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CONTACT: Bill Baker /
Jenifer O'Brien
(301) 731-9041
LAND ROVER POWERS TO NEW RECORD IN 1996 - December Result best of year
Land Rover North America, Inc. broke its previous full-year retail record in 1996, selling 23,182 vehicles, 15.8 percent ahead of the 1995 total of 20,026. December's 2,410 retails marked the company's best month of the year, despite showing a 15.6 percent decrease over December '95, which remains the best single sales month in the company's history. The company's largest-selling model, the compact Discovery, rode to a 33.9 percent increase in its sales over '95.
Once again, LRNA will maintain its status as the world's largest Land Rover export market. The sales tally represents approximately 19 percent of Land Rover's record production of 125,000 units in 1996, the largest in the U.K.-based company's 48-year history.
Charles R. Hughes, president, Land Rover North America, said, "1996 will go down in the records as our most successful in sales, dealer body size of 105, and employment. We now have opened a total of 45 exclusive Land Rover Centres, which have been called the best retail concept in the automotive retail industry." The unique Centres offer sport utility buyers a knowledgeable sales staff, superior customer service, factory-trained technical support and expert four-wheel drive instruction, all in a comfortable, relaxed setting.
1997 marks the tenth anniversary of Land Rover's entry to the United States with the Range Rover. Since that time, the company has sold more than 83,000 units. Its future growth in the U.S. will be led from a new $10 million, 60,000 square foot national headquarters to be occupied later this month in Lanham, Maryland.
SALES SUMMARY
December '96
2,410 (-15.6%)December '95
2,856Y-T-D '96
23,182 (+15.8%)Y-T-D '95
20,026Range Rover 905 828 7,085 6,885 Defender 90 176 207 606 1,571 Discovery 1,329 1,821 15,491 11,570 Land Rover North America, Inc. is a member of the Rover Group of Companies, importing vehicles manufactured by Land Rover, Solihull, England. The Rover Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BMW AG.
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1/3/97