Land Rover is defying the current sales trend. Having suffered a 23% decline in sales due to COVID-19, Land Rover has recovered with double digit year in year sales growth of 17%, year to date.
However, company officials admit that sales momentum is being affected with demand outweighing supply due to the semiconductor supply issues that are affecting the global auto industry. That hasn’t stopped the company from introducing a new Range Rover, and for good reason.
The model accounts for 40% of worldwide sales, with the United States being its largest market; one in every five Land Rover vehicles sold in the U.S. is a Range Rover. According to the company, the vehicle has the lowest median age in the luxury SUV segment, and one of the highest average household incomes, averaging $442,000.
And, according IHS Markit, their customers are among the most loyal, with the Range Rover having more repeat buyers than any other in the “luxury full-size utility segment” in 2020.
What can these buyers expect?
When it reaches showrooms, the 2022 Range Rover will be offered in ascending SE, Autobiography and First Edition trim in standard and long-wheelbase seven-seat models. Initially, the Range Rover will be offered as a mild hybrid on SE models with either wheelbase, or a twin-turbocharged V-8 on the SE short wheelbase.
All other models have the V-8, although Land Rover will offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the 2023 model year, although they haven’t confirmed when it would be available. The First Edition model in either wheelbase will be available for 2022 and is based on the Autobiography spec, along with the availability of an exclusive Satin Gold Satin exterior finish.
While clearly different from its predecessor, the new Range Rover retains the three essential characteristics the define Range Rover: a falling roofline, a strong waistline from front to rear and a rising sill line.
The vehicle retains the short overhangs essential for tromping around off-road. But there are modern elements that distinguish it from past models, such as the tapered rear, which the company describes as a boattail — stretching the truth a bit. And the split, two-piece tailgate survives, a styling hallmark since the Range Rover’s launch in 1970.
Plenty of new to go with old expectations
But there are new features sure to please off-roading hedonists, including a new option come 2023: power-assisted doors with integrated anti-pinch capability, just in case closing a door takes too much effort. Of course, the doors can be controlled through the infotainment screen.
As you’d expect in any new SUV, particularly one in this space, cargo flexibility is key, and Range Rover designers have ensured the vehicle is class leading. The floor can be raised in the middle of the load floor, creating a partition to contain smaller loads.
A new, optional Tailgate Event Suite tailored leather cushions to create backrest during tailgating, and it’s enhanced with lighting and audio, to make the most of tailgating. Stylistically, the cabin is updated with a more streamlined appearance, reflecting the intense modernity that’s a hallmark of the brand’s chief creative officer, Gerry McGovern.
Technology improves ride and handling
Range Rover SE models are fitted with a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 mild hybrid system rated at 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Autobiography and First Edition trims get a more powerful 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 good for 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque.
As you’d expect, all-wheel drive is standard, monitors grip and driver inputs 100 times a second and includes an active locking rear differential for maximum traction and stability. The vehicle’s electronic air suspension incorporates “Dynamic Response Pro” a preemptive suspension that uses navigation data to read the road ahead and prime the suspension for what lies ahead.
All Range Rovers have all-wheel steering, which employs an electrically operated rear axle that, at low speeds, turns opposite the front wheels up to seven degrees. This clever bit of engineering gives this large SUV a 36-foot turning radius. At higher speeds, the rear axle turns in phase with the front wheels.
The plug-in hybrid, coming for 2023, teams Land Rover’s inline 6-cylinder Ingenium engine with a 38.2kWh lithium-ion battery and a 105kW electric motor to provide a maximum range of 62 miles of electric-only driving.
A fine place to be
The centerpiece of the instrument panel is Land Rover’s new Pivi Pro infotainment system, which now incorporates haptic feedback when a button is pressed on the screen. An 8-inch rear seat touchscreen controller mounted in the center armrest is optional.
The system includes integrated Amazon Alexa as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A new optional Rear Seat Entertainment system fits adjustable 11.4-inch HD-touchscreens to the rear of the front seatbacks.
And, of course, it has a Wi-Fi hotspot and Qi wireless charging. The company says the Range Rover’s new electrical vehicle architecture over-the-air software updates for the more than 70 electronic modules fitted to the vehicle.
The new Range Rover moves the needle, incorporating an electrified driveline and off-road athleticism while keeping its occupants connected to their online life. Deliveries begin in the spring, with prices starting at $104,000 for the Range Rover SE, to $163,500 for the Range Rover First Edition Long Wheelbase.
“The New Range Rover is a superb manifestation of our vision to create the world’s most desirable luxury vehicles, for the most discerning of customers,” said Thierry Bolloré, chief executive officer, Jaguar Land Rover. “It writes the next chapter in the unique story of pioneering innovation that has been a Range Rover hallmark for more than 50 years.”
