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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover
There are most definitely similarities between the classic and modern Range Rover. However, the fake grills and 22-inch wheels drive me nuts.
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover
It might weigh quite a bit more, but the new Rangy is just as game as the Classic.
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover Lights
Modern touches include a 360-degree camera view as well as these very cool halo lighting.
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover Rear
Still sporting the functional split opening tailgate.
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Ian Greenwell photos
2014 Range Rover Wheels
I’m of the opinion that 22-inch wheels have no place on a 4WD, but the citizens of West Vancouver seem to think differently. Adjustable air suspension, that's fantastic.
Story by Budd Stanley, photos by Ian Greenwell
The Range Rover has been a formidable off-roader since it burst onto the scene back in 1970. It was a vehicle that sent Land Rover on its future path to building off-road vehicles that moonlighted as limousines. It was a pioneer, the first luxury 4x4, a vehicle full of the latest technology and one you felt guilty getting into with you muddy Gum Boots.
However, with the new Rangy now rolling off the showroom floor, a simple look at its sculpted design brings the question, has the pendulum swung too far to the luxury side of the equation?
With only ten minutes at the wheel, I knew this was the Rolls Royce… or should I say Jaguar, for the adventurer that yearns to leave the smooth congested streets of the urban prison. Sitting in such plush and luxurious surrounds in my cargo’s, hikers and fleece, I felt as though I was polluting its extravagant environment. However, behind the wheel the Rangy definitely gives its driver a sense of importance. A kind of feeling of superiority that if left unchecked, could have you yelling from the window, “get off my land hippies,” to dog walkers at the local wilderness park.
Like they say, power corrupts, and if this is true, than the Range Rover is the North Korea of four-wheel-drives, packing a massive 510-horsepower from its supercharged 5-litre V-8. You got to love a company that still choose Superchargers in a day when turbo’s are all the rage to gain better efficiency ratings. There’s just something more manly about a Supercharger, but its not like Land Rover have tossed eco-consciousness to the wind in the name of mechanical romanticism. With the aid of air suspension that squats at speed, highly tuned aerodynamics, an 8-speed transmission and the industries first all-aluminum unibody SUV that Land Rover claim knocks 318 kg (700 lb) off the curb weight, the Range Rover has improved its fuel sucking nature substantially. Land Rover posts the big Rangy gets 12.6L/100km in the city, 8.6 in the country. In the real world I achieved 13.9 in the city and a little over 10L/100km on the highway. That’s really not bad when you consider this is still a ridiculously heavy beast despite the aluminum diet coupled with a throttle pedal that can open the floodgates at a split seconds notice.
Putting that power to the road is the full-time intelligent 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case that uses a bevel-gear centre differential, providing a 50:50 torque split, and a selectable low-range equipped with a ratio of 2.93:1. Mechanically speaking, the Range Rover sports a multi-plate clutch centre differential that provides locking and torque-biasing functions.
Complimenting the mechanicals is the Terrain Response 2 Auto system, the successor of the system that pioneered selectable terrain modes and is able to switch automatically between the five settings: General; Grass/Gravel/Snow; Mud/Ruts; Sand, and Rock Crawl. Don’t want a computer doing the work for you, that’s fine, the system can also be switched into manual mode for a little extra self-satisfaction that you’re a better driver than a computer could ever be. Of course, paired with the onboard systems is a myriad of driver aids, including Hill Descent Control (HDC®), Gradient Release Control (GRC) and many others.
The sometime infamous air suspension proved its worth to me. Down the highway, the Range Rover drove like a Jag, smooth and quiet. Toss the Terrain Response system into Rock Crawl and the suspension lifts the body 75.5 mm (3-inches) delivering 260 mm (10.2-inches) of wheel travel at the front and 310 mm (12.2-inches) at the rear. The pneumatically cross-linked air springs provide excellent wheel articulation and traction to wheels being lightly loaded.
It works together to make the dirty task of off-road a much more refined, pleasant and civil act. Yet at the same time, there are most definitely heavy consequences to be paid if you want to test the Rangy’s off-road prowess and want to keep it looking as good as the day you brought it home. Top Gear fans will remember James May taking on a Military Autonomous vehicle with a Range Rover in a cross-country race to the top of a mountain. While the camera’s reported no damage, the reality is a total of eleven wheels were destroyed in the making of that video, clearly identifying the big Rangy’s, as well as pretty much every Land Rovers, Achilles heal. The problem is they are just too damned beautiful to be thrashing through the wilderness. 22-inch wheels just don’t belong anywhere other than the smoothest and finely graded tarmac roads and when faced with an immovable object in your path any larger than five inches tall, you’re likely going to end in a rather expensive cosmetic bill.
While the off-road course I subjecting my tester to was impressive, it was built by Land Rover Instructors to be bias for the vehicles and can’t accurately duplicate the added dangers of what will be found in the real world. However, it did show me what the drivetrain was capable of if one were to throw caution to the wind; and that is this is one damn good off-roader.
Yet, I can’t help but think how much better the Rangy could be if it was fitted with smaller wheels, larger more aggressive wheels, and did not have the handicap of a low front bumper valance. Well, in an off-roader ruled world, this would be how the Range Rover would come from the factory, ready to lounge it up in the worlds furthest reaches, however, in the real world, the public as a whole demand huge power and fuel efficiency at the same time while on-road manners count first. With a price tag reaching triple digits, this customer is all the more demanding.
Of course, there will be those that say the Rangy has gotten too big, too technical, to complicated. However I would put forward the same argument that I did with the Range Rover Sport, in saying that this was always what a Range Rover was. The entire concept of the Range Rover was to be a bigger, more luxurious model to the Series Land Rover. That’s exactly what the Range Rover continues to be, albeit, not as rough around the edges anymore. Regardless, I loved the Range Rover. I don’t think it looks as good as the old one, and I hate the fake side gills, but as a true luxury off-roader; you really can’t do any better with the exception of the G-wagon. However, the Rangy will have more to fear in the future as Bentley, Lamborghini and Maserati are all developing their own prestige all-terrainers. Competition, yes, competitive off-roaders, me thinks not.
SPECIFICATIONS:
- MSRP: $114,990
- Price as tested: $120,575
- Engine: 5.0L Supercharged V-8
- Power: 510 hp, 461 lb-ft
- Transmission: 8-speed Automatic
- Curb Weight kg (lb): 2,330 (5,137)
- Wheelbase mm (in): 2,922 (115)
- Ground Clearance mm (in): 303 (11.9) (Off-Road Height)
- Approach Angle Deg: 34.7 (Off-Road Height)
- Departure Angle Deg: 29.6 (Off-Road Height)
- Ramp Breakover Angle: 28.3 (Off-Road Height)
- Wading Depth mm (in): 900 (35.4)
- Tow Capacity kg (lb): 3,500 (7,716)
- Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): City: 12.6, Hwy: 8.6, Comb: 10.8