Defender of the Realm

Land Rover turns 60 of age in a few months time, and celebrates in a modest way in Geneva with a special edition version of the one car which is a direct descendant of the 1948 original - now known, of course, as the Defender.

The special edition is called Defender SVX, available in Land Rover's traditional 90- and 110-inch wheelbases, station wagon or soft-top shapes, and any color you like so long as it's metallic black.

And while 1948 customers might be baffled by SVX niceties like alloy wheels, iPod connectivity and sat-nav, they'd be very pleased to know that even a Defender bristling with real-car features is still one of the most capable, iconic and bulletproof off-roaders in the world.

But now we come to the Land Rover dilemma, and the centerpiece of their stand: If they are to survive towards their next 60 years, they have to change to recognize modern issues of emissions and global warming, and if possible they have to do it with all the Land Rover DNA still firmly in place.

But it's clear to see they are on the case, as the LRX concept which first appeared in Detroit in January makes its European debut here, in two versions that underline the message of greener Land Rover thinking while reaffirming that the Land Rover buyer will always have the scope to be an individual.

In the words of Land Rover Managing Director Phil Popham, "the LRX concept delivers the powerful message that we are as serious about sustainability as we are confident about the continuing relevance and desirability of our vehicles."

So the three-door LRX is more compact (and significantly lighter) even than Land Rover's smallest current model, the Freelander, and it offers the possibility of a diesel hybrid powertrain, fuel-saving and highly capable e-RAD electric rear-axle drive four-wheel-drive system, a host of intelligent power management strategies and the fundamental benefits of a lighter car punching a smaller aerodynamic hole through the air.

In combination, that offers the long-term possibility of up to 60 mpg economy (4.7 l/100 km), which equates to a much more socially acceptable emissions level of just 120 g/km on the European combined cycle test.

It previews what Land Rover's next-generation smaller car could look like too, and that's something to look forward to, because this one is a bit of a stunner. The first all-new Land Rover design since Gerry McGovern became Land Rover's design director, it is sporty and dramatic, but every inch a Land Rover with new interpretations of classic Land Rover styling cues like the clamshell hood and floating roof.

And the second LRX, in black, shows that you'll be able to add personal touches to a car like this, too - as more than 75 percent of Land Rover customers already do in one way or another. Happy birthday, guys.