The new Range Rover presents new levels of efficiency and capability

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The new Range Rover presents new levels of efficiency and capability

More than ever, Range Rover represents the pinnacle of luxury travel, making every journey a treasured experience whether driving or being driven.

Conceived nearly 50 years ago for the country set to use on the estate and then drive to the townhouse, Range Rover has continuously evolved to lead the world around it, remaining the peerless luxury SUV.

Today technology drives the new Range Rover’s next major step, with a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain providing sustainable luxury with new levels of efficiency and capability complementing its refinement and desirability. The exterior design has evolved, while heightened comfort and new consumer technologies have been added to the cabin.

Comfort-enhancing functions transform the travelling experience for the driver and passengers. The front seats feature 24-way movement thanks to the new seat frames, with wider and deeper foams as well as heated arm rests. In the rear a completely redesigned cabin and seating layout create a tranquil sanctuary with no compromise to the rear load space.

If you’re working while being driven, up to 17 connection points including domestic plug sockets, USB, HDMI and 12-volt power are all available; 4G Wi-Fi hotspots for up to eight devices and convenient storage are all designed for the business traveller. The cabin is tailored for relaxation with luxurious seats offering 25 massage programmes thanks to Hot Stone massage technology within the seat backs.

Wider, softer seats offer sumptuous comfort. Reclining by up to 40 degrees, they make the most of the additional 186mm legroom (now 1,206mm in total) and can be deployed at the touch of button. The exemplary comfort extends to heated and cooled seats, plus heated arm, foot and calf rests. For additional convenience and personalisation, all seat functionality can be controlled via a smartphone app, whether inside or outside the vehicle.

Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover said:

 “Our customers are very clear about what they want from any new Range Rover. ‘Don’t change it, just make it better,’ they tell us, so everything we’ve done has been about enhancing our flagship SUV. After nearly 50 years the fourth-generation Range Rover is the finest so far, ensuring the original luxury SUV remains the choice for discerning customers the world over.

The elegance of the interior has been elevated by the seamless integration of the most advanced infotainment system yet created by Jaguar Land Rover. Touch Pro Duo, codenamed ‘Blade’, combines two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens on the centre console working in perfect harmony. Information can be swiped from one screen to the other, making the layout highly intuitive and engaging to operate, with unrivalled functionality.

Following the introduction of the new Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) earlier in October, Jaguar Land Rover’s journey from ICE to ACE continues, moving from conventional internal combustion engines to Autonomous, Connected and Electrified vehicles.

The efficient new Range Rover P400e provides sustainable performance by combining a 221kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor. The 297kW total available power output* – available through the permanent four-wheel drive system – delivers 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 220km/h.

With an impressive 640Nm of torque, the new powertrain combines to deliver dynamic performance with traditional Range Rover capability, comfort and refinement.

Thanks to its electrified powertrain, the Range Rover P400e emits only 64g/km on the NEDC combined cycle and provides an all-electric range of up to 51km without the Ingenium petrol engine running. For the first time, customers choosing Land Rover’s flagship SUV can experience zero-emission driving.

The P400e provides whisper-quiet refinement with uncompromised off-road capability as well as enabling entry into areas with restrictions for air quality, including most congestion charging zones.

Drivers of the new PHEV model can choose from two driving modes:

  1. Parallel Hybrid mode (the default driving mode) – combines petrol and electric drive. The driver can optimise battery charge or fuel economy by utilising one of two charge management functions:
    • SAVE function – prevents the battery charge dropping below a pre-selected level
    • Predictive Energy Optimisation (PEO) function – entering a destination in the navigation system enables the feature, which utilises in built GPS altitude data for the selected route, to intelligently combine the electric motor and petrol engine to maximise fuel economy
  2. EV (Electric Vehicle) mode – enables the vehicle to run solely on the electric motor using the energy stored in the battery, the ideal solution for quiet, zero-emission journeys

The powertrain’s precision and control make for serene progress in all conditions and across all terrains. Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 technology has a unique calibration to intelligently and precisely distribute torque from the electric motor, which has no creep speed and is able to deliver maximum torque from zero rpm, to all four wheels. This gives greater control during low-speed off-road manoeuvres, confirming Range Rover’s outstanding breadth of effortless capability.

Nick Collins, Vehicle Line Director, Jaguar Land Rover said:

“The new Range Rover takes our luxury SUV to new heights, delivering enhanced refinement, luxury and all-terrain capability. The new PHEV powertrain isn’t simply a no-compromise solution – it builds on the traditions of our flagship SUV and delivers heightened refinement and comfort with impressive performance and efficiency.”

When rapid charging the 13.1kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery, a full charge can be achieved in as little as 2 hours 45 minutes at home using a dedicated 32-amp wall box. The battery can be fully charged in 7 hours 30 minutes using the 10-amp home charging cable supplied as standard. The Range Rover’s battery is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km, 70 per cent state-of-health warranty.

The Range Rover 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine is longitudinally mounted, with the 85kW electric motor housed in the ZF automatic eight-speed transmission at the centre of the vehicle alongside the 7kW on-board charger. The access point for the cable is at the front of the vehicle, while the prismatic cell lithium-ion battery is mounted at the rear beneath the boot floor. The P400e is available in both standard and long wheelbase body styles.

The new Range Rover has been enhanced with further technologies for greater comfort and convenience:

  • Gesture sunblind: opened and closed by an advanced gesture control system that senses an occupant’s hand movement. All it takes to open the blind is a rearward swipe in front of the rear-view mirror, and forwards to close
  • Air Cabin Ionisation: uses nano-sized charged water particles to cleanse and purify the air for enhanced passenger wellbeing
  • Pixel-laser LED headlights: advanced technology is brighter and yet intelligently blanks sections of LEDs to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers
  • Activity key: customers can securely lock and unlock their vehicle without the need to carry a conventional key fob

To experience tailored Range Rover luxury and performance in its most dynamic form, customers can now savour the enhanced SVAutobiography Dynamic – the most powerful production Range Rover to date. The output from its V8 supercharged petrol engine is up to 416kW (an 11kW increase), which delivers 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds. Striking design revisions include an exclusive Graphite Atlas mesh grille design with chrome inserts and a revised rear bumper with integrated metal tailpipe finishers.

Designed and engineered by Jaguar Land Rover in the UK, the new Range Rover will be produced at the company’s Solihull production facility. The new Range Rover is headed to South Africa, with pricing and launch dates to be confirmed.

 

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