By contrast, it seems inevitable that Gerry McGovern will have left Land Rover long before the world discovers that nobody over the age of 14 will be able to sit in the back of his impending reverse Tardis (the LRX concept) without rubbing off all their hair on the roof lining.

Since somebody, somewhere decided that the general public has the attention span of hot-buttered toast, treats cars like white goods and expects a favourite model to be facelifted every 28 minutes, there is at least a fighting chance that the man responsible will actually have to accompany his latest creation to the launch. Such was the case with the 2010 Range Rover, and it’s a pity McGovern didn’t attend the launch because I really wanted a word…

To date, the best thing about a Range Rover has been its cocktail of imperious boulevard behaviour and leap-tall-buildings-at-a-single-bound off-road capability, all wrapped within a relatively discreet, dignified and gently aristocratic couture. Given the car’s status as the world’s fastest maisonette, this is no mean feat. But then Land Rover set about devaluing the brand with the irritatingly successful Range Rover Sport, a mongrel that concealed Discovery underpinnings beneath gently brash detailing and a misleading badge.

Worse still, having decided we’re all too stupid to identify a member of the family unless it shares a sibling’s features, the company has now imposed many of the upstart Sport’s styling indignities on the head of the clan. Externally, this equates to a new hooter featuring too much bright metal, a grille modelled on the blades of a chop-anything shopping channel kitchen appliance, pointlessly noodled front wing vents and tail lamps that wouldn’t look out of place on a chain around a New York rapper’s neck.

On board, the elegance of the current model’s dashboard architecture just about survives a further surfeit of metal-highlight mayhem. Switchgear has apparently been simplified, though there still appears to be a button for every day of the year, while all-new electrics imbue both instrument binnacle and centre console with their own party tricks…

The former now incorporates something called a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen, which replaces conventional analogue dials with, erm, facsimile analogue dials that are hard to read because of unwarranted glare. The latter cunningly contrives to offer driver and front passenger different images on the same screen in the manner of a tilt ‘n’ strip Margate postcard, so the driver can check the satnav while the front passenger watches a movie. Sadly, however, the absence of a headphone socket means the driver will discover who framed Roger Rabbit, whether he wants to or not.

Beneath the McGovern glitz, though, a fabulous car lurks. You sit so high that you’re always a little astonished to arrive behind the wheel without the aid of a ladder, but the Range Rover is immensely comfortable. A new 5.0-litre, supercharged V8 embellishes the flagship Autobiography model with appropriate urgency, yet at 60mph it ticks over in near silence at less than 2,000rpm.

Adaptive suspension has improved handling perceptibly, though efforts to carry real speed through corners still feel somewhat like chucking the living room around. Off the beaten track that TFT screen finally earned its keep by nudging the speedo aside to reveal a wealth of undercarriage information, while five cameras watched out for malicious boulders. The car remains hilariously easy to use and little short of remarkable.

Nul points to the felt-tip fairies, then, but full marks to the engineers.

This article was taken from: telegraph.co.uk

LAND ROVERS are used to coping with the rough stuff but the global recession is proving to be the company’s toughest mountain to climb.

The 4×4 sector has suffered worse than any in the downturn, to such an extent that Land Rover sales have slumped more than 30 per cent from the 2008 record.

But Land Rover, like their vehicles, have always been resilient and they are about to start a major product offensive with the launch of three new models – the Range Rover, Range Sport and Discovery – over the next few months.

The vehicles have one thing in common – they are a big step forward in quality and help to push Land Rover to a new level of sophistication.

Here we enjoy a first drive of the new Range Rover, king of the off-road.

BACK in 1970, the original Range Rover had a hose-down plastic interior that underlined its working pedigree.

It may have been a dramatic leap forward from the truly basic Land Rover Defender with its bold styling, but it was a totally functional vehicle geared to hard graft and spending as much time off-road as on it.

How things have changed. The Range Rover has become even more impressive off-road and a motoring icon that is just as much at home on city streets all over the world, not to mention a motoring fashion statement for the rich and famous.

It is now seen as a four-wheeled aristocrat worthy of mention alongside such motoring royalty as Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Porsche.

Mind you, the price has risen accordingly. The 1970 version cost just £1,995 but today that has rocketed to £73,995 and even the entry-level diesel version costs £63,500.

And that is why Highfield Farm, near Ascot in Berkshire – home of one of the world’s great polo stables – seemed a perfect location for part of our exclusive test of the new Range Rover.

The sparkling all-white vehicle blended in perfectly with the four- legged thoroughbreds costing up to £100,000 and they moved across the grass with the same relaxed grace.

And as Adolfo Cambiaso, the world’s leading polo player, showed me the spectacular abilities of one of his thoroughbred ponies to do things other horses can’t match, he was impressed by the equally impressive ability of the new Range Rover.

Owners love the styling which means alterations need to be subtle, but the changes made by chief designer Gerry McGovern are highly effective. He has made the car even more sophisticated and classy with clever tweaks to just about every key area.

Dual LED headlights and three-striped indicators sparkle like expensive jewellery beside a modified deeper grille and lower spoiler that give the Range Rover front a slightly softer, curvier appearance, yet it remains a vehicle people won’t mess with.

The side profile gets new, taller air vents on the front wings, while the rear lights also get the LED treatment and a crisper, fresher feel.

But it’s inside where the Range Rover shows it now has the quality and finish that wouldn’t look out of place in the finest limo.

The cabin has an aura that oozes the class only the motoring elite have. Everywhere you look feels lavish and of the highest quality, from the hand-stitched leather to the thick, piano-black wood.

Everything is beautifully laid out, from the new centre console to the dramatic virtual main instruments straight in front of the driver, which take some getting used to. It’s like being at the controls of a 3D computer game. In fact, it’s the one area I’m still not sure of.

What I am sure about is that few vehicles can transport you in as much style and comfort as the Range Rover, with its plush leather seats that have heating AND cooling to help you cope with summer and winter.

The five-litre supercharged engine brings another new dimension to the Range Rover – of almost silent and effortless motoring.

The engine truly is magnificent, which is hardly surprising with 500bhp under the bonnet.

It’s quick for a vehicle weighing close to 2.5 tons, with 0-60mph in around six seconds, although you are still reminded that even a Range Rover can’t defy the laws of physics when it comes to hard cornering at speed.

There’s dramatically less wallowing than a few years ago and if you drive the Range Rover sensibly and normally, the comfort levels are outstanding and your progress serene.

Fuel economy, although improved, is not its strong point and you’ll find yourself getting around 18mpg if you enjoy yourself. If economy is important, go for the highly impressive new 3.6litre diesel version that will get you more than 25mpg.

The Range Rover is a technical tour de force on and off-road, with the ability to cope with everything from snow to sand and rivers, all at the turn of a dial. It’s a breadth of ability that reminds you why you are paying top dollar.

And there are lots of neat new touches such as a dual screen monitor that means the driver can follow the satnav while at the same time the front passenger watches a movie.

Land Rover are working flat out on developing new lightweight materials and hybrid diesel engines to be fitted to the Range Rover LRX and take the firm to the 4×4 holy grail of 40mpg-plus in an eco-friendly package.

This article was taken from: The Sun

For 2010, the Range Rover gets a variety of upgrades aimed at improving the driving experience: both available engines have an extra dose of horsepower, the interior is even more luxurious, and the level of technology, both inside the cabin and under the skin, is more impressive than ever.

The Look

We’ll forgive you if your eyes can’t detect the slight changes in appearance from a distance. In addition to a revised grille, LEDs around the headlamps and taillamps, and slightly different side gills with LEDs that function as turn indicators, the fog lights move from the front bumper down to the sides of the air intake. The current Range Rover has aged quite well, so only minor changes seem appropriate.

The Power

For 2010, all Land Rover models get the new direct-injection 5.0-liter V-8. Horsepower is up 75, to 375 hp, and torque is at 375 lb-ft — both figures represent big upgrades over the aging 4.2-liter V-8, which sometimes struggled to move vehicles as big and heavy as a Land Rover. Supercharged models share the 5.0-liter block but also get an intercooled sixth-generation Eaton blower that pushes power to 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. The whole supercharger/intercooler assembly fits nicely in the valley of the engine, the revised air intake is more efficient, and supercharger whine has been reduced by more than 50%.

Both engines are mated to a ZF six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The increase in power from the 5.0-liter engines allows the torque converter to lock up earlier, which increases fuel efficiency. An adaptive sport mode provides more aggressive shift points and “learns” an individual driver’s style to provide more appropriate responses to throttle inputs.

Off-Road

Half the reason to consider purchasing a Land Rover is its proven off-road prowess. For 2010, the Range Rover receives some significant improvements in this area. Land Rover’s Terrain Response system now includes a launch control program for starting the SUV in sand. In this mode, wheel spin is limited, based on the vehicle’s speed, to turn power into forward motion rather than digging a trench. Revisions to rock crawling mode and hill descent control also promise an easier time on the trail. Gradient release control is another new feature that prevents the vehicle from gathering speed too quickly once the brakes are released on a steep slope.

On-Road

To improve the on-road ride of the Range Rover, adaptive dampers are now used. Pressure at each damper is monitored 500 times per second to allow for instantaneous adjustment of the individual damper’s firmness. Like the transmission, the damper system “learns” the driver’s style, so responses will be more appropriate for a given situation.

Brake upgrades are also part of the 2010 refresh. Non-supercharged models now have 14.2-inch vented discs with four-piston floating calipers in the front and 13.8-inch vented discs with single-piston aluminum floating calipers in the rear. Supercharged models see 15.0-inch vented discs with six-piston monoblock calipers up front and 14.3-inch vented rotors with single-piston floating calipers out back.

Upgrades to the stability control system allow brakes to be applied to individual wheels if the system determines that the vehicle is taking a corner too quickly. A new rollover prevention system uses a similar strategy to rapidly brake individual wheels in an effort to widen the turning radius and keep the SUV on all four tires. The stability control improvements also offer a trailer sway control system: if the vehicle senses dangerous trailer sway, individual wheels are slowed to bring the rig back in line.

Inside

The Range Rover has been at the top of the luxury SUV mountain for a long time, and this year’s interior upgrades promise to keep it there for the foreseeable future. If you have any doubt, just look at the optional full-leather interior package and the upgraded “waterfall” interior lighting system.

Drivers will notice an all-new electronic instrument panel with a twelve-inch TFT display. The display can be customized to show specific information between the speedometer and tachometer via a five-way controller mounted on the steering wheel. Everything from outside temperature to wheel articulation can be displayed there.

An upgraded infotainment interface promises more intuitive operations, with many functions able to be controlled by voice commands, and a hard-drive-based navigation system now offers faster route calculation along with better map coverage.

Technology

Land Rovers have always been full of technology, and the new Range Rover does not disappoint. The most useful technologies are the available blind spot monitoring system and the 360-degree view cameras, similar to those in the considerably smaller Infiniti EX35. In towing assist mode, the camera system even provides guidelines to help determine where the trailer will be while backing up based on several user-entered data points such type of trailer, width, and number of axles.

Other notable electronic assistance systems are adaptive cruise control, emergency brake assistance, and automatic high beam headlamps. The adaptive cruise control system has four settings for following distance that range from 1 to 2.2 seconds of open road between you and the vehicle ahead. The system defaults to 1.8 seconds, which equals about 164 feet at 62 mph. Emergency brake assist uses the same radar as the ACC system and can automatically apply the brakes if a collision is imminent. High beam assist will switch on the brights when the vehicle detects low light levels and then switch back to low beams when traffic approaches.

Perhaps the most important part of all these electrical gadgets is the all-new electrical architecture. The combination of Controller Area Network and Media Oriented Transit System should share data across the vehicle’s systems and save weight, with a side benefit of improved reliability, according to Land Rover. We suppose it will take a while to support the claim of a more reliable electrical system, but we hope it’s not hyperbole.

The Drive

Once you slip behind the wheel, the 2010 Range Rover’s increased power is most impressive. Normally aspirated vehicles are nearly as fast as the outgoing supercharged models and the new supercharged engine is almost frighteningly quick. We’ve been told to expect 0-to-60-mph sprints in 5.9 seconds and that time doesn’t feel optimistic. The shift time has been cut in half when compared with the outgoing six-speed automatic, which also helps with acceleration. When sport mode is dialed in, the shifts are nearly perfect and passing is effortless, even on normally aspirated SUVs.

The predictive dampers were especially impressive during a bout of spirited driving — the Range Rover is far from a sports car, but it offers remarkably flat cornering and very predictable handling when hustling through back roads that would better suit a Jaguar XF. Throttle tip-in is a bit stiff, but that’s more of a characteristic than a problem. We found the variable ratio steering to be quite predictable and it feels surprisingly natural.

In addition to being able to travel the autobahn at speeds up to 140 mph, the Range Rover is quite happy chugging along off-road. The trails we tackled outside Barcelona were quite impressive and the overall experience was rather relaxing and confidence inspiring. If you let the vehicle’s Terrain Response System do its job, rather spectacular obstacles can be traversed while you sip a latte or discuss your most recent investments.

This article was taken from: Automobile

Land Rover has revealed UK prices for its new Range Rover Sport and Discovery models.

The Discovery 4 will start from £31,995 and the Range Rover Sport from £44,895.

The new models will have a reworked front end, new interior and an improved off-road system.

The entry level TDV6 Sport SE will feature 19″ alloys, touch-screen sat nav, stability control, a nine-speaker Harmon/Kardon audio system, iPod/USB connectivity, Bluetooth and leather seat facings. The HSE (£50,595) adds 20″ alloys, rear view parking camera, DAB radio, leather/alcantara seat facings. The TD V8 HSE (£56,995) also includes, a new dynamic mode on the all-terrain system, adaptive cruise contol, high beam assist and bi-xenon headlights.

For £61,995 you can get the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol that adds leather seats, sports details and, of course, much more power.

The ‘Disco 4′ starts at £31,995 for the 2.7-litre TDV6 GS. This offers 18″ alloys, stability control, Bluetooth and a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.0-litre TDV6 will set you back £4,495 and the XS, with a 9-speaker audio system, leather seats, iPod/USB connection, touch screen sat nav and rain sensing wipers will cost £40,495.

The range-topping HSE will cost £47,695 and that adds 19″ alloy wheels, Automatic high beam assist, bi-xenon front headlamps, rear view camera with parking aid, keyless entry, electric front sunroof with two fixed glass rear roofs, premium leather seat facings, premium carpet mats, wood finish end caps and centre console uprights, eight-way adjustable electric driver and passenger seats, electrically adjustable side bolsters for driver’s seat, keyless entry, harman/kardon premium audio system with 14 speakers and DSP amplifier, premium hard-disc drive navigation with TMC 4×4 interface and voice control.

The new 2010 model year line-up will all be on show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this coming weekend from July 3-5. Land Rover will also be offering Festival-goers test drives of the Freelander 2 TD4_e around the Goodwood estate, and will showcase its vehicles’ capabilities on ‘Terrapod’ – the man-made off-road demonstration unit.

This article was taken from: Channel4

RRsport.co.uk set up a head to head between the 5 litre and 4.2 litre Sports.

A great video showing the power difference that the two lumps deliver. Send them both down the track and see how long it takes to get up to 100mph and back to zero again.

The Black 5 litre is a 2010 model year supercharged Sport, the Orange 4.2 is also supercharged but looks like it takes almost twice as long to complete the test.

Both vehicles were supplied by Charles Hurst Land Rover in London.

This article was taken from: lro.com