MOTOR

Land Rover receives double honours

The Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery four are continuing their winning ways in the 2012 Auto Express Awards, taking top honours respectively as Best Compact SUV and Best Large SUV.

For Evoque, which was the reigning Auto Express Car of the Year, it is the second successive victory in its class, demonstrating that the promise it showed in the build up to its launch last year has been fully realized. Its quality, performance and appeal have now been recognized by well in excess of 100 awards and excellent sales figures worldwide.

Auto Express Editor-in-Chief, Steve Fowler said: “Last year’s Car of the Year is still the one to beat and easily keeps hold of its Best Compact SUV title. “The Evoque is all about style, quality and driver appeal. It turns heads like little else, is built superbly and is great fun to drive, a truly brilliant all-rounder.”

“There has been an unprecedented demand for the Evoque”, said a justifiably delighted Sheran Fernando. Fernando who recently entered into a joint venture with Sathosa Motors PLC, has now donned the ‘hat’ of Managing Director, SML Frontier Automotive [Pvt] Ltd with a mandate to continue taking Land Rover ‘Above and Beyond’. “In fact since January this year over 100 Evoques have been sold”.

The Discovery 4 too accomplishes a hat-trick this year, claiming the Best Large SUV award for the third year running, making it the pre-eminent model in its class every year since its launch.

Fernando said “This is the third Auto Express award for Discovery 4, proof that it is one of the best cars in the real world. Nothing can touch its blend of go-anywhere ability, comfort, tremendous practicality and value. A continual programme of development keeps it ahead of the pack and keeps it looking cool, too.”

Land Rover’s across-the-board success this year was completed by the Range Rover being commended in the awards’ Luxury Car category.

Land Rover/Range Rover is one of the most sought after and prestigious brands in the world and has been one of the top three European luxury automobile brands in Sri Lanka for the past five years.

The investment by Sathosa Motors PLC is in line with the company’s strategic view of creating a pool of world-renowned brands under the umbrella of the Access Engineering Group. As a result of their alliance with Land Rover, Sathosa Motors gains entry into the premium segment of the automotive sector having already established its footprint in the commercial vehicle segment.

The strength of the Access Group, combined with Fernando’s marketing savvy, guarantees Land Rover an assured position in Sri Lanka’s booming motor industry.