The Belgians may not be known as much for military prowess as, say, for beer or waffles – at least not since conquering the Congo, anyway – but Brussels is also the seat of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. NATO was established as a united front against the Communist bloc, and still stands as one of the most formidable alliances of nations this side of the Star Wars empire. A perfect place, then, to unveil a paramilitary-type vehicle like the X-Tech Limited Edition.
Easily as tough as any Hummer or Jeep, the X-Tech is based on the Land Rover Defender – one of the most rock-solid rock-crawlers ever devised. It’s available in either silver, three-door Defender 90 form or in five-door Defender 110 long wheelbase in olive green, both offset by black roof, wheel arches, interior and new “saw-tooth” alloys. Not a major upgrade on the standard model, but just enough to give it the attitude it deserves.
Unveiled at the Brussels Motorshow, the Defender X-Tech is unfortunately unavailable in the North American market, but you can dream by checking out the gallery below.
Gallery: Land Rover Defender X-Tech Limited Edition
[Source: Land Rover]
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Muscles in Brussels: Land Rover launches Defender X-Tech edition in Belgium originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Around this time last year, Ford debuted its brand new MyFord Touch system, an infotainment setup that will be spreading like wildfire to the full host of Blue Oval products. To further build upon Ford’s SYNC technology, the automaker will now be releasing a free mobile application called SYNC Destinations, available for iPhone, iPad and Android-based phones. (Don’t worry, BlackBerry folk – your app is in the pipeline.)
The Korean automaker notes that some competitors create a special trim level for certain models that’s designed specifically to score a great fuel mileage rating from the EPA, while the other volume trim levels return a few miles per gallon less across the board. Since Hyundai won’t name names, we’ll do it for them: Chevrolet Cruze (Eco) and Ford Fiesta (SFE). Every single version of the 2011 Elantra, however, will achieve 40 mpg, as Hyundai likes to keep reminding us. No asterisks required.
Carrying the EsseEsse moniker, both models get a substantial boost in output and a variety of upgrades to match. In the case of the 500C – the semi-convertible version of the popular retro hatch – we’re looking at 160 horsepower (up from 138 in the “base” Abarth 500C) for a 7.6-second sprint to 62 mph. The Abarth Punto Evo EsseEsse, by comparison, is tuned to 180 horsepower, resulting in a run of 7.5 seconds.
The folks at Brabus have always been known for fitting ridiculously high-powered engines into the full line of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, but this new creation has more than just staggering performance to offer. The latest products from Apple, including the iPad, have all been integrated into a Mercedes-Benz S-Class to create the Brabus iBusiness. Not only does it promise to be exciting to drive, but the rear passenger compartment is fitted with enough tech to make an Apple junkie’s head explode. 
