At last, the all new Range Rover is revealed, with no camo-tape! The new Rangie is 420kg lighter, more eco-friendly, and even more opulent than the outstandingly successful current car.
These are the first official pictures of the new Range Rover: you can see it for yourself in the metal at the Paris motor show from 29 September 2012
The styling of the new Range Rover
Although the profile looks similar, there’s actually been much tweaking of the proportion of metal to glasshouse. Also, you’ll spot lots of detail changes to the new Range Rover to set it apart from the current car. The headlights are slimmer and more raked, into an altogether more aerodynamic front end: it’s still bluff, but some of the upright-ness has been morphed into a more aero-friendly frontage.
With Jaguar Land Rover struggling to build the Evoque fast enough to meet demand, it’s certain JLR will be hoping for similar fortunes for the flagship Range Rover. Attention to detail is what’s required, and you’ll find it again in rear light clusters mirroring the fronts (and the Evoque’s) by cutting into the flanks. The alloy wheels are of an Evoque-esque design too – akin in fact to the 20-inch rims worn on CAR’s long-termer.
Like the Evoque, there’s be more adventurous exterior options too: for the first time, a contrasting roof panel will be offered for that full ‘floating roof’ look, and more vibrant exterior colours (as seen in our previous spy shots) will be in the brochure.
What about under the 2012 Range Rover’s new skin?
Although the proportions are similar to the current car, the new Range Rover has dropped a scarcely plausible 420kg versus the hefty current car, thanks to a switch from steel chassis to JLR’s famed aluminium monocoque technology. Reckon on the new Range Rover weighing in around 20% less that before, helped largely by a 39% diet for the body-in-white. That’ll doubtless pay dividends in the bends, and at the pumps, helping to shed some of the Range Rover’s reputation as the eco-warrior anti-Christ.
Charged with hauling around the lighter body are a revised set of TDV6 and TDV8 engines, with improved CO2 emissions against the current car’s 253g/km in TDV8 guise – and a 503bhp supercharged V8.
Europe will of course favour the improved oil-burners, but affluent petrol-lovers will be able to choose the supercharged model in the UK. It’ll be most popular in the United States and Middle East though.
How do occupants fare in the 2012 Range Rover?
Rather well, thank you very much, though we’d expect nothing less after the car’s tortuous 18-month testing regime. The aluminium structure isn’t just lighter; it also allows a reshuffle that liberates a further 120mm of rear legroom.
Soundproofing has also been upgraded to make this the quietest Rangey yet, thanks to laminated glass and the structure of the body panels themselves. Meanwhile the usual options of hide, veneer and Meridian premium hi-fi will be regular fare in the lofty cabin.
For all the details on the new Range Rover, and why it remains a king among cars, check out the September 2012 issue of CAR Magazine, on sale Wednesday 22 August.