Land Rover Range Rover

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Optional Terrain Response 2 includes a new Auto setting as well as five manual settings: General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl. 2. A 5.0L V8 makes 375 hp, while the supercharged 5.0L will deliver 510 hp and a 0-60 time of just 5.1 seconds. 3. On average each model has shed 700 lbs of weight. 4. All models can tow up to 7,716 lbs. 5. At $83,545 to start, Supercharged models begin at $99,995 with Autobiography models at $130,995.

PREVIEW

More likely to be seen at the Starbucks drivethrough nearest a gated community, amid the Southwest’s other worldly backdrops of brown, orange and even red rock, it’s obvious that despite its pristine white paint job this is the Range Rover’s natural environment. 

Over the course of several days spent traversing everything from sandy inclines to snowy declines somewhere on the border between Arizona and Utah, the 2013 Range Rover was almost too good, taking much of the adventure out of a what in almost any other vehicle would be impossible and impassible.

Driving through the desert and wondering at the region’s towering stone monuments in the morning; then traversing foot-deep snow in the afternoon, it doesn’t seem at all odd to stop and drink hot chocolate from the back of a Land Rover support vehicle in the wilderness as the flakes fall. Like all past generations of the Range Rover, this all-new fourth generation model combines ultimate capability with exceptional refinement.

INTERIOR

Inside the updates are all about making the cabin clean and simple. In fact, there are now 50 percent fewer buttons and switches, thanks in part to a new 8-inch display screen with touch controls on the side that look like something off a smart phone and which disappear when off to leave a clean black panel. Perhaps most surprising is that Land Rover’s adoption of hi-tech features has come with no potholes; the system being incredibly intuitive.

As a popular machine for families or chauffeuring around celebrities, rear seat room was made a priority on the new truck. With a longer wheelbase, rear seat legroom is up 4.7-inches with an extra 2-inches of knee room. The door opening is now also larger, and to enable easy entry, a special Access mode will lower the SUV a total of two inches from its standard ride height.The rest of interior is an oasis of luxury, and while wood veneers are available for traditionalists, a piano black trim adds to the modern touch, which is completed by a fully digital gauge display measuring 12.3-inches. Definitely cool, it can even showcase a special off-road display screen, though frustratingly, there’s no way to show a digital speed display.

Customization is something Land Rover prides itself on and something its customers demand. There are a total of 37 exterior colors, 17 interior “themes” and eight different wheel sizes from 19 to 22-inches.  Those looking for options will find them in bulk, including a massive panoramic glass roof and a 29-speaker , 1700-watt audio system.Those particularly interested in the rear-seat experience can opt for an Individual seating option with two chairs that offer not just heating and cooling functions, but power recline and massage. Heck, even the headrests fold in on the sides to keep you in place in case their soft-as-a-pillow padding puts you to sleep.

The safety conscious will appreciate blind spot monitoring, a reverse traffic detection system that can tell if a car is coming from the side. There’s also adaptive cruise control that works in stop-and-go traffic and even an Intelligent Emergency Braking function that can apply the brakes automatically if a collision is deemed imminent, helping scrub off speed and lessen the accident.

UNDER THE HOOD

Driving the new Range Rover on-road is perhaps where its updates are most obvious. Yes it has new bodywork, but it’s also all-new underneath. The first SUV with a fully-aluminum structure, by switching to the lighter metal over steel, models have shed a dramatic 700 lbs.

As for the powerful Supercharged models, they get a blower mated to the same V8 to deliver 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy suffers slightly to 13/19 mpg, while 60 mph is nearly a second faster at just 5.1 seconds. Deceptively fast, we found out the hard way and made a generous donation to the Utah state coffers.It’s now more nimble, more efficient and faster. Power continues to come from a choice of two engine options with the entry-level 5.0-liter V8 making 375 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a new 8-speed transmission fuel economy rises to 14/20 mpg, while the 0-60 time drops seven tenths of a second to 6.5 seconds.

The drive itself is quiet, though wind noise isn’t entirely absent from the still-boxy shape. It’s also smooth thanks to a new air suspension system, while an optional Adaptive Dynamics feature uses hydraulically actuated detachable sway bars to reduce body roll during cornering.