New Range Rover first drive

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Tuesday, 02 February 2010 09:15

Even before the snow arrived in the UK just prior to Christmas, Land Rover UK sales in the last quarter of 2009 showed a 93% increase year on year as stability started to return to the new car market.

The improved 2010 Land and Range Rover models were introduced to the market at the end of 2009, including the most luxurious production version ever – the Autobiography available with 3.6-litre V8 twin turbo diesel or 5.0-litre V8 petrol engines. New 2010 Range Rover prices start at £66,095 and rise to £81,725.

For 2009 as a whole the company’s UK sales finished 10.3% down at 29,185 registrations. The fall in sales was due to a record breaking first quarter in 2008 said the company.

Land Rover is still the world’s foremost manufacturer of 4x4 vehicles; the work horse and military use Defender, the mid-sized Freelander, the seven seat Discovery, the five seat Range Rover Sport and Range Rover and sells to over 160 markets globally. The UK, US, China, Italy and Russia are currently the top-selling markets.

The UK company, now called Jaguar Land Rover is owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata who bought the brands from Ford in June 2008.

Land Rover production began in the UK over 60 years ago but their luxury workhorse, the 4x4 Range Rover, was born in 1970. It defined a new market sector, dual purpose as the industry calls them or SUVs as they are commonly known and now the market is awash with lifestyle and workhorse 4x4s satisfying the wants and needs of the everyday person, world Governments, Security forces and Heads of State.

The original Range Rover with permanent four wheel drive, three doors and its wash out interior of vinyl seat covers and rubber matted floor became the chosen transport for royalty and the non-royal rich. Eleven years after the first model was launched a four door version again with the signature split rear tailgate came to market. Since that time the Range Rover has become a world vehicle, it has moved further up market, become much better built, decidedly more reliable and of course far more expensive.

But with a resurgence in demand for 4x4s worldwide and in the UK where a recent survey showed 18% of UK customers buying a new car this year will consider choosing a 4x4, with a ‘baby Range Rover and hybrid technology on their way, not to mention the Range Rover having just been voted Car of the Decade in a reader’s poll on the Autocar website, the future looks bright for this British built icon.

40 YEARS OLD BUT NO MID-LIFE CRISIS – THE 2010 RANGE ROVER
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Although the Range Rover was first launched in its all wheel drive, three door form 40 years ago, the current incarnation came to market in 2001 and it has constantly evolved since then into the world’s top premium 4x4 and the chosen transport of the rich and famous.

‘New money’ younger customers and professional footballers mainly opt for the more dashing Range Rover Sport versions but ‘old money’ customers who appreciate class retain their love affair with the taller and status portraying Range Rover with its limousine specification interior and ride comfort. And the secret to the on-going going success of the Range Rover is that its luxury appointment doesn’t make the five door, five seat iconic 4x4 any less accomplished when the going gets tough off or on road.

The new 2010 Range Rover line-up now includes top-notch Autobiography specification level in addition to the well know Vogue and Vogue SE options. There are three engine options, the all new 5.0-litre, V8, 375bhp/510Nm/376lb ft petrol unit, the new supercharged version of that engine with 510bhp/625/Nm/461lb ft and the main selling 3.6-litre, twin turbo V8 diesel unit with 271bhp/630Nm/465lb ft of power and torque output. All use a six-speed automatic transmission with full time four-wheel drive with locking differentials, different terrain mode selection and high or low ratio transfer box.

Prices range from £66,095 to £81,725 plus options. My test model, the 3.6-litre, V8 twin turbo diesel with the Autobiography specification costs £77,335 plus £5,138 worth of options. These were the active rear differential lock, DVD twin screen rear seat entertainment system, the vision assist pack of rear/side cameras, four zone air conditioning and the tyre pressure monitoring system.

The Range Rover might still be a 4x4 but it is a genuine alternative to a luxury saloon. It is just as likely to be seen in the UK carrying the rich and important around the streets of power in London as it will be on the country estates of Great Britain or any of the Arab States or in Russia, China or the US. For these and other markets there are armoured versions as well.

With its impeccable leather, wood and high quality interior finishings, electrically adjustable front and rear seats, limousine style instrumentation you might think the latest Range Rover has gone ‘soft’. Well it has but only as far as the electronically operated air suspension which now gives magic carpet ride-comfort and can be raised or lowered as required, but when the going gets tough the vehicle has lost none of its ability to deal with the worst of off road driving conditions.

Whether it is crawling over rocks, climbing its way through axle deep mud, over clinging sand dunes or fording rivers the Range Rover still has the tools to be the best in the world at doing these things. Its sophisticated all wheel drive system with its many settings makes light work of most situations and thankfully the selection of these various settings is intuitive and easy due to a logical central control unit with its mode diagrams and supported by simple buttons to further tailor the right driving mode. I wish other manufacturers made their sophisticated 4x4s so logical to use.

The worst driving I could throw at the vehicle were the recent deep snow, treacherous ice and then the severely potholed tracks that once were our roads. The traction is huge in the slippery stuff, the handling floats along but is predictable and the big wheels, wide tyres and air suspension just ironed out the bumps and potholes. The steering remains light and remote and the body does roll during fast cornering but never in a way to cause alarm. Its limousine ride is to be enjoyed as is its 4x4 ability and sumptuous interior.

The 3.6-litre, V8 diesel engine with its twin turbochargers pushes out 271bhp, the least bhp of all three engines on offer but it is the huge torque output of 630Nm/465lb ft, the most of all engine options, from 2,000rpm that makes this vehicle feel punchy and responsive with a surge of instant ‘grunt’ when needed or it will quite happily just trundle along at more or less tickover speed in heavy traffic, off road or in deep snow. The diesel unit is remarkably quiet as well. The six-speed automatic gearbox is a joy to use with this engine and like everything else about this very large vehicle it makes driving easy.

Top speed is 124mph, 0-60mph takes 8.6 seconds so despite its weight and size it is no slouch. As for fuel economy it will officially average 25.4mpg in the combined cycle. During my testing time the vehicle arrived with a low 22.1mpg on the computer and after some motorway cruising at 70mph with a light throttle this went up to 33.2mpg. Overall after a week’s motoring in snow, ice, mud, potholes, town and country travel the final average figure was 27.9mpg – still better than the official figure. Not so impressive I guess is the relatively high CO2 output of 294g/km but what can you expect from a V8 engine. This means that the VED road tax is now £405 a year and from April the first year VED rate will go up to £950 before returning to £435 for the following years. If you can afford to buy, or more likely lease, this type of vehicle paying that sort of money in tax to be on the road is chicken-feed. Not even the 35% Benefit-in-Kind company car tax is going to make any difference to the drivers who choose to have a Range Rover – they pay quite happily for what they get and they get the best of its type.

For sure the Range Rover, or any big 4x4, will not be affordable, desirable or will not suit a fair proportion of motorists but this British built icon created the 4x4 passenger car market and it is still going strong after 40 years.

MILESTONES. Range Rover TDV8 3.6 Autobiography. Price: £77,335 (+ £5,138 of extras). Engine/transmission: 3.6-litre, V8 twin turbocharger diesel, 271bhp, 630Nm/465lb ft from 2,000rpm, 6-speed auto gearbox with high and low ratio transfer box, full time 4WD, locking centre and active rear locking differentials, terrain response, hill descent control, traction control, on/off road ABS braking, dynamic stability control, air suspension. Performance: 124mph, 0-60mph 8.6 seconds, 25.5mpg in the Combined Cycle (27.9mpg on test), CO2 294g/km VED Band M £405 now, new first year rate £950 from April, BIK company car tax 35%. Insurance group: 49. Dimensions/weights: L4,972mm, W2,034mm, H1,865mm, Wading depth 700mm, Kerb weight 2,700kg, Braked towing weight 3,500kg, Boot space 994-2,099-litres, Seats 5. For: Huge in every way, image, comfort, limousine interior, quality, off-road ability. Against: Expensive to buy and to run. Miles Better News Agency www.girlracer.co.uk