Land Rover invests in rural entrepreneurship

British automaker Land Rover is partnering with The Prince’s Countryside Fund to provide vehicles to young workers in rural communities.

For the fifth annual vehicle bursary program, Land Rover will be loaning a car to up to five chosen individuals for a year. For the first time, Land Rover is making Discovery Commercial models available as part of the lineup for the program’s recipients.

“Our support of the Land Rover Bursary shares The Prince’s Countryside Fund’s vision to support Britain’s rural communities,” said Scott Dicken, marketing director for Jaguar Land Rover UK, in a statement. “We both have a passion for the countryside and we hope that the use of a new Land Rover vehicle for a year will make a difference, improving the prospects for young entrepreneurs at the early stages of building their businesses.”

Country cars
Land Rover’s bursary is open to rural-based professionals between the ages of 21 and 35 who work in farming or other related industries such as landscaping or animal care. The intention is to be able to provide the recipients with vehicles that allow them to travel to meet remote clients and customers or tow trailers or machinery.

Those who are chosen will receive a Land Rover vehicle for a year along with training in all-terrain driving and towing.

Among the cars available this year are two Discovery Commercial vehicles, which can tow up to 3.5 tons.

The lineup will also include three Land Rover Discovery Sports.

Land Rover Discovery Sport. Image courtesy of Land Rover

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Land Rover again, to provide young people embarking on a career in the countryside with these wonderful vehicles that are so valuable to their fledgling businesses,” said Claire Saunders, director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, in a statement.

So far, the bursary has helped 20 individuals. Last year’s recipients include a husband and wife team growing artisan tea.

Applications will be open until April 30, with winners announced on May 31.

With a focus on building 4x4 vehicles that can perform on all terrains, Land Rover has often looked to make life easier for those in fields that require transporting animals or equipment.

Land Rover is assisting drivers who pull trailers on the roads to navigate safely with technology that lets them see through the item they are towing.

The “Transparent Trailer” concept uses the vehicle’s existing surround video feed as well as as live video taken from the back of the caravan to fill in the driver’s line of vision, removing blind spots typically caused by hauling an opaque container. Meant to protect precious cargo such as a horse or antique furniture, this technology would serve a purpose for the Land Rover consumer (see story).