Have a friend who works at JLR, got a text a couple of weeks ago about the new range rover and how it was going to be something special :) Well tell me what you think.

The RR press - Pistonheads

I think its mental :)

Been working on these for a couple of years now, from modified current model to these new full production versions through all the development phases. Supercharged ones go fairly well, this is the second model iv followed through most of the process, first being the evoque. Lots more going on too, love my job

Edited 8 September, 201214 yr by harris.racing

400kg weight saving over the previous one. Yowzers.

I look at it and wonder where they're going with these things. They look quite silly in the press-release shots of them off road.

Huge alloys with such low profile rubber, over boulders, in mud, really? With that front bumper?

400kgs sounds impressive, bet it's still heavier than the long running original one though.

Why are they still bothering with the off road stuff? I bet the vast majority of the buyers won't use them in anything more than a field or some snow.

Nick why aint you put bike carbs on it ??

Why are they still bothering with the off road stuff? I bet the vast majority of the buyers won't use them in anything more than a field or some snow.

It's a status thing, a people carrier would do the job that most of these will ever do and probably better, but people carries don't act like a Willy waving tool in the way that these do

My boss owns one of the previous ones and so does his dad, neither of them have seen little more than a puddle, infact I've never once seen either of them looking anything other than pristine. Each to their own and all that, but these type of cars really do seem to attract a certain sort of owner

Why are they still bothering with the off road stuff? I bet the vast majority of the buyers won't use them in anything more than a field or some snow.

It's a status thing, a people carrier would do the job that most of these will ever do and probably better, but people carries don't act like a Willy waving tool in the way that these do

My boss owns one of the previous ones and so does his dad, neither of them have seen little more than a puddle, infact I've never once seen either of them looking anything other than pristine. Each to their own and all that, but these type of cars really do seem to attract a certain sort of owner

WAGS.. essex nice people .. AAAAAAAAND managing directors of stupid companys ...

They get used offroad...you just think in the UK which is a tiny market compared to the worldwide one lol.

A 22" wheel + tyre is about 46kg IIRC!

Plus I don't think people appreciate how difficult it is to make a car which is excellent off road, comfortable, and able to beat a fair few sports cars round bends, it's a constant argument between departments to get things how they each want them

Still doesn't take away the fact that they are genrally bought by wankers who think they are better than "ordinary people".

Seats set 90mm higher than any other premium SUV ensure the command dominating driving position is suitably commanding domineering.

Says it all really...

400kgs sounds impressive, bet it's still heavier than the long running original one though.

May be heavier but is quicker, easier to off road, faster, more comfortable, more economical and better in every way aside from looks.

Plus I don't think people appreciate how difficult it is to make a car which is excellent off road, comfortable, and able to beat a fair few sports cars round bends, it's a constant argument between departments to get things how they each want them

you say its excellent off road but compared to what? Bentley's and jags like all the other company directs have?

it would be interesting to see how they fair off road tho, just parking it on some rocks and taking photo's of it doesn't give much of of an idea of it's actual off roading abilities. as already pointed out it's pretty clear what market it's aimed at just by looking at it, and it's not the off roading market

Edited 9 September, 201214 yr by Mclovin

There are other good offroaders such as toyotas, but they wouldn't get round a circuit as fast or be used by footballers

Surely being driven by premiership bitches is a reason NOT to buy? Good job your not in the marketing department Nick

There was a thread on Club GTI along similar lines to this one, but about the Evoque. It was full of comments from people not in the market for a soft roader nor able to afford one saying how they'd not buy one. People seem to forget that the point of a car manufacturer is to design, build and sell cars - not design stuff that forum experts think is cool! Like it or not, this is the kind of car people with the cash to buy it seem to want - the opinion of people like me who can't afford it and wouldn't buy one anyway is totally irrelevant!

As for off-road ability, everyone seems to accept unquestionably that the Defender is brilliant - but it's the only current LR/RR product that can't get round some bits of the Gaydon off-road track.

Andy surely that would also mean that non of us could ever give an opinion on a super car, a rare as fuck classic or any other car we couldn't afford or wouldn't buy?

might as well change the heading of this section to

General Car Chat

Discussion of cars and motoring in general (as long as you can afford or would buy one)

I still think the Veyron is ugly and impractical.

I still think the Veyron is ugly and impractical.

but your opinion is irrelevant because you can't afford or wouldn't buy one

Wasn't quite my point Guy! JLR aren't going to give a shit about what pikey Polo owners like us think - but doesn't mean we can't discuss it in here. My point was more aimed at those questioning why the car had been designed the way it has, the answer is - because that's what JLR thinks will sell and be profitable.

Hopefully it drives better on road than the L322 model it replaces, some of the twin turbo V8 diesel calibration on the old model is my fault.

Its not what they think will sell. Its what they are going to be shoving down the throats of business execs until the choke and buy one.

Its like mercedes and BMW and their executive saloon cars. They have some reputation as being owned by wealthy businessmen and in a way are a sign of success. But that is all its become. An "I've got a better car than you" object. Pure materialism. At its worst.

My father-in-law owns a Discovery 4. Yes it amazing when its snowy and icey, but that has only been of use 1 time since he has owned it.

He doesn't "do" off-roading.

He doesnt have 5 children to make use of the 7 seats.

He only has it as a status symbol. Something that is bigger than other cars out there and (in his own words) not something you would argue with on the road.

Its not even comfortable or economical! And guess what it gets used for... yep... the school run.

not a fan of the modern soft off roaders, mainly due to the fact that if you go off road and it gets damaged it will cost

££££ to put right.

i reckon that 95% will never see any more demanding terrain than a field or maybe a bit of snow, actually going be the last few years i saw more discos and range rovers sat on their drives untouched and covered in snow than on the road!

which brings me to the conclusion that they can only be status symbols, because i can't see any logical reason to buy one.

Edited 9 September, 201214 yr by polo45

It's been the same score with the new Golf - loads of people saying it's boring, it looks like the old one, and Volkswagen could be more adventurous.

Thing is, Volkswagen sells masses of Golfs worldwide. It's always been an anodyne German car. Great at what it does, but ultimately quite conservative, and the new one sticks to that formula. If it arrived looking like a Fiat Multipla, they'd be pulling the rug out from under their own feet.

And it's the same with the Range Rover. Technologically brilliant machine, and yes ok so most don't go off road, but the whole off-road thing is stitched firmly into the Land Rover character. Of course you'll blunt its ability to go off road if you fit 22s, but the people fitting 22s probably won't ever get it muddy.

Defender is an interesting one. I adore the Defender, and I'd love to have one, but it's a bit of a relic. Driving it back to back with the latest crop of built-for-hard-work off-roaders, you realise quickly that you take a lot of sacrifices in comfort and refinement for not much, if any, gains in off-roading ability. I doubt it'd leave something like a Hilux behind, for example, and the Hilux drives like a firmly sprung car when you're not on mud.

In fact, the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux both have better wading depths than the Defender, and the Range Rover has nearly twice the wading depth, for example...

They get used offroad...you just think in the UK which is a tiny market compared to the worldwide one lol.

A 22" wheel + tyre is about 46kg IIRC!

a wise lad at work from new zealand told me if you want to go ino the desert, buy a land rover. if you want to come back, buy a toyota!

I've seen a fair few of these new landies, i probably wouldnt have paid any attention to them had they not been covered in camo! I think that is a good thing though, as they still look like a land rover. I dont think their off-road ability holds much relevance anymore, lets face it, they are very much a fashion accesory, just like the new mini is. No-one can deny though that land rover jag have done a great job of turning the brands around though! I for one would love a jag xf as a family run around.

Edited 10 September, 201214 yr by g40jon

The new range rover is a very capable car, as is the current L322, as said above until you've been in one to appreciate what they can do its a bit silly having such strong opinions about stuff lol.

A jaguar XF is a lovely car too, they are so nice to drive, but jaguar have a bad reputation for being for old people, I'd have one for sure!

And you say about off roading, at least it's not the lexus 4x4 hybrid which voids the warranty if you go offroad, which apparabtaly a gravel driveway is offroad!

I'm off to work now, likely be working on new range rover today actually, I'll let you know if I get stuck trying to get over a speed bump though :)