RE: In depth: new Range Rover

RE: In depth: new Range Rover

Friday 7th September 2012

In depth: new Range Rover

First amazing fact about the new Range Rover? It'll do over 180mph! That's for starters...



Land Rover doesn't know how fast the new Range Rover is. At Nardo a supercharged one hit 181mph but, as speed wasn't the focus of the test, the engineers didn't press it further. But they plan to go back. Curiosity's got the better of them.

Bigger but significantly lighter than before
Bigger but significantly lighter than before
Why so fast? Because it is so much lighter, being the world's first all-aluminium SUV. The monocoque of the L405 Range Rover, 39 per cent lighter than before, is lighter than an Audi Q5. It's 23kg lighter than an F30 BMW 3 Series. It's within 12kg of a Mini Countryman, for goodness sake.

All because, five years ago, Land Rover bosses approved a fundamental rethink in philosophy, engineering and construction.

The Range Rover was being used by celebs and chauffeurs to an extent not foreseen when the L322 launched a decade ago. This one caters for all these new customers, without brassing off its existing ones - by giving the engineers free rein.

Grouse beware, it'll get anywhere on t'moors!
Grouse beware, it'll get anywhere on t'moors!
Green AND fast
Because it's so much lighter, all three engines are considerably greener. The V6 diesel (the first in a Range Rover) is as fast as the current TDV8, but 22 per cent more fuel efficient, returning 37.7mpg and emitting less than 200g/km CO2. Golf GTI economy from a massive SUV that won't be too far behind in the drag race either. Next year, it will get even better: a diesel-electric hybrid has been confirmed, with target CO2 of just 169g/km and economy of 45mpg.

Don't worry. It's no slower. The 258hp V6 diesel is as fast as the current TDV8: the revised 339hp SDV8 is one second quicker. That 5.0-litre 510hp supercharged V8 petrol (limited to 155mph or 140mph, depending on tyres) reaches 62mph in just 5.1 seconds.

Familiar styling cues are maintained
Familiar styling cues are maintained
All feature the ZF eight-speed gearbox, whose in-house control logic shifts faster than in BMW applications (and four times faster than a human heartbeat). Standard paddles allow preloading of downshifts too.

Handling will be significantly better. On the faster two, there's Dynamic Response two-channel active lean control, controlling front and rear roll rates independently. It's described as "a very different experience" and one for which there's much anticipation.

Six-pot Brembo brakes are standard, clamping 380mm discs on the front. A 5,000-mile flat-out endurance test at the Nurburgring will have proven them, one of 20,000 physical tests conducted over the past 18 months. People have been busy within all those camouflaged models on the M40.

Test track 'not hard enough' for new Rangie
Test track 'not hard enough' for new Rangie
From horse boxes to race cars, people love to tow with their Range Rovers too. Its 3,500kg towing weight is one reason: sensibly, this has been retained for the new one.

Off-road
The Range Rover still has to be the world's best off-roader, says Land Rover. An afternoon watching at the Solihull proving ground demonstrates they can do the apparently impossible. Wheel travel, for example, is 50 per cent greater than a BMW X5.

McGovern's designed the exterior to maximise approach and departure angles and the underbody is completely flat - benefitting aerodynamics, yes, but also ensuring there's nothing to snag rocks when crawling. Plastic covers take it first. The air suspension gives you several get out of jail cards too. It's already 33mm higher at 125mm, but can rise a further 70mm in extremes.

900mm wading depth is best in class
900mm wading depth is best in class
Land Rover's Terrain Response is a great system but the icons aren't half baffling. As a result Terrain Response 2 has been introduced, actively monitoring inputs to automatically choose the best setting. Which is trickier than it sounds.

Oh, and something genuinely remarkable: the wading depth is 900mm, the highest of any production vehicle. Ingesting intake air via the gap between bonnet and wing permits this, circulating it within the clamshell bonnet before entering intake funnels dubbed 'Queen Marys' after their resemblance to ship funnels. The earlier QE2 nickname was dismissed when it was discovered only one of the ship's funnels functioned, trivia fans!

That's why the current car's side gills have become a graphic on the front door instead. The line below them can be colour-coded, as can the roof, and a huge panoramic roof is now available. All looks sleek, no? It is - 10 per cent more slippery: the Cd is a remarkable 0.34. Oh, and while it's nearly two metres wide and 1.8 metres tall, it's not quite as long as you may think. Overall length is less than an Audi A8.

Fewer buttons, higher quality and more room
Fewer buttons, higher quality and more room
Interior
Naturally, the interior has been pored over. The button count has been halved and quality feel is much improved. Seats set 90mm higher than any other premium SUV ensure the command driving position is suitably commanding. It's roomier in the back and easier to get into, addressing a flaw in the current car. Land Rover didn't expect it to be used so much as a chauffeur car, so the door opening was on the small side, the seat mounted too high. That's fixed here, with the walk-in rear offering 118mm more legroom.

And the split tailgate remains, now power operated and synchronising upper and lower open/closure in pure street theatre.

The best car in the world?
All this, Land Rover hopes, will sate existing customers who stated they simply wanted the same, but better. So, what will existing Range Rover customers notice? That the ride is better, particularly secondary ride (thanks to air springs with more compliance), handling is better, refinement is better. Wind noise is said to be best in class - detail engineering even stretches to felt-covered ventilation ducts to control noise.

There's a lot riding on this - it best be good
There's a lot riding on this - it best be good
But it's the combination of basic engineering decisions (it's so good off-road, they had to modify the Eastnor test track to make it more challenging) with detail ingenuity (the battery is suspended from the air suspension compressor in the spare wheel well, creating a refinement-improving mass damper) that make the Range Rover great.

Best new car of the year? It's the SUV match to the Ferrari F12, that's for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

louiebaby

Original Poster:

10,651 posts

190 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
I hope it depreciates as well as the outgoing one, because in 10 years, I want one on my drive.

CHIEF

2,270 posts

281 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
This will sell by the absolute bucketload

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
I know the styling is splitting opinion, but the rest of it is engineering at its very best!

Wills2

22,669 posts

174 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all

A 181 mph in a FFRR, that's impressive.




darronwall

1,730 posts

195 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
want,massively want.I have a outgoing model s/c and if you can see past the mpg its the best car i have ever owned.This new one sounds awesome

Fun Bus

17,911 posts

217 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
But still no mention of prices?

Having said that, if you have to ask...

DaveH23

3,230 posts

169 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
This car has absolutely no apeal to me at all and I have no interest in them but they are some bloody impressive figures for a car this size.

As above I can imagine it selling like there is no tomorrow.

LHD

17,000 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
Fun Bus said:
But still no mention of prices?

Having said that, if you have to ask...
Ask that question next week. wink

okie592

2,711 posts

166 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
it looks fking amazing!

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
Fun Bus said:
But still no mention of prices?

Having said that, if you have to ask...
I have a feeling this is going further upmarket to allow for some new cars lower in the range!

Gatsods

388 posts

167 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
End of paragraph 15, thing should be think smile

Also, reading this made me really proud to be British, it just seems to imperious and beautifully made that I wonder if there really is a better car for doing everything? Excluding off-road I guess the new S-Class coming out next year will give it a test for this, but it's amazing and I love it.

A S/C would be my Euromillions long distance/daily runner!

LHD

17,000 posts

186 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
I suppose i'm lucky that i'll be on the launch of this car later this year.

Whether you like it or not, we should all be proud that UK engineering can still produce a world beating product.

Loving the Zebrano wood inside too.

phib

4,464 posts

258 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
Very glad I got out of my 4.4 tdv8, I suspect prices of 2011/12 old shape will be in free fall !!

Phib

camel_landy

4,863 posts

182 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
MonkeyMatt said:
...but the rest of it is engineering at its very best!
...and British engineering at that. thumbup

M

Rocksteadyeddie

7,971 posts

226 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
darronwall said:
want,massively want.I have a outgoing model s/c and if you can see past the mpg its the best car i have ever owned.This new one sounds awesome
This, this and this. thumbup

Phil Dicky

7,162 posts

262 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
I hope it depreciates as well as the outgoing one, because in 10 years, I want one on my drive.
You and me both

Johnboy Mac

2,666 posts

177 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
Wow, some very impressive stats.

Quhet

2,409 posts

145 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
aside from the dodgy nose, this thing looks fking ace eek

Dave_

530 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
Surely thats a review of about 5 different cars!

I want one so much but i can only just about afford a 10 year old one now laugh


Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

245 months

Thursday 6th September 2012
quotequote all
louiebaby said:
I hope it depreciates as well as the outgoing one, because in 10 years, I want one on my drive.
Trust me, you'll be able to afford one of those lumpen heaps in a lot less then 10 years.

In fact, I'll stick my neck out here. If you can't afford one after year six I'll pay the difference for you. These vehicles are automotive dynosaurs.