- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
4.4i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
210kW, 440Nm
- Fuel
NA
- Manufacturer
4X4
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
NA
- Ancap Safety
NA
The top end
The Scottish Highlands in January are bleak, wet and windy, but also the perfect place to drive the all-new Range Rover, a car that is intended to excel in every condition that the foulest elements in any inhospitable continent can muster.
There is a lot riding on this car, which arrives here in June. It is only the third all-new Range Rover in the model's 30-year history and marks the relaunch of Land Rover under new owner Ford, which bought the blue-blooded British brand from BMW nearly two years ago.
As might be expected from a company renowned for its engineering excellence, BMW spared no expense in creating a new luxury flagship for its off-road subsidiary, lavishing one billion pounds (more than $2.7 billion) on design, engineering and a new factory for its precious creation.
So, to match the smart new body gleaming in the Scottish winter sunshine, there's fresh technology under the skin – a modern, unitary-construction chassis and independent suspension in place of the rustic, body-on-frame chassis and solid-beam axle suspension of the previous two generations of Range Rover.
If the looks are imposing, so are the dimensions. Standing next to a new Range Rover, the instant impression is of mighty bulk. But bulk and height bring advantages, like status, commodious cabin and voluminous boot space, not forgetting the imperious driving position, all of which define the appeal of a multi-duty car such as a Range Rover.
Climbing into the cabin isn't quite the strain it might be, courtesy of the clever air suspension, which kneels down when the ignition is off, making the step up into the cabin that bit easier.
The interior is now a treat of textures, materials and surface finishes in what Land Rover describes as tough luxury. Dismal plastic is nowhere to be seen, replaced instead by warm leather, soft-touch plastics, crafted wood inserts and quality metal-look trim. Trad British walnut is a trim option, but the cherrywood finish, when mated to the navy dashboard and parchment leather, is aeons away from that fusty, gentleman's club atmosphere that's too often a theme in British cars.
It's not all perfect, though. The ergonomics could be better, particularly the switches for the main off-roading gizmos – suspension height, low-range and hill descent control – which are required in various combinations, depending on conditions, and should be grouped together.
A look around the rest of cabin reveals details both familiar and unfamiliar, like the automatic gear change (there's no manual option), which will be recognised by anyone who's sat in an automatic BMW and used the Steptronic gear over-ride system.
Twist the key and the V8 petrol engine burbles into life. Muted and refined, it hums away as mere background noise as the Range Rover picks up speed. This 4.4-litre unit is pulled straight out of the Munich parts bin and mated to a five-speed ZF gearbox. It performs as a refined BMW unit is expected – not a workmanlike Land Rover lump – piling on revs when the throttle is opened, the box slurring its changes smoothly, the engine pleasantly vocal as the red-line approaches.
On paper, the 210 kW V8 has its work cut out. The regal new Range Rover has put on weight in its search for substance and luxury and tips the scales at a hefty 2.44 tonnes. Surprisingly, that doesn't hold back performance and there's impressive urge throughout the rev range from the willing V8. With help from the Steptronic change and powerful brakes, the Range Rover is surprisingly effective cross-country.
It steers remarkably well, too. At low speed, at the straight ahead, the wheel feels weighty, but as the speed rises, it lightens up. There could be bit more feel, though.
Hiding the bulk of the Range Rover won't have been the easiest task for BMW and Land Rover engineers. That they've done so well is a testament to getting the fundamentals right. The damping control through dipping and diving Scottish lanes is remarkable. However, high-speed corners are a tougher challenge.
The four-wheel drive chassis brings great security through sweeping turns, but the initial turn-in is characterised by warning understeer (or front-end push) and body roll, which the confident driver can push through, making for impressive progress.
The ride is good, too, with the air suspension doing a great job of smoothing out the pock-marked Scottish tarmac. But at slower speeds, little imperfections ripple through the cabin. Nothing too unpleasant, but in comparison with luxury cars like the peerless Mercedes S-Class, it's not on the money.
The same ride and handling observations apply to the turbo-diesel Td6, too. Powered by a version of BMW's refined 3.0-litre straight six, it makes 130 kW, which is less power than the V8.
One of the best diesel units in the world, the Td6 performs more like a petrol engine than the rattly truck engines of lesser utes. And although its spiky combustion sounds noticeably different to the V8, the Td6 and its GM five-speed auto slice through the gears every bit as smoothly as the thoroughbred V8.
Where the Td6 falls down is performance, and the oil-burner can't haul the weighty Range Rover with anywhere near the same alacrity as the V8. However, it fights back on fuel economy and touring range, bettering the V8's 16.2L/100 km (if you're careful with the right foot) with 11.3L/100 km. That means a diesel driver stopping for two fills of the 100-litre tank to the petrol driver's three and an impressive touring range of up to 880 km.
But such road behaviour counts for nothing if Land Rover's new flagship can't waltz through the worst the Scottish highlands can drum up. Land Rover has prepared an extensive off-road track on private land north of Inverness, part of the last great wilderness in Europe. It is characterised by mud, puddles, bogs, stream crossings and steep ascents, including a winding 300m climb, followed by steep descents. To add spice, temperatures are hovering just above freezing.
Unfortunately that means no fast, dusty Oz-style gravel roads to drive in 40-degree heat – but Land Rover's defence is an Australian test program and hundred of hours spent in the dunes of the Middle East at up to 50 C.
On the junior slopes, the first impression is of a soft-riding car that will cope without resorting to low-ratio gears or jacking up the air suspension to its maximum 281mm ground clearance. But as the going gets tougher, the suspension needs pumping up, the low gears need selecting and the hill descent control – which employs the anti-lock brakes to slow downhill progress – needs switching on.
The Scottish bog, damp granite and thigh-high salmon streams can't restrict our progress. Although one of our convoy takes the wrong line and bottoms out in ruts, it's no worry. Traction in reverse gear is sufficient to extricate the beached Rangie – no need to get the wellies muddy – and the mud is dispatched.
The low-ratio gears, meanwhile, drag us up through intimidating slime. The driving technique is careful use of momentum and subtle throttle control to prevent over-driving the tyres – just like threading a mountain bike over your favourite track. At low speeds, the all-important throttle control is helped by automatic recalibration of the pedal travel. It is neat and effective.
Even over the worst ground, there is little ''head-toss'' – uncomfortable side-shake typical in this type of driving – thanks to electronic valves that detect off-road movement and control pressure in the air suspension units. With hill descent control engaged, the Range Rover returns safely to civilisation.
The new Range Rover passes its important first two tests with flying colours and can claim a place among the world's luxury cars, able to purr down the world's most fashionable boulevards. But it adds the unique proposition that, if need be, it can also tackle some of the toughest conditions in the world.
Top of the range
The new Range Rover had to be a class act because of its competition. Where once a Range Rover was the only luxury off-roader on the market, there is now a fine spread of luxury marques vying for a place in what is still an exclusive – and lucrative – end of the market.
In many ways, Land Rover has itself to blame for the onslaught of competition because it demonstrated the demand for such a niche, spurring others into action.
Although smaller, the Mercedes M-Class was one of the first genuine competitors, and quickly established a solid buyer base. Soon after, BMW released the X5, which took the theory a step further, blending a car-like monocoque body with a brilliant V8 engine and rugged styling.
But while both will tackle some respectably rough terrain, neither has anything like the credentials of the Rangie, which goes far further than its ''Toorak tractor'' nickname would imply, and indeed far further than almost every owner would expect.
For that, the only real competition for the ageing Rangie was the Lexus LX470. Based on the ever-faithful Toyota LandCruiser, the LX470 added the muscle of a V8 engine, more luxurious air suspension and a quieter, more sumptuous interior, while retaining most of the ability that has made LandCruiser so popular.
The likes of Volvo and Audi have gone halfway to building an off-roader with more chunky all-wheel-drive versions of existing wagons, along the same vein as Subaru's Liberty-based Outback wagon.
Towards the end of its life, though, the Range Rover has struggled to attract the attention it once commanded, and dealers have been discounting them by up to 30 grand on some derivatives.
A Range Rover sore point – quality – is much improved with this new car, bringing it into the same league as its opposition. And the ''engineered by BMW'' catchline will undoubtedly be a dealer sales tool.
What Range Rover will also be using as a serious selling point is not only the much-improved on-road behaviour, but also the fact that it retains such impressive off-road ability.
The company is even planning to pinch sales from the likes of BMW's 7 Series and the Mercedes S-Class. Given Australians' love of four-wheel drives and the lower rate of import duty (due to the authority's ludicrous assumption that 4WDs are workhorses), that may not be all that far-fetched.
Third-generation Range Rover
On sale: June.
How much? SE Td6, $100,000 est. HSE Td6, $130,000 est. HSE 4.4, $135,000 est. Vogue 4.4, $150,000 est.
Engines: 4.4-litre V8 – 210 kW at 5400 rpm, 430 Nm at 3600 rpm. 3.0-litre direct-injection turbo diesel – 130 kW at 4000 rpm, 390 Nm at 2000 rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed Steptronic automatic only.
Suspension: Independent by MacPherson struts, air suspension, front; Independent by double wishbones, air suspension, rear.
Weight: 2440kg.
Length: 4950mm.
Width: 2009mm.
Height: 1863mm.
Wheelbase: 2880mm.