Thursday 21Wednesday 26Monday 2828 SeptemberAugust 2015Today AnnouncedProviderPress ReleasesBuyersForwardTuesday 28 April, 2015 Strasbourg, 28.04.2015 - The head of Europe's 47-nation human rights organisation has called on Indonesia not to carry out the execution by firing squad of 9 people which is expected to take place in the coming days. "The death penalty is a terrible injustice which can never be put right," said Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland. "I urge the Indonesian authorities to refrain from carrying out these exSee moreIt is arguably the ultimate 'Bricks-it.' Land Rover has launched its new Discovery not with a glitzy bash at the Paris Motor Show but a stunt on home turf featuring a record-breaking Lego replica of London's Tower Bridge.While UK car bosses and a trade minister assembled at the Eiffel Tower to fly the flag for British car exports on the eve of the prestigious Paris show, Britain's Land Rover was launching its new family-friendly 4X4 close to its Solihull factory.
And it enlisted a host of well-known British names to help. Adventurer Bear Grylls, yachtsman Sir Ben Ainslie, and award-winning equestrian Zara Phillips, grand-daughter to the Queen – all long term Discovery owners - took part in the dramatic reveal which took place around a 13-metre high Lego landmark standing more than twice the height of a standard two-storey house. Long-term Land Rover Discovery owners Bear Grylls, Sir Ben Ainslie and Zara Phillips were involved in the stunt which involved a 13-metre high Lego version of London's Tower BridgeLand Rover launched its new fifth-generation Discovery sports utility vehicle by breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest structure ever built out of Lego plastic bricks, beating the previous best by nearly half a million.The Tower Bridge model that the Discovery was driven over took UK-based Lego master-builders five months to construct from 5,805,846 individual, interlocking bricks.Previously, the Star Wars X-Wing Fighter built in 2013 held the Guinness World Record for the largest ever Lego structure, comprising 5,335,200 plastic pieces.
Laid end-to-end, Land Rover's Lego showpiece would stretch for almost 200 miles, or in other words, from Tower Bridge in London to Paris, where the new Discovery goes on official display on Thursday.Led by the UK's only Lego 'Certified Professional', Duncan Titmarsh, the Tower Bridge structure was erected in the grounds of Packington Hall, Warwickshire, close to Land Rover's Solihull factory employing 11,000 people busy creating the new Discovery.As part of the marketing stunt for the new model, TV adventurer Bear Grylls abseiled down a line from the top of the huge Tower Bridge installation, through the open drawbridge and on to the stage beside the Discovery. The launch involved award-winning equestrian Zara Phillips, the Queen's grand-daughter Adventurer Bear Grylls reveals the record number of Lego bricks used in the bridge Heritage: The new Discovery is the fifth generation of the model first launched 27 years ago, which has been sold to 1.2 million customers around the world to dateThe car itself was driven across the bridge and kept at a 30 degree incline on the raised drawbridge.
The finale was Land Rover BAR Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie driving his sailing team through 3 foot deep water – the limit of its wading capability - under the replica bridge while towing a Lego replica model of the Land Rover BAR racing yacht boat that will challenge for next year's America's Cup.The Tower Bridge model itself was flanked by two Lego 'Discovery Zones' - an Equestrian Zone, hosted by Zara Phillips and featuring a typically British picnic scene made entirely from Lego bricks, and the Bear Grylls Adventure Zone including a Lego fire and boulders reminiscent of mountain exploration. Britain's Land Rover's new family-friendly 4X4 Discovery is expected to be a big-seller Longer, lower, narrower and more aerodynamic than its predecessor, with more legroom for passengers, the new Discovery hits showrooms next springThe new Discovery is the fifth generation of the model first launched 27 years ago, which has been sold to 1.2 million customers around the world to date.
The new model is curvier, more flexible and has a higher technological specification than its immediate predecessor.Longer, lower, narrower and more aerodynamic than its predecessor, with more legroom for passengers, the new Discovery hits showrooms next spring.Prices will start at £43,495 for the entry level Discovery S trim level, rising to £68,295 for 'First Edition' models, restricted to just 600 of the first 4X4s off the production line.The new Discovery is packed with technology for the family and features a remote control system that allows owners to configure their vehicle seating from afar via a smartphone app in just 14 seconds.Having tested the remote control system mid-air during a sky-diving parachute jump, Bear Grylls said: 'The Land Rover Discovery is invaluable on expeditions, whether filming in deserts, jungles or mountains, yet it's still the perfect vehicle for the family's everyday use.' Technology: The new Discovery is packed with tech for the family and features a remote control systemEngineers also allowed their young children to 'road test' early prototypes, leading them to ensure eight electronic devices can be hooked up to the car's wi-fi hot-spot, four iPads can be stored in the centre console, and there are nine USB ports and four 12-volt charging points.
Land Rover has reintroduced and upgraded the much-loved 'curry hook', which is a handy push-operated spring-loaded hook which allows passengers to hang the handle of a take-away or carrier bag to keep it upright during journeys. A big panoramic glass roof allows outside light to flood in. The new model also has a load capacity of 2,406 litres when just the first two seats are up and the other five are folded downWheels range from 19-inches to 22 inches and there is hill-descent control installed to help drivers on steep inclines.Additionally, there is a special 'terrain response' to monitor conditions, ranging from general driving on roads, grass, gravel and snow, mud and ruts to sand and rock crawl.For active families, the new Discovery can tow up to 3,500kg. It also has an autonomous reverse technology which helps drivers guide trailers and horse-boxes into position when reversing without touching the steering wheel. So-called 'hitch assist' uses cameras to help the driver connect a trailer or caravan.
A single-piece tail-gate replaces the split tail-gate on the previous model and rises high enough to provide shelter from rain.A powered 'inner-tailgate' acts as impromptu seating for a picnic. It is operated either by the plipper or by gesture control, such as waving your foot.The single-cell body is 85 per cent aluminium, of which 43 per cent is recycled, making it nearly half a tonne lighter than the previous model. The replica Tower Bridge was built by a team of specialist Lego engineers : £68,295 (Discovery range starts from £43,495) : Spring 2017: 7 : 4,970mm (mirrors unfolded): 2,220mm : 1,846mm: 900mm: Six cylinder Turbo-diesel TD6 automatic, 258 horse-power : 8 automatic : 22 inch alloys: 39.2mpg : 189g/km : 7.7 seconds : Privacy glass, all terrain progress control, lane-keep and park-assist, 360-degree parking aid with visual display.New owners will have three engines to choose from, each linked to an eight-speed automatic ZF gear-box.The first engine option is a frugal twin turbo SD4 Ingenium four-cylinder diesel producing 240 horse-power, with fuel economy of 43.5mpg, CO2 emissions of 171g/km, and acceleration from 0-60mph in 8 seconds.