By Otsile Kadiege

After countless leaks of images and short videos in the past week, Land Rover has officially revealed the all-new, fifth generation Range Rover. The British marque’s range-topping SUV boasts an evolutionary and somewhat minimal design, a host of new technologies, a powerful V8 powerplant, a plug-in hybrid and a range of customisations through the Special Vehicles Operations personalisation programme. 

Exterior design

Modernism, integrity, purpose and desirability are the words used to describe the new Range Rover’s design philosophy. The brand’s range-topper boasts elegant proportions and clean surfaces. The sophisticated surfaces provide a clean and contemporary appearance – and contribute to a drag coefficient of 0.30, making this the most aerodynamically efficient luxury SUV in the world.

According to the British automaker, the new Range Rover is defined by three lines that can trace their origins back through the generations; the falling roofline, strong waistline and rising sill line.

The most significant changes to the new Range Rover’s exterior design is its rear-end which now boasts a distinctive new boat tail rear – complete with practical split tailgate – to create an elegant profile that conveys Range Rover’s peerless presence.

Up front, the new Range Rover is fitted with new high-definition Digital LED Headlights, as standard, providing a beam range of up to 500m. They feature signature daytime running lights, animated indicators, Adaptive Front Lighting and Image Projection technology on start-up, making them the most advanced headlights ever fitted to a Land Rover.  

Interior design and technology 

The luxurious interior of the new Range Rover is underpinned by modern, intuitive and relevant technologies, designed to work harmoniously with the finest materials, which are sustainable, responsible and progressive than ever, and wellbeing innovations to create a calm sanctuary for all occupants. 

It’s equipped with a large 13.1-inch touch curved , floating touch display with Land Rover’s award-winning Pivi Pro infotainment technology, third generation Active Noise Cancellation1 system, Cabin Air Purification Pro2 and Rear Seat Entertainment (RSE) system, which provides adjustable 11.4-inch HD touchscreens mounted on the rear of the front seatbacks to list a few. 

The new Range Rover is also fitted with advanced speaker technology which is built on the fundamental refinement provided by the MLA-Flex body architecture to deliver serene cabin calmness. It uses the 1,600W Meridian Signature Sound System to create one of the quietest vehicle interiors on the road, with additional 20W speakers in the four main headrests for an immersive sound experience. 

The MLA-Flex body architecture provides Standard and Long Wheelbase bodystyles with luxurious four, five or seven-seat interiors. 

Powertrains

In South Africa the New Range Rover will be available in a choice of new Extended Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrains, the P440e and P510e, the Ingenium diesel D350 engine and a powerful new petrol flagship – the P530 Twin Turbo V8. 

The New Range Rover is the first Land Rover to be powered by a new 4.4-litre V8 engine making 390kW and 750Nm of torque, and powers the new Range Rover from 0-100km/h in 4.6s with Dynamic Launch engaged, and to a top speed of 250km/h.

The powerful D350 diesel produces 257kW and 700Nm of torque, and powers New Range Rover from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

The new Extended-Range PHEVs in-line six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine is available in a choice of 323kW or 375kW outputs, with a 38.2kWh lithium-ion battery – with usable capacity of 31.8kWh – and a 105kW electric motor integrated with the transmission. 

All powertrains are driven through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox and twin-speed transmission. 
Manoeuvring an SUV as large as the new Range Rover in tight parking spaces can be a daunting task, however, all Range Rovers are now equipped with All-Wheel Steering, which combines superior high-speed stability with exceptional manoeuvrability at low speeds – and a turning circle of less than 11m. 

Availability

The new Range Rover will be launched in South Africa toward the middle of 2022 with pricing to be available closer to the time.