The Land Rover LR4 debuted at the New York Auto Show this month as the successor to the LR3.  Although it doesn’t look drastically different from the LR3, the noticeable and subtle cosmetic changes make this vehicle much sharper.  Of course, the major changes were mechanical, including a more powerful engine and improved chassis.

In my opinion, the most important design change made to the exterior styling from the LR3 is the grille, which is the mesh chrome design present in other Land Rovers.  The LR3 had a crossbar grille that matched the color of the rest of its exterior.  I love the contrast the chrome provides, and it’s one of the coolest Land Rover traits, so I’m glad to see it back on the LR4.  The front bumper is also updated a bit, and the LR4 sports new LED headlamps.

Inside, significant changes have taken place.  The interior keeps the same design structure but whispers more luxury due to fewer buttons and controls on the dash.  For ergonomics, the center stack tilts toward the driver, and the steering wheel sees a more convenient button arrangement.  Additionally, the seat cushions were improved for better thigh support, and LED ambient lighting provides a warm, elegant effect even while you wind up a mountain.

As I said though, the most major distance between the LR3 and the LR4 is the upgrade in engine.  Kicking the already-powerful 4.4-liter V-8 of the LR3 to the curb, the LR4 incorporates a new direct-injected 5.0-liter that pushes the horsepower to 375, up from 300 horsepower in the LR3.  The LR4 also possesses 20 percent more torque than the LR3 and comes with more powerful brakes.

So we’ve talked about all the changes, but what is just as important with this model are the things that have stayed the same, the features that make for the classic Land Rover experience.  It’s beautiful, inclined profile remains, as does its massive amount of interior space.

I’m looking forward to driving the LR4 when it arrives at Chicago Land Rover dealers.  Anyone who knows me knows that I love any vehicle that has the potential to carry me deep into the mountains on my next hiking trip.  So when I get in my Chicago Land Rover LR4, the salesperson riding along with me from the Chicago Land Rover dealer should be prepared for Colorado weather.

Here is a quick overview of the LR4 at the New York Auto Show from the folks at Kelly Blue Book:

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Completely new for 2008, the LR2 shows a few changes to its 2009 version.  But it was all new to me because I had never had the privilege of driving one.

As I usually do on my test drives, I pretended to pull out of the lot without the salesperson.  You just haven’t lived until you’ve had someone dressed in a suit chase you around a parking lot.  Though I found it difficult to pay close attention to the vehicle’s performance with all of the panting coming from the passenger seat, I did notice excellent, responsive pep as I left the Chicago Land Rover dealership thanks to its 3.2-liter, 230 horsepower engine.  The sound matched the way I felt while entering traffic, powerful and even a little mean.

I appreciate the very open feel to this auto, with its wide cabin space and large roof window coverage.  The one I drove included the optional two-part panoramic sunroof.  With the driver’s ability to see all around with ease, the 2009 LR2 is the exact type of vehicle I would want in the mountains, or, for that matter, anywhere.

The LR2 features a full-time 4WD system with a Haldex center differential, Gradient Release Control and standard Terrain Response.  The 2009 LR2 excels at on-road performance but also offers very affective performance on snow, mud and rocky trails.  I really wanted to test that “on mud and rocky trails” part, but at the feverish request of my passenger, I remained on the pavement.

The LR2 rides lower to the ground than other Land Rovers but still has plenty of clearance for off-roading.  While it still has those rugged capabilities, it performs more car-like, without the leaning of the heavier models.

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When you take a look at the exterior, you’ll notice design very similar to the LR3 and Range Rover Sport, but the 2009 Land Rover LR2 remains a more compact, city-friendly vehicle.  Of course, its 23 mpg highway is another nice feature over its larger Rover siblings.  The great thing about this Land Rover is its accessibility.  The LR2 starts around $35K, and the one I drove was around $40K.  But with the amount of luxury and very capable off-road ability, I would call this a value.  The other vehicles that you might consider in its class definitely do not compete with the LR2 in luxury or ruggedness.  If you’re looking into this vehicle, you’ll also want to consider what Chicago Land Rover dealer Patrick Land Rover is offering in the way of a lease right now – just $399/mo. and $0 down on a 39-month lease.

The LR2 offers the type of luxury features you expect from Land Rover, features like: bi-xenon headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear park distance control, a touch screen DVD satellite navigation system and 12-speaker Dolby Pro Logic IIx Surround Sound–to name a few.

Overall, the Chicago Land Rover LR2 I drove was a really comfortable, rewarding drive.  I found it to be the type of vehicle perfect for anyone with an active, urban lifestyle seeking a high level of luxury.  And I’m guessing it’s even more fun in those non-urban areas.

It looks as though the Land Rover LRX will in fact go into production. The UK government will be granting Land Rover $37.2 million to begin its production later this year. This means it should hit UK streets in 2010, but from what I can find online, the LRX won’t make it to North America for a couple of years.  But it is likely to make it here.

Still, this is one exciting vehicle to look forward to.  It manages, with its futuristic body and compact dimensions, to still come across unmistakeably as a Land Rover.  This design-forward Land Rover LRX popped up last year at the Detroit Auto Show and sent every auto journalist into a frenzy.  Land Rover said the debut LRX featured a diesel-hybrid powertrain that could achieve 50 mpg on biodiesel.

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It goes without saying that this will be, as Land Rover puts it, the “smallest, lightest, most efficient” vehicle ever to come out of a Land Rover manufacturing facility.  Land Rover classifies the new model based on the LRX concept as a “cross coupe” and says the compact SUV will be borne under the Range Rover moniker.  Land Rover has said the LRX production model will be very close to the concept, though I know it will lose the iPhone dock on the console.  I’m not sure what will take up that space instead.  Maybe one of those bobble-hip hula dolls.

I’ll probably never own one, but I’d really like to see this fuel efficient, hybrid Land Rover make it to the US, as it’s supposed to.  It seems like a great alternative to sofisticated urban driving.  Land Rover has a great opportunity to go ec0-friendly, starting with this compact hybrid.  I know we tend to see only gas-electric hybrids this side of the Atlantic, but if the LRX emerges as a 50+ mpg diesel hybrid in the next couple of years, I think it could really make a splash in the US, considering the number one hybrid now, the Prius, gets 48 mpg.

Great work by everyone who participated in this year’s St. Baldrick’s event! The Patrick Cars/St. Baldrick’s Shave-A-Thon event raised approximately $34,000 for pediatric cancer research! Take a look below at some of the pictures from Saturday’s fundraiser.

Held at the Patrick BMW Chicago dealership, the St. Baldrick’s event is a wonderful opportunity for people to help raise money for pediatric cancer research and show support for the cause at the same time.

For those of you who may not know, Patrick BMW is hosting a Shave-A-Thon this Saturday, March 21. For the third year in a row, Patrick Cars and, specifically, the Patrick BMW dealer in Chicago is working with St. Baldrick’s to raise funds for kids’ cancer research.

The event will be from 11am-3pm on Saturday. Shavees will pledge money that will be donated to kids’ cancer research centers. Last year the event raised $44,855 that went directly to kid’s cancer research, and even in tougher economic times, the dealership is hopeful people will continue to show amazing generosity. While we scale back in many areas, pediatric cancers are not bound by recessions, so I encourage people to give what they can toward this cause.

You can join in by getting pledges from family and friends and having your head shaved at the event. It is a meaningful way to show support for kids undergoing chemotherapy. But most importantly, by participating, you contribute to the funds necessary to finding cures. Just click on this link to pledge your donation http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.html?EventKey=2008|156 or go to www.stbaldricks.org to see shave-a-thons from previous years.

I urge anyone able to support this effort to get out to Patrick BMW this Saturday. It is a wonderful gesture that will inspire others to join the fight against cancer. Plus, it’s getting warmer. Who needs hair?

Patrick BMW is located at 700 East Golf Road in Schaumburg.