix of suave creature comforts and effortless power delivery, the truth is a bit more rough and tumble. (Photo: Mark Stevenson)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Range Rover V8 Supercharged
It's hard to change the face of an icon. Carrot Top tried it and that didn't work out too well. So has Jeep with the new Cherokee to fairly mixed reviews..

The Range Rover's face is equal parts menacing and sophisticated, depending on which country you live in and the reason why it's chasing you. And with it's long and low stance, this SUV is perfectly suited in front of a $500 a plate restaurant during a Friday evening out.

Inside, classiness continues in a barebones, utilitarian way. Everything you need is at your fingertips. Ruining the experience is Range Rover's infotainment system that plays host to secondary and audio controls. It's response times can only be rivaled by a first day bureaucrat just back from an Oktoberfest vacation.

If there is one saving grace of the Range Rover's technological creature comforts, it's the optional 18-speaker Meridian audio system that does its best to recreate a Victoria concert hall. And if your offspring aren't keen on listening to music selected by CBC Radio 2, a rear seat entertainment package is available for $2,400.

Inside, classiness continues in a barebones, utilitarian way. (Photo: Mark Stevenson)

Comparing the 2014 Range Rover V8 Supercharged
While icons tend to take on their own loyal following that eschew cross shopping, the Range Rover does have to do battle with the Mercedes-Benz G-class. The German marque's military-derived SUV may sport a similar price tag, but it doesn't offer up the same refinement and luxury as the Range Rover. Other luxury SUVs may provide better luxury and refinement, yet aren't nearly as capable.

For the do-it-all family with a large budget looking to conquer the world in style, this is the car for you, and everyone will know it.

Tesla Motors said fourth-quarter net losses narrowed to $16 million from $90 million as the electric-vehicle maker benefited from higher sales and manufacturing efficiencies.

Johnson Controls plans to sell its headliner and sun visor business to an affiliate of private equity firm Atlas Holdings. Johnson Controls expects to close the deal by April 30, the supplier said today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Audi revealed the S3 Cabriolet on Wednesday, before its

Someday, we'll tire of the veritable Dave Barrys and David Sedarises running their best McSweeneys-esque comedy pieces for hoopties such as

An Ohio man who rose to fame as "Joe the Plumber" by challenging then-presidential candidate Barack Obama on tax policy in 2008 has taken a unionized job at Chrysler Group.

What's going on at Bowling Green, Ky.'s National Corvette Museum in the aftermath of the sinkhole that ate eight rare Vettes?

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Become a road tester for the day in our amazing competition with Falken tyres

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Toyota reveals partnership to use BMW diesels will include several models and different engines

Having once predicted Toyota cars would be 30% hybrid by 2020, former chief engineer and current vice chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada is now more optimistic, he told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo on Wednesday.

News 19 Feb, 2014

Britain’s roads are the busiest in Europe, but they’re also among the safest according to new figures

After months of shadow boxing, PSA Peugeot-Citroen finally confirmed today (19 February) what the market had widely anticipated, namely a massive three-way cash injection that will see EUR3bn (US$4.1bn) pumped into the automaker.

Lithia Motors today reported a 38 percent gain in fourth-quarter net income along with the highest annual revenue in company history, as it credited continued cost controls and robust sales of new and used vehicles.

Fisker Automotive's new owner says the Karma sports car will come roaring back with a supercharged V8 engine -- with the help of former General Motors executive Bob Lutz.

The Land Rover Defender is one of those vehicles that we always hear about but never see at dealers stateside -- at least not since the '90s.

We've been anticipating the arrival of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel -- and speculating about what it means for the pickup market -- for months.

Pictures See all 19 pictures 19 Feb, 2014

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: There's really no getting around it: The newest generation of full-size pickups is more capable, more luxurious, more butchand#8230;more everything, really, than the average buyer probably needs.