I rarely want to start a review with a definition, but when I saw the new Range Rover, the first thing that came to mind was the word “ostentatious.” I decided to look it up, just for clarity, and this is what came back, “…attracting or seeking to attract attention, admiration, or envy often by gaudiness or obviousness.” If that doesn’t sum up the new Range Rover I don’t know what does. But it got me thinking, is it a pretentious car? And what is the difference really between being ostentatious and pretentious? “A pretentious person is pretending to have or be something or someone he or she is not. An ostentatious person is flaunting who he or she is and/or what they have.” So that settles it then, the new Range Rover cannot be pretentious because there is no pretending with this car! It is what it is. And what it is, is a beast! An ostentatious beast!
THE ORIGINAL LUXURY SUV
You know you’ve made it if you’ve got a Range Rover parked in your garage. It is the original luxury SUV, isn’t it? Spanning a history of 50 years it breathes a “Eff you” attitude. And I kind of love it. Everything is with comfort in mind. Even the air quality is better in a Range Rover than outside of it. I am not even joking, Cabin Air Purification Pro2 combines dual-nanoeTM X technology for allergen reduction and pathogen removal, to help significantly reduce odours and viruses. Where was this car when Covid hit?
A FEW FIRSTS
This Range Rover has many firsts. A few to mention; the largest touchscreen yet in a Range Rover, at 13.1-inches, now provides haptic feedback, which I do appreciate because it means less eye-time on the screen and more on the road. It was, of course, the first luxury SUV to feature Electronic Air Suspension, back in 1992, and this is continued on this model. Look, the suspension must be working over time to keep this beast so pillowy. It is a heavy thing and can feel quite ‘wallowy’, as if you’re driving a boat, but with the biggest wheels I think I have ever seen, it really is like floating on clouds. I don’t want to mention another brand it reminds me of, but it also has two Rs in its name. 😉
It might be massive, but the new Range Rover’s turning circle is less than 11m4 – the smallest of any Land Rover. So it is easy enough to manoeuvre. It might prove a bit cumbersome when trying to squeeze in to a parking spot at say the V&A Waterfront or Sandton City, but there are enough cameras, sensors and driving aides to ensure you never get even a scratch on your big baby.
RANGE ROVER LINE UP
Up for grabs is a choice of HSE, Autobiography and SV models. A First Edition will be sold throughout the first year of production – this is based on the Autobiography is available exclusively in a Sunset Gold Satin finish, among a choice of five other exterior colours. Both Standard (SWB) or Long Wheelbase (LWB) body designs are available with five seats, while the LWB model is available with an optional third row for extended comfort for up to seven adults. I sat in the back of a LWB model on the way back from lunch at the launch of this impressive car, and let me tell you, I could have just about stretched my legs out and still not touched the front seat. You could probably fit a small car between the front and rear seats. It feels like you’re sitting in First Class on a plane, which I guess is what you should feel if you’re spending this kind of dough.
POWER TO THE RANGE (ROVER)
Another first is this being the first Land Rover to be powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine. This new P530 engine produces 390 kW and 750 Nm of torque, propels the vehicle from 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds, which when you consider that this thing weighs over two tonnes, it’s pretty remarkable. The D350 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel produces 257 kW and 700 Nm of torque and will get to 100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. There is no need to talk fuel consumption figures, because let’s be frank, if you’re dabbling in this section of the market, you’re not exactly going to be too concerned with fuel costs. But for those who care about the environment, there will be a new Extended Range P510e electric hybrid model arriving, it combines the 375kW in-line six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with a 38.2kWh lithium-ion battery and a 105kW electric motor integrated with the transmission. Together, the powertrain provides up to 113km of near-silent pure-electric driving. With instantaneous electric torque the new P510e accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.6 seconds.
I am hoping to get my hands on one soon to do a video for you guys because words just don’t do this car justice. In fact, a video won’t either. You need to see it in the metal to believe it. Better yet, get behind the wheel. It will make you dream even bigger!
PRICING OF THE NEW RANGE ROVER
D350 HSE Standard Wheelbase R2 947 000
P530 HSE Standard Wheelbase R3 117 000
D350 Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3 409 000
P530 Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3 579 000
P510e Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3 633 000
D350 First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3 537 000
P530 First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3 688 000
P510e First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3 689 000
D350 Autobiography Long Wheelbase R3 494 000
P530 Autobiography Long Wheelbase R3 664 000
D350 First Edition Long Wheelbase R3 621 000
P530 First Edition Long Wheelbase R3 773 000
D350 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seats R3 525 000
P530 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seats R3 695 000
D350 SV Standard Wheelbase R3 973 000
P530 SV Standard Wheelbase R4 038 000
P510e SV Standard Wheelbase R4 081 000
D350 SV Long Wheelbase R4 407 000
P530 SV Long Wheelbase R4 473 000
