2013 Land Rover Freelander 2 Facelift: Official

Land Rover has given the Freelander 2 a bit of a facelift for 2013 with an upmarket push, new trim levels and more equipment. We’ve been expecting Land Rover to give the Freelander 2 a facelift for 2013 – even though its only two years since the last one – to keep it fresh and able to stand alongside its trendy younger sibling, the Range Rover Evoque. What Land Rover has actually done with this facelift for the Freelander is blur the lines even more between Land Rover and Range Rover, with a push upmarket for the Freelander 2.

Dakar Rally 2012 Day 2 update

The first major motorsports event of the year, the 2012 Dakar Rally, began its two-week trek across South America on Jan. 1. Four hundred and sixty-five vehicles (171 cars, 185 motorcycles, 33 quads and 76 trucks) with drivers representing 50 nationalities will attempt to cover 9,000 kilometers (more than 5,500 miles) over 14 days throughout Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

Renault Initiale Paris stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

It may seem like a strange idea for Renault to launch its Initiale Paris premium sub-brand at a German motor show, but it could turn out to be quite an astute move. The French brand is hoping to take on the Germans with Initiale Paris, so showcasing this rather wonderful concept in Frankfurt is a clear signal of intent. Renault says this Initiale Paris concept previews the next generation Espace, but we can't help but see a massive dollop of Renault Avantime when we take a wander around the car.