Land Rover’s luxury mud-plugging image isn’t fairing well in an era of high gas prices and eco concerns, so its rolled out two new technologies at the London Motor Show to prove that the automaker has its eye on a sustainable future.

Two LR2 prototypes are on hand featuring a parallel hybrid system mated to a turbo diesel engine. Testing is currently underway and so far, LR has seen a reduction in CO2 emissions by up to 20 percent. The Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD), originally shown on the LRX concept, can deliver power to all four wheels through a 288-volt electric motor producing around 150 lb.-ft. of torque. When complete, the system is expected to proliferate across the Land Rover line-up, along with a new lightweight architecture and a refined start-stop system, under the banner of e_Terrain Technologies.

The second development is the Crankshaft Integrated Starter Generator (CISG), which incorporates an electric motor into a dual clutch transmission, giving a boost in torque and starting the diesel mill.

Both systems aren’t going to be ready for primetime for a few more years, but Land Rover’s start-stop technology should find its way to production sometime next year. Continued

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In response to a ratcheting body-count in Iraq and Afghanistan, the UK Ministry of Defence has ordered a fleet of 157 Ridgback armored vehicles. The Ridgback, made in the United States, was unveiled last week at a military vehicles exhibition in Millbrook, Bedfordshire in the UK.

Pictured in the illustration above, the Ridgback offers increased protection for personnel against mines and roadside bombs and will replace the Land Rover Defenders which the British Army currently has deployed in the field. The order is part of a larger £150 million contract to upgrade the army’s motor pool in the Middle East. The vehicles will be equipped with weapons and communications systems as well as beefed-up armor. It is capable of carrying 12 people and is equipped with run-flat tires allowing it to travel at speeds of up to 55 mph on punctured rolling stock.

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Britain’s Autocar says that Land Rover will follow up the introduction of the production 3-door LRX with a more practical 5-door edition as well. We loved the compact and sporty LRX concept, and we’re glad Land Rover is going to produce a 3-door that should closely mimic its appearance. That said, the word that it’ll also be joined by a 5-door is completely unsurprising, as the additional entrances make the LRX a more appealing suburban recon vehicle. After all, it’s a lot easier to haul the kids to ballet class and Little League when they have doors of their own to clamber in and out of. Autocar’s sources also told the pub that a hybrid drivetrain — a key element of the concept car — is also expected to find its way into the mix, given current concerns regarding fuel economy and vehicle emissions. Look for the LRX to debut in 2011. If the production car winds up being anywhere near as good-looking as the concept, there should be no shorta

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