Range Rover’s launch party was something special. Not just because the iconic brand is coming up with four-wheel steering, a long wheelbase third-row seat option, or the best luxury interior ever, but the party at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures was a blast. You would expect celebrities, VIPs, media, and plenty of new fashionistas at the venue, and we were all there. But a portion of the crowd, thanks to the Range rover free bar, were not paying attention to Gerry McGoverns presentation of this iconic go-anywhere automobile.
The new car is an excellent example of less id more. The minimalist approach to the exterior design works. It is a solid package that makes the car stand out on its own, with a few details here and there. The overall exterior look retains the shape that made the car an icon. The Range Rover original design is still there. Just like a piece of art, this SUV is enjoyable to look at. The flushed door handles, the lack of shaped body panels, a delicate rear tail light arrangement somehow work in a way that makes it unique. Inside though, this Range Rover has an incredible feeling of luxury and craftsmanship. You can feel the high quality throughout, from the leather upholstery to the ceramic coating on the knobs and switches.
Power remains a V8, but we learned that a plug-in version and an all-electric Range Rover are on the way in just a couple of years. The crowd loved it, and several people I talked to were ready to place their order right there. A base price of around $108,000 seems fair in today’s market, although a fully loaded one I estimate could cost a lot more. A Land Rover/ Range Rover is not a car for everyone. It speaks to those that believe in the power of being able to go anywhere without compromises. I like what I saw, and I will have to wait to get behind the steering wheel to tell you if the look matches the performance. Somehow I think it will.
