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By EWAN
KENNEDY
21 September 2009
Eastnor Casle in Herefordshire, England, is a special place
for those who love their Range Rovers. It's the location of a
series of major off-road test courses that are sometimes available
to Range Rover owners for driving, or simply for getting together
with one another to enjoy socialising and chatting about their
favourite vehicles.
We have just spent an excellent day putting what can only be
described as the world’s most competent luxury car through its
off-road paces. That's right, luxury ‘car’ because the latest
Range Rover for 2010 almost feels as though it's a car not an SUV.
Contrarily, it's not an SUV either, because this is a 4WD in the
true sense of the word. A vehicle that can tackle ultra-tough
terrain and come out the other side of harsh terrain that's well
within the capability of a vehicle that's equally at home in the
rough or in the most posh social areas.
Highlights of the 2010 Range Rover range include more powerful new
engines, fascinating new electronic technologies and increased
occupant comfort. Improvements to the already good driving
dynamics complete the package.
Exterior styling changes see revisions to the shape of the
radiator grille that is deeper than before. The front and rear
bumpers have a simpler, more squared-off shape and the front
lights sit in a different position in the lower grille. That
grille itself has a brightly finished bar that draws increased
attention to that area of the front of the Range Rover.
But the model year 2010 Range Rover isn't about that new shape,
the real emphasis is on what lies under the bonnet. An all-new
5.0-litre V8 petrol engine, developed jointly with Jaguar, is
installed in either naturally aspirated or supercharged format.
When supercharged, the engine produces more power than ever
before, at 375 kW, but also has improved fuel economy. Without the
blower the engine still manages a hefty 276 kW.
It goes without saying that reduced emissions are part of the new
equation, with reductions of about five to ten per cent across the
board.
The popular 3.6-litre TDV8 turbo-diesel engine continues in the
lineup and feels even more refined than before thanks to changes
made to the overall vehicle body in the interests of improved
occupant comfort.
Inside is what Range Rover says is the world's first automotive
application of dual-view touch screen technology. The touch screen
display allows driver and front seat passenger to view two
different images simultaneously. So the passenger can enjoy a DVD
movie while the driver follows navigation instructions on the same
screen.
What appears to be a normal instrument cluster is actually a
virtual, 12-inch Thin Film Transistor (TFT) screen. This can have
numerous information displays according to driving conditions and
driver desires. Fascinatingly when the Rangie is set up in serious
off-road mode the speedometer is moved over to make additional
room for driver assist displays. The reasoning being that you
don’t need to see the section of the speedo displaying high
speeds.
This is no gimmick and really sharp pictures are supplied for all
occupants. Try a trip down to your local Range Rover dealership to
see for yourself, it really is fascinating.
State-of-the-art Adaptive Dynamics (AD) technology improves the
Range Rover Vogue's already excellent ride quality. We were most
impressed by the way this large vehicle wafted along motorways or
country back roads seemingly almost separated from the outside
world from the point of view of passengers. Yet the driver has
plenty of road feel through the steering wheel and even by the
good old ‘seat of the pants’. The big Range Rover isn't a
sports sedan, but it's a lot closer to being one than we would
ever have thought possible.
Safety aids including adaptive cruise control, emergency brake
assist, blind spot monitoring, and a surround camera system.
For off-road running, and owners of these vehicles really do take
them into the grubby stuff, updated Terrain Response and Stability
Control Systems are installed. There are numerous settings,
including a ‘launch-control’ system dedicated to sand running,
as well as improved versions of the hill ascent and hill descent
systems pioneered by Land Rover over a decade ago.
The interior benefits from more luxurious materials and finishes
which add further refinement to the premium cabin ambience.
There's good interior space for five adults, though our preferred
method of travel is in four-seat mode where a useful central
divider in the rear provides convenience and comfort for a
pampered pair.
The complete model year 2010 Range Rover Vogue range, with prices
(excluding dealer and government charges) is:
TDV8: $155,000
TDV8 Luxury: $179,500
TDV8 Autobiography: $208,900
5.0 V8: $158,000
5.0 V8 Supercharged Autobiography: $229,500
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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