Hi all,

Today I collected my second LR2 (and fourth LR product overall... also counting an older Range Rover and a 2013 Evoque). It's a 2015, so it's certainly one of the first of it's sort in the good ole USA. Built 30 July and just arrived and Land Rover Chicago yesterday... so, of course, I had to make time out of my schedule to go pick it up! ...who am I kidding, I was actually already off of work today, just happened to be perfect timing that the LR2 arrived in time to pick up during this little mini-vacation.

For MY15 they have simplified packages and equipment to assist with build-out of the model, I'm sure. Here in the USA we can pick from a "base," HSE or HSE Lux, although our base model comes with a fair bit more equipment than it does in any other country (save Canada, where I think cold weather package is standard now -- don't quote me on it, though).

Exterior: Aintree Green Metallic
Interior: Almond leather
Carpet: Nutmeg
Wood trim: Dark Chestnut

Powertrain combo is the North America market standard 2.0 petrol EcoBoost with 6-speed automatic. I must say, I think the operation of the 2.0 in the LR2 is much quieter than I remember in the Evoque. And, even with two fewer cylinders it is so much smoother than the 3.2 petrol of yore that I had in the prior LR2 and a Volvo XC70 before that.

As for the optional packages, it has everything that can be fitted to the US-spec "base" model:

Hard disc satellite navigation with voice control]
Climate comfort pack (heated seats, steering wheel, washer jets, heated windshield
HD Radio and SDARS receiver (pricey at $750 but this has been a 'must have' for me since it launched in '01.
Protection package (loadspace net, rubber floor and cargo mats -- kind of a waste but supposedly they are required on all 2015 cars destined for USA
Wheel locks (again, nothing I'd normally fit but required for a 2015 order it seems)

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Great colour combo there - personally, I think that Aintree Green looks better than the Baltic Blue that I chose.

Interestingly, we cannot spec Almond/Nutmeg over here anymore - it has to be Ivory/Ebony, which means that the door cards are now black. For me, that makes the interior too dark, so I guess the USA has snapped up the remaining Almond interiors?

Enjoy your ride  Foraging near Gaydon....
——————————————
MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

Absolutely stunning , enjoy. FL2 SD4 Metropolis Auto Santorini Black / ivory completely stock.

It's true that light travels faster than sound, some people look quite intelligent until you hear them speak.


Stop global winging.

Nice colour- enjoy! (Petrol engined FL, who knew?!) From a time when dinosaurs weren't just confined to zoos!

nice

but the steering wheel is on wrong side  2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

Looks fantastic ! FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

simont wrote:

nice

but the steering wheel is on wrong side

It has to be their, it's a bu££er to reach the pedals else

Proper job Michael. Happy rough with the smooth.
Robin

Badger1970 wrote:

Great colour combo there - personally, I think that Aintree Green looks better than the Baltic Blue that I chose.

Interestingly, we cannot spec Almond/Nutmeg over here anymore - it has to be Ivory/Ebony, which means that the door cards are now black. For me, that makes the interior too dark, so I guess the USA has snapped up the remaining Almond interiors?

Enjoy your ride

Graham t wrote:

Nice colour- enjoy! (Petrol engined FL, who knew?!)

I figured since I'm on the other side of the pond I would introduce you to our family's other car... a 2015 Chrysler 200. As far as I have looked, this model is not key to Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles's global strategy, so I guess I'll give you all a peek.

Underneath it is on Fiat's D-Evo platform, itself a variant of the platform underpinning the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Dodge Dart, and Jeep Cherokee.

Engines on offer are a 2.0 liter petrol four-cylinder from Chrysler, tuned by Fiat... or a 100% Chrysler affair 3.6 liter V6 that mine has. All normally aspirated at this time. It's the first "car" with the ZF 9-speed transmission, and only the third mass market car after the Evoque and the Jeep Cherokee.

It's a quite large car, and I know that American cars get a pretty bad wrap for build quality and all that -- but it is great. As far as soft-touch materials, and noise while moving at speed, it easily fights above it's weight class. Not to say bad things about the FL2 as I've had two of them, but the interior quality in this mass market car is head and shoulders above the FL2 -- or, if you want to compare it to a more recently launched product, even the Jaguar XF.

As someone who stayed almost 100% Saab loyal until the brand started it's fast disintegration in the last decade, this 2015 Chrysler 200 is almost like an homage to Saab. Yes, it's a much more mainstream car in the North American market, but it is just a bit different versus its competition and, as such, it stands out from the pack a fair bit. Most are front-wheel drive affairs, but all-wheel drive is available provided you go with the V6. All told, prices top out around US$37,000/CDN$39,000/MX$460,000 if you tick every box. This is actually one of the few vehicles that I can remember that is cheaper after exchange in Mexico than the US or Canada.

Of course, in the US and Canada the 200 serves the role of mid-size family hauler... in Mexico it is a much more aspirational car, when you figure Chrysler's best selling vehicle in Mexico is a rebadged Hyundai i10.

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As soon as I saw the first photo I thought - that looks like a Saab. Used to like the old Saab 99 very much - like Volvo they paid attention to occupant safety long before other manufacturers or regulators. The 99 had lots of quirky but often good design features - self repairing bumpers, great seats, proper rust proofing. Great pity that the company went belly up after a poor GM ownership - Volvo were only saved by the deeper pockets of Ford.
It is iindeed a bit of an indictment to say that the interior quality of the 2015 LR2 does not stand up in comparison to the Chrysler. Hope both turn out to be great buys anyway.

Yes -- the story for Saab was quite a sad one. It's a brand that did a lot of stuff right, but crazy management and the ill-fated tie up with General Motors seemed to do them in. The Top Gear retrospective to Saab from a few years back was a fairly accurate account of what happened.

I know this probably isn't the right forum to say that a 2015 Fiat/Chrysler; has better interior quality than a LR product, but I don't think it's that much of an indictment. Most of the touch-points in the FL2 interior are nearing a decade old... yes, there were great improvements in model year 2013 but at the core a lot of the car is just older. To put that in comparison, the Chrysler 200 has had three redesigns since then: in 2007, 2011 and 2015. So the FL2 is riding off into the sunset with the 2015 Fiat/Chrysler products are fresh designs.

I still like the FL2 more . After all, I wouldn't have owned 2 FL2s if I disliked it!

I do like the look of the Chrysler, also liked the Intrepid years ago. FL2 SD4 Metropolis Auto Santorini Black / ivory completely stock.

It's true that light travels faster than sound, some people look quite intelligent until you hear them speak.


Stop global winging.

michaelryan55 wrote:

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What the??? A sticky drink in the brand new car?

I still very tightly enforce a no sticky drink or food policy in my car. The only exceptions are our morning coffee and when my better half is hangry (hungry-angry)! At that point, and for my own safety, I just let her do what she pleases.

I also had a no farting policy, but I struggled to enforce that one since I wouldn't follow the rule myself  1st time FL2 owner. 2007 SE i6 in Tambora Flame.