MANILA, Philippines - Evolution is a slow process in that it takes an immensely long amount of time to change an organism into a more sophisticated, better-adapted species. This is probably why, since the launch of the very first Range Rover back in 1970, there have only been three generations of the vehicle—the Classic Range Rover, the P38A, and the L322—in over 40 years of production. The said vehicles only underwent a series of upgrades and spun off a series of variants. Because these workhorses were so ahead of their time, they sold well even after many years after their initial production.
“The Range Rover is really four vehicles in one,†says Range Rover managing director Phil Popham. “It’s a 7-days-a-week luxury motor car; a leisure vehicle that will range far and wide on the highways and noways of the world; a high-performance car for long distance travel; and a working cross-country vehicle.â€
Thus, it comes as another great milestone that the all-new, 4th-generation Range Rover is now available to the public; and LRPhils Motors, Inc.—the official importer-distributor of Land Rover vehicles in the Philippines—did it justice through an amazing launch celebration that was held at the Land Rover Activity Centre in Bonifacio Global City last Thursday.
With a spectacular entrance—traversing highly-inclined ramps and wading through over-knee-high water kept in a terrapod in an adjacent showroom—the all-new 2013 Range Rover rolled its wheels into the main showroom, flaunting its latest design: a modern and more aerodynamic interpretation of the Classic Range Rover model, while eliciting impressed oohs and aahs from the audience consisting of Range Rover owners, potential clients, friends, and members of the media.
“We have been receiving a lot of calls from our loyal customers as well as those wanting to own their first Land Rover,†shared LRPhils Motors Inc. President and Chairman, Wellington Soong. “The All-New Range Rover raises the bar in terms of luxury and performance, and we are just as excited to launch it,†he exclaimed.
The all-new flagship model differs from its predecessors mainly by using an all-aluminum monocoque structure as its platform—a first for an SUV—which consequently reduces its mass by 420 kgs. compared to the outgoing model, while enhancing vehicle performance and handling. The vehicle’s new lightweight property also promises to deliver improved fuel economy and hence, less CO2 emissions. It comes with completely reengineered 4-corner air suspension that is meant to further refine ride quality and make the vehicle more capable of swiftly changing between different ride heights.
Another main highlight of the all-new Range Rover is its new version of the Terrain Response System, now called the Terrain Response 2. At work, it basically analyzes the vehicle’s current driving conditions and automatically selects the optimum settings for the vehicle to achieve the smoothest ride even on the roughest terrain (which may include grass/gravel/snow, mud/ruts, sand and rock).
And staying true to its reputation of embodying the pinnacle of SUV refinement, this latest model showcases a more spacious and luxurious interior—upholstered with the finest leather with tailored hand-stitching, that covers every interior surface from the seats to the instrument panel to the doors and to the headlining. Lavish wood veneers accentuate the cabin and even the door handles boast of a classy metal finish. A two-seat executive class seating package is also available for added rear-seat luxury.
Furthermore, the flagship model features a state-of-the-art high-resolution display screen with dual-view functionality—allowing the driver and front passenger to view completely different content, via the touchscreen (i.e. the passenger can watch movies while the driver views navigational instructions).
And to give it that new-age twist, this latest Range Rover can now also parallel park itself via Park Assist, a smart system that uses sensors to identify vacant parking spaces and uses the electric-power-assisted steering to automatically steer you into place, while you simply control the reverse switch and the brakes.
With all this luxury at hand, it is no surprise that royalties such as Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince Rainier of Monaco, and the Sultan of Brunei all own Range Rovers.
“With the introduction of the All-New Range Rover, considered the most refined and most capable Range Rover ever, we can expect to add more followers to our strong, loyal customer base,†remarked Soong.
The Range Rover will be available in a variety of high-performing petrol and diesel engines: 3.0L TDV6 diesel; 4.4L SDV8 diesel; 5.0L V8 petrol; and 5.0L V8 supercharged petrol. The LR-TDV6 diesel model features an earth-friendly, intelligent Stop/Start system that automatically shuts down the engine as soon as the vehicle becomes stationary, to conserve fuel. The engine likewise automatically starts once the driver’s foot is lifted from the brakes.