If you have the courage, the new
Range Rover will take you almost to any place on earth. But would you, knowing
the price?
The Britons refer to the Range Rover as the
‘world’s best car’, with a plush interior on a par with the Bentley’s, a supple
ride matching the Rolls-Royce’s, the performance of a Porsche and off-roading
abilities of… er… a Land Rover. Is it another case of national pride that
always brings James Bond back to life despite innumerable attempts by his
malicious enemies brandishing lethal guns?
If
you have the courage, the new Range Rover will take you almost to any place on
earth. But would you, knowing the price?
Unlike the spy with a ‘license to kill’,
most things said about the Rangie are true, which I discovered when I drove it
first in Morocco last year. But once it is imported to India as a completely
built-up unit (CBU), the ratios change, you can send your gratitude to the
Indian import laws, for it becomes more than twice as expensive in our country
after paying the Customs duty. You need to pay over $334,000 ($292,000,
ex-showroom Pune) for the diesel-powered 4.4-litre SD-V8 top-of-the-line
Autobiography model, which we tested. So, does it make sense in India? We
explore.
What’s so special about this SUV?
If you mean
a sport utility vehicle (SUV), then there is nothing utilitarian about the
Range Rover. There’s richness and superior quality everywhere you look. And
then it takes you in the lap of luxury from point A to B and even rock-crawls
to D if you want to bypass point C, like no other. Why I say that is because it
brilliantly blends the dual character a luxury car and extreme off-roader in
one car with Star Trek-ish engineering. In fact, the company describes it as
the world’s first aluminum SUV, helping it save over300 kg of mass. But
aluminum is a lot more expensive than steel, which, in turn, makes the Range
Rover a lot more expensive than its competitors.
What’s
so special about this SUV?
So, has it lost the old-school charm?
Not really, as the company still complies
with the clear engineering and design principles and remains true to the Range
Rover design, which has been consistently followed since the first one back in
the 1970s. The silhouette remains unmistakable, with the clamshell bonnet,
floating roof and clear boxy shapes. But to be socially more acceptable the
Range Rover is not as upright as the earlier models and is mighty slippery to
help it glide through air. It’s also wider, longer and lower in standard
driving height than the older Range Rover, but it’s hard to notice any of it
due to the smart design. The important thing here is that it doesn’t compromise
on off-roading ability for styling, like some other SUVs that attempt to be
utterly sporty.
Where’s the luxury car bit?
If you’ve been in the old Range Rover, then
the interior of the new one will stun you with its opulence and limousine-like
quality and construction. The cabin is simple yet classy, very luxurious and
roomy. It’s laced with exquisite material, finest leather and wood, finished
with unparalleled workmanship. You’ll notice the effort and care put in to
tantalize you in everything you touch, smell and see.
The engineers have shelved half the
switches and controls to make the cabin look neater and now most of the
function can be operated through the intuitive touchscreen. Although most dials
and chrome accents look like metal, they are actually of a high-quality
plastic, in a bid to save weight. I find the delicate rotary gear selector on
this cross-country SUV to be a bit out of place and preferred it better on my
dilapidated Sonodyne hi-fi. There the usual throne-like driver’s seat, which
offers imperious driving position, as expected from the Range Rover.
Where’s
the luxury car bit?
The thin rim of the four-spoke steering
wheel of our test vehicle came wrapped in high grade leather and wood. I hardly
let go of the wheel, as the cool audio and cruise control buttons are held
beautifully on it, well within my thumbs’ reach. There’s nothing really to
complain besides the steering-mounted gear shift paddles, which felt flimsy and
out of place in this upmarket neighborhood.
