Anyone going to the new RRS ride and drive day at Gaydon?
Discussion
I've been invited down to Gaydon to drive the new RRS. I think this event was being held last weekend and this weekend. I've got my slot booked at 3:00pm on Sunday so will probably one of the last to do it. Looks like it's going to be lunch, a quick presentation, on road drive and off road drive.
Has anyone done it already and can tell me what can be expected? Do you get to drive the Supercharged one?
Has anyone done it already and can tell me what can be expected? Do you get to drive the Supercharged one?
Went yesterday afternoon and genuinely had an exhilarating day!
I was a 3pm slot too. Starts with a sit down lunch (bit average) then a 10 min presentation with a grand reveal of the Sport with flashy lights and a rotating stage - not dissimilar to a new car launch!
Then it was jump into the fleet of awaiting TDV6/SDV6s outside on your own with a pre-programmed 30mile Sat-Nav route in local area. On return it was a split into two groups for on track and off-road.
I did off-road first which was jumping into more (but lower spec) V6s and then play follow the leader (a Disco 4) to the off-road proving area. Again we were alone in the cars with just a radio giving commentary from the front vehicle telling us what to press and when - mostly to leave it in low range and Auto Terrain Response mode.
The off-raod bit was a bit lame if I'm honest and didn't really show off the capabilities of the car, maybe something to do with all the dry weather of late, but nothing was particularly challenging.
After the off-roading we swapped into what I'd consider the main event - the 5L V8 on track. We each had a car, all nicely specced red supercharged with 22 inch wheels and ivory interior, and an instructor. First was a quick lap around the oval track at Gaydon. Enter corner at a certain speed (50-60mph) then get on the power as you enter - not something ever I'd consider in my Aston!!! It was genuinely amazing to see just how flat and stable the cornering was and the more power you fed in the more the front just tucked in and powered you round. We were entering corners at speeds I wouldn't normally consider doing, and then getting on the power straight away to emerge at frankly ridiculous speeds; hugely reassuring.
The high speed run was a heavy jab of the throttle to really open the taps and hear that beautifully tuned V8 noise all the way up to 150mph or so before diving on the anchors ready for the forthcoming corner.
The next two bits were instructor demos showing just how stable the car is doing emergency manoeuvres; swerving lane change at 50mph and emergency braking and lane changing at speed too. Both were whilst hurtling towards big inflatable objects and genuinely impressive.
Back in the driving seat was a 0-70-0 test. This thing gathers pace so damn quickly, and loses it even quicker! At 70 we stopped within 50m, pretty impressive considering the mass of this thing and the highway code saying it should me around 80-90m! We then did a slalom course, again enter at 50 mph and get ON the power progressively as you do the slalom. Quite unnerving but it felt so planted and ended up exiting at 110mph with no real dramas. I'd be in a whole world of trouble doing that in a powerful rear wheel drive car.
All in all, a most impressive display and demonstration by LR. There is simply no doubt that on road this thing is so much like a well sorted car. It is heavy though, but the cornering and stability and directness are sublime. I am somewhat sceptical as to how different it would feel doing the same tests in the Vogue or old Sport. I'm sure all the tests would be accomplished also, but I assume that just not in such a refined manor. The Sport made what should have been a terrifying experience be run of the mill. The dynamics are excellent.
Getting back into my L405 Vogue to drive home was actually a bit of a disappointment in terms of driving feel. But then that is exactly the difference that LR are wanting you to feel. As can be expected though is in the quality of interiors. The Sport is still a very nice place to be, leaps and bounds over the old model, but the bean counters have certainly had their influence. There's still some areas of plastic which in the Vogue are leather, and for me, one major disappointment is the lack of semi-auto sliding door thing in the centre console. This is has a beautiful mechanism in the Vogue but sadly not in the Sport. I guess if that's my only major disappointment then that says quite a bit!! And there's got to be somewhere that justifies the £20k difference in price from the Sport to Vogue!
My Sport arrives at the beginning of October and whilst I'm loving the Vogue, I can't wait. It is so much more road focused, which is where I (and no doubt the majority of other users) will spend most of their time. It seems like demand is still high for the Vogue so hopefully won't have lost too much when I come to sell it in late Sept!!!
I was a 3pm slot too. Starts with a sit down lunch (bit average) then a 10 min presentation with a grand reveal of the Sport with flashy lights and a rotating stage - not dissimilar to a new car launch!
Then it was jump into the fleet of awaiting TDV6/SDV6s outside on your own with a pre-programmed 30mile Sat-Nav route in local area. On return it was a split into two groups for on track and off-road.
I did off-road first which was jumping into more (but lower spec) V6s and then play follow the leader (a Disco 4) to the off-road proving area. Again we were alone in the cars with just a radio giving commentary from the front vehicle telling us what to press and when - mostly to leave it in low range and Auto Terrain Response mode.
The off-raod bit was a bit lame if I'm honest and didn't really show off the capabilities of the car, maybe something to do with all the dry weather of late, but nothing was particularly challenging.
After the off-roading we swapped into what I'd consider the main event - the 5L V8 on track. We each had a car, all nicely specced red supercharged with 22 inch wheels and ivory interior, and an instructor. First was a quick lap around the oval track at Gaydon. Enter corner at a certain speed (50-60mph) then get on the power as you enter - not something ever I'd consider in my Aston!!! It was genuinely amazing to see just how flat and stable the cornering was and the more power you fed in the more the front just tucked in and powered you round. We were entering corners at speeds I wouldn't normally consider doing, and then getting on the power straight away to emerge at frankly ridiculous speeds; hugely reassuring.
The high speed run was a heavy jab of the throttle to really open the taps and hear that beautifully tuned V8 noise all the way up to 150mph or so before diving on the anchors ready for the forthcoming corner.
The next two bits were instructor demos showing just how stable the car is doing emergency manoeuvres; swerving lane change at 50mph and emergency braking and lane changing at speed too. Both were whilst hurtling towards big inflatable objects and genuinely impressive.
Back in the driving seat was a 0-70-0 test. This thing gathers pace so damn quickly, and loses it even quicker! At 70 we stopped within 50m, pretty impressive considering the mass of this thing and the highway code saying it should me around 80-90m! We then did a slalom course, again enter at 50 mph and get ON the power progressively as you do the slalom. Quite unnerving but it felt so planted and ended up exiting at 110mph with no real dramas. I'd be in a whole world of trouble doing that in a powerful rear wheel drive car.
All in all, a most impressive display and demonstration by LR. There is simply no doubt that on road this thing is so much like a well sorted car. It is heavy though, but the cornering and stability and directness are sublime. I am somewhat sceptical as to how different it would feel doing the same tests in the Vogue or old Sport. I'm sure all the tests would be accomplished also, but I assume that just not in such a refined manor. The Sport made what should have been a terrifying experience be run of the mill. The dynamics are excellent.
Getting back into my L405 Vogue to drive home was actually a bit of a disappointment in terms of driving feel. But then that is exactly the difference that LR are wanting you to feel. As can be expected though is in the quality of interiors. The Sport is still a very nice place to be, leaps and bounds over the old model, but the bean counters have certainly had their influence. There's still some areas of plastic which in the Vogue are leather, and for me, one major disappointment is the lack of semi-auto sliding door thing in the centre console. This is has a beautiful mechanism in the Vogue but sadly not in the Sport. I guess if that's my only major disappointment then that says quite a bit!! And there's got to be somewhere that justifies the £20k difference in price from the Sport to Vogue!
My Sport arrives at the beginning of October and whilst I'm loving the Vogue, I can't wait. It is so much more road focused, which is where I (and no doubt the majority of other users) will spend most of their time. It seems like demand is still high for the Vogue so hopefully won't have lost too much when I come to sell it in late Sept!!!
Sounds like fun. On the flip side I already know at the back of my mind that its going to make me want a sport. I've got an L322 Vogue SE and whilst it was being service, I was given an Evoque. This handled a lot better than my car but again, the interior although nice felt a bit low rent against my own car.
Still can't wait to go tomorrow though.
Still can't wait to go tomorrow though.
Sounds like fun. On the flip side I already know at the back of my mind that its going to make me want a sport. I've got an L322 Vogue SE and whilst it was being service, I was given an Evoque. This handled a lot better than my car but again, the interior although nice felt a bit low rent against my own car.
Still can't wait to go tomorrow though.
Still can't wait to go tomorrow though.
Gassing Station | Land Rover | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff