Long before the luxury SUVs of today appeared in showrooms, there was just the Range Rover in the segment that had yet to be created. It was introduced 50 years ago in June 1970, a product at the top of the Land Rover Range which even the Queen of England appreciated.
Over five decades, the Range Rover has been a pioneer of all-wheel drive technologies, achieved many world firsts and completed numerous impressive feats. It was the first SUV to feature a permanent 4WD system when it was launched and, in 1989, was the world’s first 4×4 to be fitted with ABS. Three years later, it became the world’s first 4×4 to be fitted with electronic traction control and automatic electronic air suspension. In 2012, the latest generation Range Rover became the world’s first SUV to feature an all-aluminium lightweight construction, making it lighter, stronger and more efficient.
A must-have in the garages of many rich and famous owners, the Range Rover has also made a name for itself as a very capable all-terrain vehicle. It has crossed the notoriously impassable ‘Darien Gap,’ a remote and dangerous area between Panama and Colombia. It has been used by adventurers to explore new territory on the planet and has even been a winner in the Paris-Dakar rally – twice. And it was the first vehicle to ever be displayed at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
To celebrate 50 years of a motoring icon, a Range Rover Fifty edition of the fourth generation has been created, restricted to just 1,970 vehicles globally, in recognition of the year the original Range Rover was launched. Building on the luxuriously appointed Autobiography, the Range Rover Fifty features a number of bespoke exterior accents in Auric Atlas as well as two unique 22-inch wheel designs.
The badging features a ‘Fifty’ script created personally by the ‘Guardian of Land Rover DNA’, Professor Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Creative Officer, which will appear on the exterior of the vehicle and throughout the interior on the unique ‘1 of 1970’ centre console commissioning plaque, headrests, dashboard and illuminated treadplates.
“In the world of luxury vehicles, the Range Rover has always stood apart as peerless and enduring,” said Prof. McGovern. “Its unique and pioneering sensibilities, together with an unrivalled engineering approach, have been the intrinsic values which our customers have admired since the first of the breed was revealed in 1970.”
The Range Rover Fifty will be available in both standard and long wheelbase body designs with customers able to choose from four carefully curated exterior colours. Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations is also offering the Range Rover Fifty in one of three Heritage exterior solid paints reproduced from the original Range Rover paint palette of Tuscan Blue, Bahama Gold and Davos White.
A range of powertrain options will be available – petrol, diesel and even a plug-in hybrid P400e version. For customers in North America, each example will be fitted with a 518 bhp 5-litre supercharged V8 powertrain.
Land Rover has always been a pioneer and leader in the 4×4 segment, offering vehicles tough enough for military use and for civilians to go almost anywhere on the planet (except over the oceans). In 1970, the company decided to develop a new model which today can be considered the first premium luxury SUV – the Range Rover.
The first Range Rover, a 2-door model, had all the robust qualities of the utilitarian models and was just as capable on any terrain with its 4×4 system. “The idea was to combine the comfort and on-road ability of a Rover saloon with the off-road ability of a Land Rover. Nobody was doing it at the time. It seemed worth a try and Land Rover needed a new product,” said Spen King, who is regarded as the Father of the Range Rover. He was the company’s engineering chief in 1970 and his uncles were the Wilks brothers – Spencer and Maurice – who jointly founded Land Rover in 1948.
In the years that followed, it would become a technology leader among what came to be called SUVs or Sport Utility Vehicles. It introduced ABS, Electronic Traction Control and Automatic Electronic Air Suspension to the SUV world and, with the 2012 Range Rover, pioneered aluminium body architecture in large SUVs. In 2015, the Range Rover was the first vehicle to be fitted with Land Rover’s innovative All-Terrain Progress Control which optimises performance on all kinds of surfaces.
Previously a flagship model of the Land Rover range, the Range Rover evolved into a brand of its own and has a range which currently comprises the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar, as well as the Range Rover.
The Range Rover line-up in the model’s 50th year.
“Over five decades, the Range Rover has evolved into the most desirable luxury SUV in the world. Its peerless combination of sophisticated design, refinement and capability has struck an emotional chord with customers all over the globe,” said Prof. Gerry McGovern, Chief Creative Officer at Land Rover.
To celebrate the Range Rover’s Golden Jubilee, Land Rover created a giant piece of sub-zero art at its cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, close to the Arctic circle in Sweden. The 260-metre wide artwork filled the centre of the steering pad at the test track where all future Land Rover models are put through their paces during development.
Land Rover’s Arjeplog facility uses a frozen lake to provide the perfect conditions for engineers to test and assess the latest models. Arjeplog is also home to the Jaguar Land Rover Ice Academy, where customers experience the thrill of dynamic ice driving, under careful instruction from world-class driving experts.
Renowned snow artist Simon Beck created the 53,092 sq. metre anniversary logo by walking more than 45,000 steps across the powdery surface inside the steering pad, accompanied by a quartet of the latest Range Rover SV models.
Renowned snow artist Simon Beck walked more than 45,000 steps over the snow to create the anniversary logo.
Since 2014 the expert engineers, craftsmen and women at Special Vehicle Operations have been responsible for designing and producing the fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive Range Rover models in model’s 50-year history.
The biggest selling SV model to date and the fastest and most dynamic Range Rover ever produced is the Range Rover Sport SVR. It has a 575 ps engine which can rocket it from standstill to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds and top out at 283 km/h.
Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia has just rolled out the 3.0L R-Dynamic variant of the Range Rover Velar for local motoring enthusiasts who want to experience more power in their drive while enjoying the “modernity and elegance” that this luxurious mid-sized SUV has to offer. Priced at RM722,787, this variant is now available at all LR showrooms nationwide.
The P380 Supercharged V6 petrol engine, this variant offers exhilarating performance that enables the Velar to reach 100km/h in only 5.7 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. The exhaust note has been enhanced to produce a deep powerful note that is sweet sounding to match the refined cabin.
The Velar is known for its exquisite cabin which uses premium and luxury materials to reflect extravagance. The instrument panel’s strong, horizontal beam is the defining element of the Velar’s interior architecture while the slender air vents reinforce the Velar’s reductive, technology-enabled design. The seats are covered with perforated leather combined with Kvadrat’s* luxurious fabric for an opulent plush.
*Only available with the Premium Textile Interior Pack.
More on the Range Rover Velar 3.0…
Pioneering consumer technologies such as the flush deployable door handles and the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system are among the advanced features of the Velar. The Touch Pro Duo features two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens integrated seamlessly behind secret-until-lit surfaces. These slim, intuitive displays work in harmony with the cabin architecture while adding an overall sense of modernity to the vehicle’s design.
The flush deployable door handles are a futuristic feature and deploy when the vehicle is unlocked and retract once the vehicle is locked. The door handle design contributes to the low drag coefficient. At only 0.32, it is the most aerodynamically-efficient Land Rover ever produced. Another great feature that adds to the aesthetics of the Velar is the Matrix LED Headlights, one of the most slender headlights to appear on a Land Rover vehicle. These boldly designed headlights produce a quality of light close to daylight, giving excellent illumination and reducing eye fatigue.
The Velar’s body is built with aluminium-intensive monocoque using Jaguar Land Rover’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture. Aluminium alloys account for more than 81 percent of the body-in-white – a figure no competitor can match. Its light, stiff, aluminium-intensive body, together with double-wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension provides the perfect basis for agile handling, superior ride comfort and outstanding refinement. It also delivers exceptional levels of crash protection that the Velar has been developed to meet.
It is also one of the safest vehicles due to its comprehensive safety system that includes six airbags and a suite of technology advanced driver assistance system. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go and Emergency Braking system that is equipped in the Velar adds on to the driver’s convenience when cruising on the highway or driving in traffic. The ACC maintains a set cruising speed, and a driver-selectable gap to the vehicle in front. The technology ensures that the vehicle will come to a complete stop when the vehicle in front does.
The radar-based High-Speed Emergency Braking technology increases the capacity and speed at which Emergency Braking is able to function, operating between 10-160km/h. If the radar detects an imminent collision, it will sound an audible alert to the driver and, if the driver doesn’t take any avoiding action, the vehicle will brake in order to mitigate a collision.
The 3.0L Velar features a sophisticated all-wheel drive system, four-corner air suspension, class-leading ground clearance of 251mm, class-leading wading depth of 650mm. The air suspension’s ride height drops by 10mm when cruising at speeds above 105km/h to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency.
Designed and engineered at Jaguar Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, the Velar is manufactured at the company’s Solihull production facility.
The Velar is recognised globally and locally as one of the best SUVs of 2018. Among its recent awards include the Premium Large SUV of Malaysia by the 2018 Cars of Malaysia Aurizn Awards and Best Large-size Luxury SUV/Crossover by Star Carsifu Editor’s Choice Awards 2018.
All vehicles distributed by Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia are compatible with the Malaysian climate, environment, fuel quality and meet the Malaysian emission standard. All Land Rover vehicles distributed by authorised dealers also come with the Land Rover Care programme which includes a five-year warranty, five-year free service and three-year roadside assistance. Visit www.landrover.com.my for more information.
The new Range Rover Velar which has just been launched nationwide brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the Range Rover family. Designed and engineered based on ‘reductionism’ and elegant simplicity, this new luxurious mid-sized SUV has a unique character incomparable with other SUVs in its class.
With a starting price of RM529,800 the Velar features pioneering consumer technologies such as the flush deployable door handles and the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system which is the centrepiece of the Velar’s interior. The Touch Pro Duo features two 10-inch high-definition touchscreens integrated seamlessly behind secret-until-lit surfaces. These slim, intuitive displays work in harmony with the cabin architecture while adding an overall sense of modernity to the vehicle’s design.
The Touch Pro Duo system allows the driver to multitask with greater safety by using two screens simultaneously. When travelling to a new destination, the lower screen can be used to make a call without losing the navigation on the upper screen. Other technology-advanced features include a Head Up Display**, Interactive Driver Display and Navigation Pro.
Winner of the Car Design of the Year at the 2018 World Car Awards, the Velar carries a progressive design featuring a seductive silhouette, flush deployable door handles, integrated rear spoiler as well as distinctive design cues from the front bumper to the rear of the vehicle, foil stamped grille and Matrix LED Headlights. The twin chrome exhaust finishers** that are integrated into the rear bumper, provide a subtle reference to the Velar’s power and performance.
Zooming into some of the Velar’s high-tech features:
Flush Deployable Door Handles
The flush deployable door handles are unique to the Velar in the Land Rover family. A futuristic feature, the door handles deploy when the vehicle is unlocked and the handles retract once the vehicle is locked. The door handles contribute to the low drag coefficient of only 0.32, making it the most aerodynamically-efficient Land Rover ever produced.
Matrix LED Headlights
The most slender ever to appear on a Land Rover vehicle, these boldly designed Matrix LED headlights produce a quality of light close to daylight, giving excellent illumination and reducing eye fatigue.
3-inch Interactive Driver Display
The new Interactive Driver Display makes driving the Velar more interesting especially with four visual themes and a full-screen 3D navigation display.
Touted as a calming sanctuary, the interior of the Velar is uncluttered, exquisite in detailing and offers exceptional refinement with the use of premium and luxury materials. The instrument panel’s strong, horizontal beam is the defining element of the Velar’s interior architecture. It rakes back dramatically towards the windscreen to create the fastest angle of any Land Rover and underlines the Velar’s dynamic driving characteristics. The slender air vents reinforce the Velar’s reductive, technology-enabled design.
Fortified with the Sports-Command driving position, the Velar’s front seats balance its performance-oriented design and support with opulent comfort. Meticulously weight-optimised and designed to liberate additional interior space and legroom, the seats have also been carefully sculpted for ease of entry and egress to and from the cabin.
Kvadrat highly durable wool-blend premium textile contrasted with Suede cloth is made optional for customers who prefer the option over the perforated grained leather for the P250 variant or perforated leather with suede cloth*** that comes with the R-Dynamic variant. Kvadart is Europe’s leading manufacturer of high-quality design textiles. The use of Kvadart premium textile in the Velar is unique to luxury SUVs of this segment.
***Depending on interior colour choice
The Velar’s body is built with aluminium-intensive monocoque using Jaguar Land Rover’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture. Aluminium alloys account for more than 81 percent of the body-in-white – a figure no competitor can match. Its light, stiff, aluminium-intensive body, together with double-wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension provides the perfect basis for agile handling, superior ride comfort and outstanding refinement. It also delivers exceptional levels of crash protection that the Velar has been developed to meet.
It is also one of the safest vehicles due to its comprehensive safety system that includes six airbags and a suite of technology advanced driver assistance systems including Head Up Display**, Navigation Pro System and Cruise Control Speed Limiter.
The Velar delivers exceptional composure and agility on-road, as well as class-leading capability off-road. The most significant of these is an intelligent, efficient, torque on-demand all-wheel-drive (AWD) system, which provides the optimum torque distribution to suit various road conditions. Depending on road conditions, it can make the transition from 100 percent rear bias to fully locked in only 165 milliseconds; transient torque delivery to the front axle can take as little as 100 milliseconds. This makes the AWD system incredibly responsive, delivering exceptional performance in all conditions.
Exceptional performance and efficiency comes from its Ingenium powertrain, that is matched to a smooth-shifting ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive with Intelligent Driveline Dynamics. The Velar is fitted with the P250 powertrain. It is the first of the two new petrol engines that develops peak power of 250PS and high maximum torque of 365Nm, which is maintained from just 1,200rpm to 4,500rpm. This means that the Velar can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds and return an impressive 7.6-litres/100km and 173g/km CO2 on the European combined cycle.
When purchasing the Velar, customers can choose from the following options:
Velar (P250) – RM529,800*
Velar R-Dynamic (P250) – RM588,800*
*Selling price is inclusive of 6% GST. Excludes Road Tax, Registration and Insurance.
The Velar is available in eight exterior colours i.e Fuji White, Yulong White, Corris Grey, Santorini Black, Kaikoura Stone, Firenze Red, Silicon Silver and Carpathian Grey; five interior colour options of Ebony/Ebony, Acorn, Vintage Tan/Ebony, Eclipse/Ebony and Light Oyster/Ebony. The Velar (P250) comes standard with 20-inch rims while the Velar R-Dynamic (P250) comes with 21-inch rims.
Designed and engineered at Jaguar Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, the Velar is manufactured at the company’s Solihull production facility.
All vehicles distributed by Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia are compatible with the Malaysian climate, environment, fuel quality and meet the Malaysian emission standard. All Land Rover vehicles distributed by authorised dealers also come with Land Rover Care programme which includes a five-year warranty, five years’ free service and three years’ roadside assistance. Please visit www.landrover.com.my for more information.
Land Rover has introduced a Plug-in Hybrid vehicle to its Range Rover Sport line-up. Unlike the regular Range Rover, the Sport features better performance credentials that are able to rival that of some sports cars.
The addition of an electrified RR Sport is an interesting move by the British automaker considering the magnitude of the decision and how it would resonate with purists and off-roading enthusiasts.
This proves that the automaker is fervent of the idea of electric mobility and achieving its goal of offering electrified options for each model by 2020. That said, what Land Rover has created here is far from something that resembles your accountant’s Prius.
On the outside at least, there’s very little evidence to suggest that the hybrid Range Rover Sport as any different from the base model. It’s only with a keen eye that one is able to notice the disparities between the two.
The electrified variant features a tweaked design that includes Matrix Pixel LED headlights integrated with a redesigned grille. This is complemented by a new bumper with a more aggressive profile. The socket for the charger is hidden away under the Land Rover badge located on the new grille – a subtle but tasteful touch to this unassumingly complex vehicle.
Unlike the top of the line Sport, which features a V8 engine that puts out 575bhp, the electrified one makes do with an Ingenium 2.0-litre four-cylinder that produces 300bhp. It’s aided by an 85kW electric motor, which brings the total output to 404bhp.
This Range Rover can sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds, which is far slower than the 4.3 seconds it takes the top of the line model SVR to accomplish the same feat. That said, the Sport Plug-in Hybrid isn’t aimed at performance enthusiasts, rather its for connoisseurs who are conscious of their carbon footprint and the effects of global warming.
Thanks to a 13.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the vehicle is able to travel on pure electric power alone for 51km. Nevertheless, it will offer a whole host of other benefits that includes savings in fuel costs.
Through the use of the Parallel Hybrid mode, the vehicle is able to offer the best mix of petrol and electric power to optimize fuel efficiency and battery charge. It can work with the navigation system to ensure that you get to your destination with enough power while conserving fuel.
Despite the addition of a hybrid system, through clever engineering, Land Rover has managed to tuck the battery, motor and charging unit neatly with other components to allow for the same cabin and luggage space as the regular petrol version.
The Range Rover Sport Plug-in Hybrid may not be the flagship of the range, but it will certainly have its share of fans around the world.
