Land Rovers Circumnavigate the Globe to Battle Parkinson's Disease

Land Rover North America Certified Pre-Owned Supports Nine-Month, 32,000-mile LONGITUDE Expedition to aid Parkinson's disease

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2 -- In answer to the question, "Would you drive a pre-owned vehicle around the world?" Land Rover responds with a resounding "Absolutely!"

Land Rover North America announced today that Land Rover Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) will provide vehicles for the LONGITUDE Expedition, a nine-month 32,000-mile journey, traveling to 34 countries. The unprecedented trek is being undertaken by the not-for-profit exploration group, Drive Around the World. The aim of the Expedition is to raise funds for Parkinson's disease research and promote geography awareness and scientific research projects among school children.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, nine individuals will embark on the global philanthropic adventure, driving four, 2003 certified pre-owned Land Rover Discovery vehicles. The journey will start out from San Jose, Calif. heading to the southern-most tip of South America -- Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego. From there, the vehicles will be shipped to Perth, Australia where the team will drive across the 900-mile "gun barrel" highway, before shipping to the Indonesian island of Flores and a northbound leg through Asia and Siberia.

Island hopping across Asia, the team will depart from Singapore and drive up the Thai peninsula heading for India. From India, the expedition will drive the highest road in the world -- at 19,000 feet -- and cross the Himalayas in Tibet, before they cover the deserts of China and Kazakhstan and move into Russia and eastern Siberia. Finally, the expedition ships to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska for a home stretch drive down the Dalton and Alcan highways, back to San Francisco.

"LONGITUDE becomes the latest chapter in a 55-year history of exploration for Land Rover vehicles, including many expeditions benefiting education, conservation and philanthropy," said Pat Ward, National Remarketing Manager, Land Rover North America. "A journey such as LONGITUDE Expedition will put our vehicles through the toughest tests. As we send the participants around the world in pre-owned Land Rovers, I'm as confident now, that they'll return safely, as I would be if they were only being driven to the corner store and back."

The standard Discoverys have been fitted with a heavy-duty roof rack that will carry extra fuel, water and serve as homes thanks to the pop-up tent sleeping accommodations that will house the team for nearly nine-months. The vehicles' sophisticated four-wheel-drive system and Land Rover's patented Hill Descent Control (HDC) system will provide the off-road capability and control necessary for an exploratory venture such as this. In addition, Discovery's standard 4.6 L V8 engine will ensure there's plenty of power and torque for any situation the team may encounter.

During the course of the nine-month expedition, five pre-selected pairs of teachers in the U.S. will use an additional vehicle to visit schools and local events in an effort to promote the free, online educational website at www.drivearoundtheworld.com. By accessing the site, students can connect with the expedition team as they make their way around the world. The locations to be visited include United Nations Worldwide Heritage Sites and the Royal Geographical Society Worldwide Register of Field Research Centers, as well as several Parkinson's research centers, museums, schools, farms and local families.

Participants in this year's LONGITUDE Expedition were selected from dozens of applicants. Those chosen include Adam Burgess, 31, a native of the UK; Neil Dana, of Moss Beach, Calif.; Justin Mounts, 29, of San Jose, Calif. and Nancy Olson, 30, of Arlington, VA. They join Drive Around the World directors Nick and Chanda Baggarly of Los Gatos, Calif.; Colin McAuliffe, of New Paltz, NY; Todd Borgie, a Berkeley, Calif. resident and travel author Rolf Potts, of Wichita, KS, who currently resides in Thailand.

Commenting on behalf of the expedition team, Nick Baggarly stated, "With the addition of Land Rover CPO as an official sponsor and their help in broadening our educational program, we believe the LONGITUDE Expedition will far surpass our goals of promoting cross-border understanding and goodwill among students while raising awareness and funds for Parkinson's disease."

For information about Drive Around the World -- LONGITUDE Expedition and Land Rover Certified Pre-Owned vehicles, see www.drivearoundtheworld.com and http://www.landroverusa.com/certified .

Land Rover North America is part of Aston Martin Jaguar Land Rover with headquarters in Irvine, California. Land Rover established operations in the US in 1986, and now imports and distributes Range Rover, Discovery, and Freelander vehicles manufactured by Land Rover in Solihull, England. Land Rover's worldwide operations are wholly owned by Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan. For more information about the Land Rover retailer nearest you, call 800-FINE-4WD or log on to www.LandRover.com.

Vehicle specifications and features are subject to change. For the latest Land Rover pricing and product information, contact Land Rover North America Corporate Communications at (949) 341-6800. Land Rover-related press releases and electronic photos of the company's products are available on-line in the Land Rover section of Ford Motor Company's news media website (media.landrover.com).

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