Land Rover has revealed the all-new Range Rover, the world’s most refined and capable SUV. The fourth generation of the iconic Range Rover made its global public debut at the Paris International Motor Show. The world’s first SUV with a lightweight all-aluminium body, the new Range Rover takes the capabilities of the marque’s flagship to a new level, with even greater luxury and refinement, enhanced performance and handling on all terrains, and significant advances in sustainability.
Designed and engineered at Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, the new Range Rover will be produced in a state-of-the-art new low-energy manufacturing facility at Solihull, UK. Over £370 million has been invested in the Solihull plant to create the world’s largest aluminium body shop. Presenting the new Range Rover, John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director said “This is a vehicle that will take us to the next level of success. Range Rover is our flagship and a true British success story, designed, engineered and built in Britain. Its distinctive design, breadth of capability and class-leading refinement and comfort have always made it unique. When we asked our customers what they wanted us to change, they told us ‘don’t change it, just make it better’. We set out to create not just the world’s finest luxury SUV, but the world’s finest luxury vehicle.”
The all-new Range Rover has a clean and elegant shape which is derived from a fresh new interpretation of Range Rover design cues. While instantly recognisable as a Range Rover, the new vehicle takes a significant step forward with a bold evolution of the model’s iconic design language. The luxurious interior has a modern and pure character, incorporating distinctive Range Rover design cues, but with a fresh and very contemporary treatment. The cabin retains the characteristic strong, architectural forms, and these are emphasised by extremely clean and elegant surfaces which are flawlessly executed using the finest leathers and veneers.
Speaking at the Land Rover press conference, Land Rover Design Director & Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern said: “Our customers love Range Rover’s distinctive design, its practicality, its versatility and, of course its high levels of sophistication. So when we were developing the new Range Rover, we had a duty to protect that DNA, while at the same we needed to be bold in moving it forward for a new generation. The reality is this vehicle has been transformed. It is all new, but it’s still unmistakeably a Range Rover, elegant and beautifully proportioned.”
As per the statement, with its highly acclaimed line-up of torque-rich engines, the new Range Rover delivers swift and effortless performance. Customers have a choice of a petrol 510PS LR-V8 Supercharged and two diesel (3.0-litre 258PS TDV6 and 4.4-litre 339PS SDV8) engines, all of which are now paired with a smooth and responsive eight-speed automatic transmission. True to the Range Rover DNA, the new model features the unique Command Driving Position, placing the driver in an elevated, upright seating position – typically over 90mm higher than other premium SUVs – to provide a supreme sense of confidence and control. The all-new Range Rover features a revolutionary all-aluminium monocoque body structure which is 39 per cent lighter than the steel body in the outgoing model.
Continuing Jaguar Land Rover’s leadership in aerospace-inspired, high-performance lightweight structures, the all-aluminium body enables the new vehicle to significantly enhance both performance and efficiency. Combined with weight savings throughout the chassis and driveline, the lightweight structure contributes to a model-for-model weight saving of up to 350kg compared to the outgoing vehicle. The weight saving helps the 510PS LR-V8 Supercharged model to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 5.1 seconds, a reduction of 0.8 seconds over the outgoing model. At the same time, fuel consumption is cut by 9 per cent.
The lighter structure has also made it possible to introduce the sophisticated 3.0-litre TDV6 engine into the model line. With performance just as strong as the previous 4.4-litre TDV8 Range Rover, the smaller engine takes the total weight saving up to 420kg, and delivers a dramatic 22 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, achieving figures of 37.7mpg (7.5 lit/100km) and 196g/km. The new Range Rover’s environmental credentials will be further enhanced by the introduction of a state-of-the-art high-efficiency diesel hybrid model later in 2013 (target CO2 169g/km). Pricing in the UK starts from £71,295 for the Range Rover Vogue 3.0L TDV6 rising to £98,395 for the Range Rover Autobiography 5.0L Supercharged.
