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Squamish, BC -- You know that fancy candle you bought months and months ago because it smelled so good and fit your décor perfectly? It's still sitting there, unlit, still wrapped in its plastic casing. Likely, it will remain that way for a few years, unused, unable to fulfill its purpose as a candle.

Now, think about pretty much every Land Rover LR4 nestled in uni-stone driveways in high-class, gated urban neighbourhoods. They fit the décor perfectly, even offer the comfort and space for family life. Likely, they'll remain that way for years, unable to fulfill their true purpose as proper off-road vehicles.

Well, not my LR4.


Can you really have luxury and off-road capability?
First off, let's set the mood: I planned a five-day vacation in British Columbia with my 2.5-year-old son and my mother. Returning to our stomping grounds (where my mother and I lived when I was roughly my son's age and older), I knew we'd be traversing some pretty hard-core terrain at least once on our travels.

So, I had to make the right choice: A vehicle with plenty of space for all our luggage; lots of comfort for the long Sea to Sky jaunts from Whistler to Vancouver and everywhere in between; and the ruggedness to handle rocky, steep, hill climbs to the family cottage.

My mind immediately went to the Land Rover LR4.
The sad thing is that 95% of LR4 owners will never use their vehicles the way they were meant to be used.

Well, I set out to change that.



It's much too expensive to consider, right?
The real beauty about the Land Rover LR4, in my opinion, is its price point. In base trim -- with no extras but all the Land Rover ability you'd want for any and all surface conditions -- pricing starts at $59,990. Sure, you can have a base Jeep Grand Cherokee for about $20k less, but it just won't be the same...

My particular white LR4 was an HSE LUX, which means it was also the most expensive, dressed to the nines with all the fixings, starting at $70,990.

In reality, the LR4 is very well priced for what it offers the buyer. Similarly luxurious SUVs sit in the same price bracket and may offer the same creature comforts and fancy bits, but they hardly compete with the likes of the LR4 when it comes to heading off the beaten path.

Is it too big for the city?
As easily as it can head off the beaten path and onto rock-laden steep inclines, the Land Rover LR4 is just as happy on urban side streets. Sure, it's big and boxy and seems ungainly at times, but it's so easy to maneuver and drive through tight city settings, you're sure to forget you're driving such a big car.

If the tight quarters of an underground lot or one-way street makes you nervous, Land Rover's got you covered with all-around cameras that can be accessed via the entertainment system (which I'll not speak about because this review has been all but positive so far, and why sully a good thing?). Cameras all over the place ensure you see everything around you at all times.

But, does it drive big?
Equipped with a supercharged 3.0L V6, this behemoth of an SUV (because, let's face it, it is rather large) moves quite well. Make no mistake, this is not a speed monster or a switch-back pro, but it does boogie when asked. With 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, the LR4 has plenty of power to get the job done. Coupled with an 8-speed transmission, the entire package is well put together.

While it did struggle at times on the Sea to Sky heading from Vancouver to Whistler, the ability to downshift myself with steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters ensured the revs didn't bog out as the transmission got a bit confused and the engine seemed a bit tired after the constant hill climb.

Really, where the LR4 truly excelled was on the rocky, steep trail up to my family cabin. Sure-footed, sturdy and never wavering, the LR4 took on deep crevices, steep inclines and declines, large boulders and jagged rocks without so much as a stutter. With the terrain response system set to “rock climb” and the ride height at maximum, my confidence levels were high.

On the way back down, with hill decent control activated and the max speed set at 5km/hr, with both feet off the pedals, I let the Landie do what it does best; get its passengers through whatever terrain is thrown its way. Even as the rain poured down on the muddy, rocky hillside, the Rover was as cemented to the road's surface as a gecko on a wall.

Is it really practical to own a Land Rover?
Of course there are other options out there when it comes to luxury SUVs. The Land Rover is not unique in terms of its amenities and brand recognition. The Porsche Cayenne, BMW X5, Audi Q7; they'll all get you that high-brow experience you crave. However, few of these can tackle the terrains with the same ease as the LR4 can, and that's the beauty and allure of the Land Rover in my honest opinion.

But please, only get one if you intend on taking that wrapping off and lighting it -- at least once.

From GMM

Greece could be the next destination for formula one.

According to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, despite economic austerity measures in the southern European country, a Greek race could be called the 'Mediterranean grand prix'.

Writing for CNN, Sylt said Formula One Licensing registered the trademark in May.

"The Greeks are keen," Bernie Ecclestone confirmed. "They want me to go and see the prime minister or the mayor. We will have to find out if they have got any money."

The report said private investors are looking to construct a track in Keratsini-Drapetsona, close to Athens, one of the world's oldest cities.

From GMM

Mark Webber's honest clarity has been missed from the formula one paddock in 2014.

Amid the typical PR-speak, the Australian - having left Red Bull and the paddock for semi-retirement and Le Mans - was always relied upon for a blunt assessment.

On his former teammate Sebastian Vettel's troubled 2014 season, for instance, Webber told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV this week: "Vettel is having problems with the new rules.

"He has improved, but from the first race you could see he was making many mistakes," Webber added.

But Vettel himself, whilst not denying he made mistakes, thinks bad reliability has been the headline of his struggle in 2014.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2)

At Spa, he even said it is "unfair" to directly compare him with Daniel Ricciardo this year, because the Australian has had a clear run with the sister RB10.

Now, Vettel tells German television RTL: "People see the raw result and have their opinion. But they don't always see what is really going on. We have had so many technical problems; burned up so many engines and wasted many components.

"Daniel has performed very strongly, there is no question," said the four-time world champion. "But I think the races he won, we would have also been able to win if things had gone a bit differently."

For that reason, he said he is not beginning to question his own talent.

"It's not as if you forget how to drive over a winter and suddenly start doing everything wrong instead of everything right," said Vettel. "The hunger is still there and I think we have a good chance to fight for the world championship if we position ourselves better."

From GMM

Max Verstappen made his debut in a formula one car on Tuesday.

The well-connected Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claims Red Bull, having newly signed the 16-year-old son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, has targeted October's Japanese grand prix as a potential first official outing for Max in 2014.

That is despite Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost saying at Spa that Verstappen's first Friday practice outings will only be in "Austin, Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi".

But Red Bull may now be speeding up the teenager's already-accelerated F1 programme even more.

"Max is in England for a brief introduction," Max's father Jos is quoted as saying.

He is referring to an outing for Verstappen at Rockingham, at the wheel Red Bull's title-winning 2011 car, in Toro Rosso livery.

It is a shakedown ahead of a forthcoming demonstration event in Rotterdam.

"It (the Rockingham debut) is not a test," Verstappen's father said. "Today (Tuesday) he is driving back and forth on the straight to get used to a formula one car."

Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso. (Photo: WRi2)

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko confirmed: "Everything went well. Max did everything right, but I expected nothing else.

"When you talk to Max, you realise quickly that he is a confident young man who knows exactly what he is doing," he told Bild.

But even Red Bull's very own Sebastian Vettel, who made his F1 debut as a teenager, has described Verstappen's age and experience as "borderline".

"There is some sort of limit and Max is very young," the German said on a visit to Sochi this week to try the new Russian grand prix layout.

"I guess he should go to school, but he is not going to have much time for that next year! He already has a lot of racing experience, and his talent is obvious. So why shouldn't he be in formula one?" continued Sebastian Vettel.

From GMM

Marco Mattiacci has repeated his claim that Ferrari is keeping its driver lineup for 2015.

At Spa, the British broadcaster Sky made waves when it quoted the Maranello team's chief as admitting both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will still be wearing red next year.

That is despite intense speculation particularly about the future of Spaniard Alonso, who is reportedly disgruntled after five years of failing to win a third title with Ferrari.

Following the Sky report, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca, Marco Canseco, also asked Mattiacci to 'confirm' Alonso and Raikkonen for 2015.

"If you want, I can confirm them to you," Marco Mattiacci responded. "Both have contracts and there is not much to say on this matter other than that they are the two best drivers for us."

Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)

But while Monza is often the scene of an official Ferrari announcement, the Italian grand prix is also a reliable hotbed of 'silly season' rumours.

At Spa last weekend for example, Alonso and his manager were spotted entering the Red Bull motorhome, amid wild rumours Sebastian Vettel could be lured next year to McLaren-Honda.

Canseco acknowledges the official story that Alonso was simply asked by the Red Bull engineer Paul Monaghan, formerly of Renault, to sign a t-shirt for his son.

Going into NASCAR's playoff, the Chase for the Sprint Cup last year, Matt Kenseth had five victories and thought he had a legitimate shot for his second championship.

This year, under a new set of rules that favors race winners, Kenseth is winless after 24 of the first 26 races. But he's not worried.

Kenseth spoke with the media, at his Joe Gibbs Racing shop, to promote the launch of a four-part series co-written with his wife Katie which covers children's books to “educate and empower children if faced with bullying situations.”

Saturday night in Bristol the 42-year old Wisconsin native finished third tying his best finish of the year. This was a far cry from his 2013 season - his first at JGR.

Matt Kenseth, Clara Mae, Grace Katherine, Katie Kenseth. (Photo: JGR/NK Photography)

Despite the lack of victories, which would make him a lock for the Chase under the new system which guarantees one win gets a driver into the first of ten races, he's not worried. That's likely because he can still qualify on points and he has a comfortable 41-point lead over Ryan Newman (the next winless driver in points) with three races remaining in the season.

“I feel like we're closer,” Kenseth said.

In the off-season NASCAR made a series of technical changes to improve the competition to make passing easier and eliminate the dreaded “aero push.”

“It doesn't have a simple answer,” the 2003 champion said “ if we knew that we would have addressed it at race three.” As he continued “ last year we finished strong. Got the new rules package and we didn't run that good. When we got the new rules,” his team had some issues as early as the first test. But with things like “the spoiler change, the splitter change, the pan change and the ride height change” his team didn't adjust as quickly with the others.

“As good as last year was I never thought I'd be in race 24 without a win."

Katie Kenseth holding Clara Mae, Grace Katherine (standing), Matt Kenseth and Kaylin. (Photo: JGR/NK Photography)

After a third place at Bristol it's not hat I'm not confident. Last year going into the Chase just off the performance I felt like I could beat everybody. We had five wins before the Chase started. But Jimmie just beat us on the last ten.

“Obviously we don't have the stats and numbers,” (this year),” he added but “that's not going to say we won't have it right in the ten. We just haven't been as dominant as we were.”

Speaking about the books “As a parent of three small children, it's natural to worry about the issues they will face while growing up,” Kenseth said. “Both Katie and I believe that openly talking about these issues is the best way to prepare them. This book is designed to help families discuss the effects of bullying with their kids. We believe it's important our kids not only know how to deal with a bully, but also understand that it's not OK to act like one.”

Kia will announce plans Wednesday to construct an assembly plant in Mexico, its first in the country, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

Dollie Cole, the colorful, outspoken widow of former GM President Ed Cole and a leading champion of the National Corvette Museum, has died.

Employees at Volkswagen's U.S. plant in Chattanooga are attempting to form a union that will include hourly and salaried workers as a counter to the UAW Local 42 established last month..

Employees at the Volkswagen AG auto plant in Tennessee are forming a union that is to include hourly and salaried workers, as a counter to the UAW Local 42 that was established last month, a leading anti-UAW worker said today.

China is on course to become Volvo Car's largest market in 2014, pleasing both Chinese owner Geely and marketing, sales and customer service chief Alain Visser.

Consumer Reports says the hot-selling Ram 1500 EcoDiesel outscored competitors from Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Nissan to claim the magazine's top spot among full-size light-duty pickups.

Infiniti will reveal the long-rumoured ESQ at the Chengdu motor show later this week.

News 27 Aug, 2014

The Renaultsport R.S. 01 racing car has been revealed at the 2014 Moscow Motor Show

News 26 Aug, 2014

New infographic shows where £24 billion investment will be used with 900 lane miles to be added to highway network

Ford's Quick Lane brand of dealership auto service centers will be sponsoring Detroit's new college football bowl game in December at Ford Field. Members of the Ford family also own the NLF's Detroit Lions, organizers of the bowl.

General Motors introduced a bike sharing program on its 330-acre technical center campus in suburban Detroit.

Pictures See all 8 pictures 27 Aug, 2014

News 26 Aug, 2014

Convertible version of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale spin-off in the pipeline, could debut at the Paris Motor Show

Pictures See all 6 pictures 26 Aug, 2014