November 8, 2010
Land Rover celebrates the creation of its one millionth vehicle, a Range Rover Autobiography that the luxury automaker will donate to British charity Help for Heroes.
The one millionth vehicle was produced at Land Rover’s Solihull manufacturing plant. Help for Heroes will auction the vehicle off, planning to raise more than $162,000.
“Some people have said to me, ‘why aren’t you putting this vehicle into your museum?’ but we feel that we want to put something back to the community,” said Fiona Pargeter, public relations director at Range Rover, Warwickshire, England.
“It is all about people,” she said. “It is people who design and develop great products and it is people who build them.
“It is all about putting something back into the community where the vehicle is designed, developed and built.”
Land Rover is a British four-by-four luxury automaker. It is operated under the Jaguar Land Rover business, owned by Tata Motors of India.
Help for Heroes was formed to help citizens that were wounded in current conflicts involving Britain.
Rovers raise funds
Phil Popham, managing director at Land Rover and manufacturing director at Solihull Manufacturing drove the Range Rover Autobiography to London to be delivered to Help for Heroes.
The donated vehicle, the Range Rover Vogue, is the highest-specification model available from the automaker. It is valued at over $137,000.
Funds raised via the auction will help wounded soldiers recover.
“Help for Heroes is a charity in the UK that has been going on for a couple of years,” Ms. Pargeter said. “They have a facility that is almost next door to the Solihull Manufacturing Plant and they are looking to raise funds for clinical equipment.”
Range Rover also supports the Red Cross and Haiti Relief efforts with its vehicles. It is renewing its contract with the Red Cross this year to continue its sponsorship.
Automotive initiatives
Range Rover is not the only luxury automaker extending its reach into charity and cause.
Jaguar supported Chicago-based Mercy Home for Boys and Girls with a black-tie boxing showcase event. The automaker donated a Jaguar XF Sedan to the cause (see story).
Audi of America was recently the title sponsor of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Challenge in Washington. The event raised funds for Best Buddies International and the Special Olympics (see story).
Range Rover marks its 40th anniversary with the millionth vehicle creation and its donation to Help for Heroes.
“It’s a tremendous achievement for us,” Ms. Pargeter said. “It’s tremendous for us to be able to celebrate the one millionth."
“Nothing quite matches the Range Rover as a luxury four-by-four," she said.
Final Take
Kaitlyn Bonneville, editorial assistant at Luxury Daily, New York
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