MIXING CHAMPAGNE AND MUD

So what’s a company best‑known for the extraordinary off‑road ability of its vehicles doing mingling with some of the world’s greatest classic and sports cars, asks Finbar McFall, Vice President, Marketing, Land Rover North America?

Later this week, we’ll be joining the hundreds of thousands of old car aficionados from around the world heading to California’s Monterey Peninsula for the fabulous Pebble Beach ‘weekend.’

This Friday, our new line‑up of 2011 Range Rover Autobiography models will be showcased alongside priceless classics at the hot‑ticket The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, at Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel Valley.

Here, we’ll be marking the global 40th anniversary of the iconic Range Rover with the first showing of our exquisite 2011 Range Rover Autobiography Black. With production limited to fewer than 200 examples, this is our most exclusive Range Rover ever.

Over at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, home of the new Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, we’ll be creating a tough off‑road course for race‑goers to try out our 2011 Range Rover line‑up. When we trialed the course at Laguna’s recent Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix superbike race, more than 1,000 visitors took test drives.

What both events do so wonderfully well is showcase our vehicles to exactly the right audience we hope to attract. These are affluent consumers who love cars, are passionate about them, and want to understand the history, the design and engineering integrity, everything the Land Rover brand is renowned for.

And if you’re in any doubt about the affluence and passion of these consumers, note that at the Quail, A Motorsport Gathering, tickets cost $400 with attendance restricted to 3,000. The event sold out months ago.

At Quail we’ll have an enclosure on the show lawn for visitors to take a look at our new Range Rovers. And, just outside, they can take a test‑drive on a section of our Land Rover Experience Driving School off‑road course that’s based nearby.

So if you are in Monterey this weekend, take the time to not only look at memorable cars, but to also take a memorable test drive in the world's most capable luxury vehicle.