Land Rover has confirmed it will unveil a compact Range Rover next year before the new model's launch in 2011.
The car will be built alongside the Freelander at Jaguar Land Rover's Halewood plant and is expected to share much of the Freelander's off-road hardware, including its version of Land Rover's Terrain Response system.
Land Rover claims the new Range Rover will be the 'smallest, lightest and most efficient vehicle the company has ever produced'.
The car is expected to use a version of the 2.2-litre diesel engine currently offered in the Freelander, along with the latest version of its automatic stop-start system that helps improve fuel consumtpion and reduce CO2 emissions.
It could also benefit from additional fuel-saving technology under development by Jaguar Land Rover, and may become available as a hybrid.
More information on the new Range Rover, which will join the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover in Land Rover's premium-badge line-up will be made available during 2010.