RE: Hate SUVs, love Range Rovers: PH Blog
Tuesday 12th May 2015
I'm not about to suggest the Range Rover as one of our 'Guilty Pleasures' series because I know there's a lot of love for the big beast in all its forms on PH. Speaking personally I'm not much of a fan of SUVs though, be they big and posh like the Rangie or the more generic faux-by-faux crossover types that now seem to be taking over the world.
Moves well for a big lad; mud adds characterAnyway. From curious ambivalence to all things Range Rover to full-on lurve took barely a few miles. What a wonderful vehicle it is and in a completely different league to the Sport I'm much more familiar with. The thing is massive though, a size and half over any other comparable vehicle I've driven. Obviously this has implications when you eventually have to stop driving it and put it somewhere. But other than that I think it's one of the finest conveyances a man could ask for.
Hate SUVs, love Range Rovers: PH Blog
Dan has no love for 4x4s ... apart from this one
But after some pretty undignified grovelling I managed to secure a Vogue SE V6 diesel to transport me to Wales for my drive in the Defender Challenge the other week. If nothing else it was an illustration of how far apart the two ends of the Land Rover spectrum now are - bouncy, rattly stripped out rally Defender to lush, leather-lined Range Rover in one step and - damn - I've got mud on the carpets as a result. Sorry.
Moves well for a big lad; mud adds character
Let the Sport do the pushy aspirational thing. There's something far more assured, grand and regal about a proper Range Rover. It's not just the surroundings that are pleasant - these things are bloody good to drive too. If I can be pushed to raise a criticism I'd say there's perhaps a degree of harshness to the secondary ride over sharper bumps. But given the mass and forces the chassis shrugs off along an enthusiastically driven and twisty B-road the damping is nothing short of remarkable. You don't even need to turn a wheel to know how good it's going to be either - you only have to hold one. Praise be to the Rangie's steering wheel. It's big, it has a slim rim and no stupid thumb cutouts or contouring. It's fingertip light but completely faithful and positive in weight and the delicacy with which you can thread this enormous machine along a twisty road is absolutely astonishing.
And I think I know why it's so good. Call it the voice of experience. The Range Rover isn't a 4x4 trying to be a coupe and failing to convince as either. It isn't a muscle car with extra ride height or a sports saloon with delusions of off-road ability battling unfavourable weight distribution with overly stiff suspension. Nor is it a perversion of - cough - sporting brand values coerced into the SUV age to help the bottom line. It nailed its brief from the start decades ago and has simply been refining its act over the years to the point it now seems effortless.
I know it's rather ostentatious. And I'm not really attracted to such obvious displays of wealth and standing. But if my numbers ever come up, sod it, I'm having one. With rubber floor mats and the best of intentions to keep the worst of the mud on the outside.
Dan
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Discussion
Whilst I think they are an impressive bit of engineering I would rather have an S-class or similar and an old LandCruiser for the rare occasions when off road capability is needed. I never entirely see the point of a £100k+ 'off-roader' that is far too expensive and delicate to actually take off road, comes with huge alloys and low profile road tyres, is full of expensive plush carpets etc (which don't mix well with mud) and generally seems like just a compromised luxury car with a nice high driving position.
Nope. Put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.
Cannot see the logic that praises a manufacturer for making something intrinsically bad nearly as good as something that is naturally talented. An SUV cannot drive as well as a saloon - fact. Same as a saloon can never go over a muddy field as well as an SUV..
All IMHO of course.
Cannot see the logic that praises a manufacturer for making something intrinsically bad nearly as good as something that is naturally talented. An SUV cannot drive as well as a saloon - fact. Same as a saloon can never go over a muddy field as well as an SUV..
All IMHO of course.
I suppose I wouldn't have to go far to find some, but it's a shame there were no interior pics in the article. I wanted to get a sense of the interior ambience Dan captured so evocatively!
I'm a little conflicted when I see these on the road. There are an astonishing number of them about given the imense cost and in some ways I'm desperate to join the club because I have enough kids to fill one, they seem like the right tool for almost any job and have a tonka-esque rightness to the proportions.
However, driving one around seems to me like the automotive equivalent of kicking sand in the face of the meek on the beach. I find the drivers of them (maybe this is more the 'sport' ones, I'm not sure) to be spectacularly self-centred in their assumed ownership of the road and of car parks. I enjoy cycling apart from when I'm being overtaken by these things, they seem to enjoy a close pass almost as much as the white van. It's this behaviour and of course the sheer vulgarity of the modified RR
which means it's a club I probably wouldn't join even if my numbers did come up.
I think my w124 estate ticks most of the boxes I want ticked for now.
I'm a little conflicted when I see these on the road. There are an astonishing number of them about given the imense cost and in some ways I'm desperate to join the club because I have enough kids to fill one, they seem like the right tool for almost any job and have a tonka-esque rightness to the proportions.
However, driving one around seems to me like the automotive equivalent of kicking sand in the face of the meek on the beach. I find the drivers of them (maybe this is more the 'sport' ones, I'm not sure) to be spectacularly self-centred in their assumed ownership of the road and of car parks. I enjoy cycling apart from when I'm being overtaken by these things, they seem to enjoy a close pass almost as much as the white van. It's this behaviour and of course the sheer vulgarity of the modified RR
which means it's a club I probably wouldn't join even if my numbers did come up.
I think my w124 estate ticks most of the boxes I want ticked for now.
idiotgap said:
I suppose I wouldn't have to go far to find some, but it's a shame there were no interior pics in the article. I wanted to get a sense of the interior ambience Dan captured so evocatively!
I'm a little conflicted when I see these on the road. There are an astonishing number of them about given the imense cost and in some ways I'm desperate to join the club because I have enough kids to fill one, they seem like the right tool for almost any job and have a tonka-esque rightness to the proportions.
However, driving one around seems to me like the automotive equivalent of kicking sand in the face of the meek on the beach. I find the drivers of them (maybe this is more the 'sport' ones, I'm not sure) to be spectacularly self-centred in their assumed ownership of the road and of car parks. I enjoy cycling apart from when I'm being overtaken by these things, they seem to enjoy a close pass almost as much as the white van. It's this behaviour and of course the sheer vulgarity of the modified RR
which means it's a club I probably wouldn't join even if my numbers did come up.
I think my w124 estate ticks most of the boxes I want ticked for now.
There is whole world of difference between the brash, shouty, tattoed, council image portrayed by a 10yr old RR Sport with sI'm a little conflicted when I see these on the road. There are an astonishing number of them about given the imense cost and in some ways I'm desperate to join the club because I have enough kids to fill one, they seem like the right tool for almost any job and have a tonka-esque rightness to the proportions.
However, driving one around seems to me like the automotive equivalent of kicking sand in the face of the meek on the beach. I find the drivers of them (maybe this is more the 'sport' ones, I'm not sure) to be spectacularly self-centred in their assumed ownership of the road and of car parks. I enjoy cycling apart from when I'm being overtaken by these things, they seem to enjoy a close pass almost as much as the white van. It's this behaviour and of course the sheer vulgarity of the modified RR
which means it's a club I probably wouldn't join even if my numbers did come up.
I think my w124 estate ticks most of the boxes I want ticked for now.
t bits stuck to it and the timeless class of a factory standard Range RoverSpent some time in a new SDV6 405 this weekend. Pleased to say it is definitely the real deal, and every inch a proper Range Rover.
I know I'm going to sound predictable, but I can't believe how far they have come since my Classic was built in 1991, though I am delighted that nearly all the key ingredients of the original have been carried over through the generations. Great cars.
I know I'm going to sound predictable, but I can't believe how far they have come since my Classic was built in 1991, though I am delighted that nearly all the key ingredients of the original have been carried over through the generations. Great cars.
At last you have seen the light! Spen King`s original Range Rover was the outstanding off roader of its day, yet able to achieve 91mph (Autocar`s test) or tow a 4000kg braked trailer. Subsequently towing capacity was reduced to 3500kg, perhaps the only metric in which the original was superior to the current model. It remains an outstanding off roader - but has evolved over the years to become the outstanding all terrain vehicle. What has happened in the interim is the addition of just about every conceivable feature that will improve performance, comfort and convenience. It is clearly aimed at those who want this combination of features and who can afford to pay for them.
I drive the older l322 td6, really scraped the bottom of the barrel to find it. In the future would love one of these new ones, but for now im happy.
Its just a lovely place to sit and drive mile after mile. Nice high up seating position for the single track lane to my house, can carry so much crap around!
Its just a lovely place to sit and drive mile after mile. Nice high up seating position for the single track lane to my house, can carry so much crap around!
schmalex said:
There is whole world of difference between the brash, shouty, tattoed, council image portrayed by a 10yr old RR Sport with st bits stuck to it and the timeless class of a factory standard Range Rover
I get that a brand new standard full-fat is different to an old sport. My point is that (and it's a shame but) the combination of a few factors significantly tarnishes the whole brand for me:-t bits stuck to it and the timeless class of a factory standard Range Rover- the prevalence of the brutishly modded rangie (and they're not all old sport models)
- the yuck-foo attitude of some owners exhibited with aggressive tailgating, lane hogging, appalling parking, running cyclists off the road etc. etc.
Despite the underlying quality of the product and keeping in mind that the subject of the article is an attractive example, the image I feel it presents is one I couldn't reconcile with my own personality. As a result, I couldn't choose to own one.
I find the topic of image, personal impact and the psycology of brand and desire really interesting. Dan's article touched on that too.
Whilst ph'ers in the threads will always say we shouldn't care what strangers think about us, underneath most of us probably do. It's the reason some burn with desire for one of these and one of the reasons I simultaniously love and hate it.
This is my Vouge SE. It has very big 22" wheels I wouldn't have chosen myself (I bought it preowned, 12k miles), but the ride is still great, road noise very low and it certainly does give the car even more presence. Good to differentiate a bit from all the other Vogues around here and I think it suits us a bit better than a conservative one since we are a young family.
We always go on little off road adventures, nothing too extreme but just a bit of muddy fun, and we will be taking the Vogue through some muddy stuff soon I hope! Nothing quite like passing though big muddy fields and puddles whilst sitting inside the luxury cream interior!!!
I must say though, every time I get in it I really do feel privileged to be driving it, no other car has had that effect on me before. It is definitely the most luxurious car I have ever driven, and without a doubt I prefer it to a Bentley or S class. I absolutely 100% love it. There is nothing I'd want to change it for. I have a sports car for weekend fun, and that's me very sorted!
If you have the chance to get one, be it the new model or the model before, I'd recommend it whole heartedly - it's as good as it gets!
Edited by sealtt on Tuesday 12th May 11:52
TurboHatchback said:
Whilst I think they are an impressive bit of engineering I would rather have an S-class or similar and an old LandCruiser for the rare occasions when off road capability is needed. I never entirely see the point of a £100k+ 'off-roader' that is far too expensive and delicate to actually take off road, comes with huge alloys and low profile road tyres, is full of expensive plush carpets etc (which don't mix well with mud) and generally seems like just a compromised luxury car with a nice high driving position.
I understand the two car position, however it seems more often than not when in the S-class the moment would arise when you wished for the Landcruiser and the day you took the landcruiser you would end up not needing the ability and wish for the S-class. The Range Rover does seem to be all things at all times, and if not the best of them dam close.Ag
[Quote]
And I think I know why it's so good. Call it the voice of experience. The Range Rover isn't a 4x4 trying to be a coupe and failing to convince as either. It isn't a muscle car with extra ride height or a sports saloon with delusions of off-road ability battling unfavourable weight distribution with overly stiff suspension. Nor is it a perversion of - cough - sporting brand values coerced into the SUV age to help the bottom line. It nailed its brief from the start decades ago and has simply been refining its act over the years to the point it now seems effortless.
[/quote]
The Range Rover is a mud plugger trying to be a luxury car. Sure they've been doing it for a long time but that still doesn't mean that it's not a compromise.
Ok I think that there is a hint of a requirement for a vehicle like this, rich people with guns do need to go into the countryside in comfort when they want to shoot things, than there is a 4x4/coupe/sports car which is so ludicrous as to beggar belief.
But I still don't like them namely because 99.99% of them will never go offroad and I don't have any time for people who like to pay large sums of cash to shoot things.
And I think I know why it's so good. Call it the voice of experience. The Range Rover isn't a 4x4 trying to be a coupe and failing to convince as either. It isn't a muscle car with extra ride height or a sports saloon with delusions of off-road ability battling unfavourable weight distribution with overly stiff suspension. Nor is it a perversion of - cough - sporting brand values coerced into the SUV age to help the bottom line. It nailed its brief from the start decades ago and has simply been refining its act over the years to the point it now seems effortless.
[/quote]
The Range Rover is a mud plugger trying to be a luxury car. Sure they've been doing it for a long time but that still doesn't mean that it's not a compromise.
Ok I think that there is a hint of a requirement for a vehicle like this, rich people with guns do need to go into the countryside in comfort when they want to shoot things, than there is a 4x4/coupe/sports car which is so ludicrous as to beggar belief.
But I still don't like them namely because 99.99% of them will never go offroad and I don't have any time for people who like to pay large sums of cash to shoot things.
As someone who drives a normal height car I find the reasoning behind these vehicles (great visibility) rather selfish. Other road users cannot see round them so they limit the visibility of everyone else. Particularly annoying when at a T junction turning left when one pulls up wanting to turn right and I then have to wait because I can't see anything. I often wonder whether there are statistics showing how often people run into the back of Range Rovers and their like!
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