First drive: Range Rover revolution

LAND Rover has released an all-new Range Rover, the British marque's luxury four-wheel drive icon, for just the third time since the model was introduced in 1970.

After ruling the luxury off-road class for most of its 32-year life, the Range Rover has been overtaken in recent years by the likes of BMW's X5 and the Mercedes-Benz M-class, suffering both in the sales race and the quality of the driving experience it offered.

But now Land Rover has handed its flagship model a major overhaul, one that it hopes will see the Range Rover return to the position of off-road status symbol for the rich.

The third generation L322 Range Rover is the product of a Land Rover design, BMW engineering expertise and the adoption of Ford manufacturing processes.

Due to go on sale in Australia on July 1, the new Range Rover will cost between $107,000 and $150,000. It will offer buyers the choice of two engines, two body derivatives (sunroof or no sunroof) and three equipment levels - SE, HSE and Vogue.

Much has changed on the new Range Rover compared to the now superseded P38a model, from the body construction and engines to the transmission and electronic control systems on offer.

A monocoque body with integrated chassis has replaced the traditional separate ladder frame chassis, Land Rover claiming the new set-up has more than twice the torsional and bending stiffness of the existing vehicle.

The new Range Rover continues with electronic air suspension, although the addition of cross link valves allows for specific on-road and off-road settings, while the construction is now independent front and rear - resulting in greater ground clearance and wheel travel than before.

The 4.4-litre petrol V8 and 3.0-litre turbo-diesel inline six-cylinder (Td6) engines are both BMW units, but have been modified by Land Rover in the areas of induction, engine sealing and water proofing to meet the company's more demanding standards for off-road applications.

Developing 210kW of power at 5400rpm and 440Nm peak torque at 3600rpm, the new V8 engine produces 30 per cent more power than its larger predecessor as well as 10 per cent more torque.

The new turbo-diesel has also raised the performance bar, with outputs of 130kW at 4000rpm and 390Nm at 2000rpm that represent power and torque increases of 30 per cent and 49 per cent respectively on the previous oil burner.

The Td6 comes in all three grades while the V8 is only available in HSE and Vogue trim levels.

Both engines are matched to a new five-speed Steptronic automatic transmission which features normal, sport and manual modes - the latter is available in both high and low ratio, which is said to be a world first.

The raft of electronic systems contained within the new model have come via other models in the Land Rover range, as well as BMW's extensive parts bin.

There is DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), CBC (Cornering Brake Control), EBD (Electronic brake force Distribution), EBA (Emergency Brake Assist), HDC (Hill Descent Control), ETC (Electronic Traction Control) and EDC (Engine Drag-torque Control).

Land Rover views the systems as providing the Range Rover with the ultimate on and off-road capabilities for a vehicle in the large, luxury four-wheel drive class.

Despite the all-new tag and the many BMW engineering and equipment influences evident throughout the new model, the traditional Range Rover styling cues remain.

The clamshell bonnet, upright glasshouse, floating roof, angled rear pillar and horizontally-split tailgate mark this model as distinctly Range Rover.

Highlights of the evolutionary looks include an elaborate headlight design with a multi-lens cluster, matching rear tail-lights and cooling vents along the trailing edge of the front quarter panels.

Exterior dimension changes see an increase in length (plus 225mmm), width (plus 73mm) and height (plus 46mm), while the wheelbase, ground clearance and loadspace length have also risen.

As a result, kerb mass has increased as well, with the new model weighing in between 2435kg and 2570kg, depending on specification.

Key off-road dimensions of approach, breakover and departure angles have either been maintained or improved.

The interior of the new Range Rover is somewhat of a revolution for Land Rover, moving the third generation model firmly into the 21st century with a well finished, almost concept car-like design.

The increase in the exterior dimensions has liberated more interior space in the areas of front head and shoulder room, rear knee room and a longer cargo floor.

There is a choice of four interior colour themes, which create seven possible interior combinations, as well as two grades of leather and three decorative trim options - Cherry wood, Burr walnut and Foundry (metal finish).

The equipment list extends to leather upholstery, electronic front seats with memory for the driver, leather steering wheel with switches for audio and cruise control functions, automatic dimming interior and exterior mirrors, climate control air-conditioning, rain sensing windscreen wipers and a standard six-speaker audio system.

Eighteen-inch alloy wheels are standard, although high-spec models have 19-inch wheels and massive 20-inch items are optional as part of the accessory range.

On the passive safety front, up to eight airbags are available (six as standard), encompassing dual front, front side and front and rear head airbags.

Land Rover has forecast sales of 800 units of the new Range Rover between its launch and the end of 2002, and already holds a 100-name order bank for its new flagship before the vehicle has even shown its fresh face around the local marketplace. That will be rectified in the coming weeks when the luxury off-roader takes pride of place on the company's Melbourne motor show display.

Land Rover is expecting the majority of sales to come from the V8 models, with Td6 variants accounting for just 15 per cent of the total volume.

DRIVE IMPRESSIONS:

ON the narrow roads of northern Italy, the new Range Rover impressed with its improved ride quality, reduced noise, vibration and harshness levels and extra engine performance.

The vehicle's considerable weight is still its worst enemy, but it is now noticeably more agile and responsive to the driver's input and feels more stable and secure when being pushed.

It is now so quiet and refined that the new engines come across as too loud for a luxury model, courtesy of the absence of other body and road noises.

Both engines are raucous but the V8 makes up for it with a throaty exhaust note that you could listen to all day long.

However, the sweet revving nature of both Teutonic units means you are never worried about utilising their full range, which is something that could not be said for the previous model's powerplants.

The interior is a quantum leap forward from the existing model, offering a high standard of fit and finish, as well as significant departure from the ergonomic problems of the previous generations.

BMW's influence has no doubt been a major factor in reducing the presence of British-design quirks that you can find in many of that country's automotive makes and models.

Off-road, the Range Rover's abilities have never really been in question and now, if anything, the situation has only improved.

A purpose-built Land Rover off-road course provided controlled conditions within which to test the new model's traditional off-road abilities, coupled with its extensive armoury of electro-mechanical systems.

Increased wheel articulation and uprated electronic traction control systems compared to the outgoing model, combined with a new torque sensing differential, means the Range Rover is virtually unstoppable in an off-road situation.

Even if both front wheels and one rear wheel lose traction or contact with the road surface, power can be diverted to the remaining wheel so as to continue to drive the vehicle forwards - a situation that would leave most, if not all of its rivals, at the end of the road.

Land Rover is not only hoping to recapture the ground lost to its rivals in recent years with the all-new Range Rover, but also to achieve conquest sales from the luxury sedan segment with its best-of-both-worlds, luxury on-road and tough off-road combination of abilities.

The preview drive proved it certainly deserves to once again lead the luxury off-road market. But it remains to be seen whether the compromises inherent in a dual purpose vehicle will enable the Range Rover to conquer more than just its peers.