It all began a little over 50 years ago when Land Rover understood the need for a more luxurious off-road-ready vehicle. Unlike today, SUVs weren’t as omnipresent in the 1970s and the arrival of something that could tackle farm duties as effortlessly as it would ferry the family on a round ski trip to the Swiss Alps was a momentous occasion. Since the early 70s, Range Rover, a model which would go on to become an extremely prestigious sub-brand, has been produced in the UK. Its parent company has seen many owners, its target customer has had evolving tastes throughout, and the market itself has changed beyond anyone’s imagination, but amidst all that what hasn’t changed even one bit is the Range Rover’s versatile nature. Despite having a price tag that keeps getting heavier with each new generation, the Range Rover has stayed true to its roots. It’s uber-luxurious but also ready to take on the challenging terrain. It might be all decked-up outside, but underneath it’s a dependable and capable Land Rover. Its cabin is cocooning, its overall design is extremely charming, and its drive is full of character. So what has changed now?
Smaller price tag
How does a smaller price tag sound to you? That it’s now assembled in India, the first time that has happened since the inception of ‘Range Rover’? Or the fact that you might not need to wait for as long as earlier to get your car delivered? The benefits are huge, and that comes courtesy of the commencement of local assembly for both the Range Rover Sport and the Range Rover in India. We take the latter on a short drive to see if there’s any difference between the locally assembled car and the fully imported one.
There’s no doubt the Range Rover has been a favourite of the rich, coming across as a classy purchase — and not an outlandish one, as many expensive cars tend to be. It’s so well-appreciated in the Indian market, that following a 160 per cent rise in demand, it made all the sense in the world to begin assembling the car locally. It’s of course not the first Land Rover car being assembled locally, with the brand’s manufacturing unit being operational in India since 2011. JLR’s induction into Tata Motors happened nearly a decade ago, and it’s not difficult to see how well the brand has flourished under new ownership. That they have decided to assemble the Range Rover locally is another feather in their hats and a gentle reminder that the bold move to acquire the British company has paid off. The best bit about the whole arrangement is that Land Rover (or Jaguar, for that matter) hasn’t lost its identity. The brand’s legacy has been preserved, and there’s no denying that JLR is driving towards a successful future, too.
The locally assembled Range Rover is given a price tag that’s been lowered by ₹56 lakh for the diesel version. This is unlikely to be the sole reason someone is going to buy a Range Rover; rather, it’s a neat way of passing on the benefits of lower taxation to the customer. That brings the price of the full-sized Range Rover to ₹2.36 crore, whereas the Range Rover Sport is now available at ₹1.40 crore. Both prices are ex-showroom and with this move, all four Range Rover models (the other two being the more road-focussed Velar and the compact Evoque) are assembled locally. Having said that, the unique and more powerful iterations are still going to be completely imported.
Design
Local assembly doesn’t mean a change in the way the Range Rover looks and feels, and that’s a great thing because the latest-generation SUV is near-perfect in the way it looks. Its design is evolutionary, such that it embraces newness but looks like an extension of Range Rovers from the past. The LED headlights and taillights are clear giveaways to its modernity but the timeless design is carried forward with a prominent shoulder line, a floating roof, and a new iteration of the signature grille.
On the inside, the Range Rover gives you a glimpse of supreme luxury but without being tasteless. The cabin epitomises high quality over everything else, and that’s evident in the choice of materials. There’s a distinct lack of hard plastics; it’s got soft-touch surfaces nearly everywhere — covered in leather, with some Alcantara touches, etc. There’s a choice between semi-aniline leather and a leather alternative, made with a mix of Ultrafabrics and Kvadrat.
As you’d expect from a top-class Range Rover, it gets a Meridian sound system to satiate the occupants’ desire to accompany their long drives with true-to-life music. A large 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system breaks away from the overall minimalist philosophy, but it’s very well integrated and looks to be in line with the theme. The quad-spoke steering wheel, a distinct lack of buttons (except for the climate control) and a nice all-digital instrument cluster all add to the Range Rover experience. My only grouse is that while the cabin has been cleaned up, some features are buried deep in the touchscreen system, which might take some time getting used to.
On the other hand, once you get into the rear seat, you’ll instantly appreciate what the Range Rover offers: a near first-class-like travelling experience. Not just comfort, the rear passengers can also indulge in some in-car entertainment with their individual screens. One can connect their favourite device using the onboard HDMI ports and route the audio through the rather excellent Meridian sound system, which offers an unparalleled media-consumption experience.
Effortless drive
That’s for the rear passengers, but what about the one in the driving seat, you must wonder? Range Rovers have consistently been good to drive, and the locally assembled iteration is no different. It offers a calming driving experience, but it’s also effortless to drive, something you wouldn’t expect a car of that size and stature to be. We drove the petrol-engined version, which is powered by a 3-litre turbocharged engine that makes 394 bhp and 56.08 kg-m. An eight-speed torque convertor gearbox is standard and so is the AWD system. It’s quite an easy car to drive, too. It picks up speed effortlessly, but where it surprises the most is in how well it hides its large footprint. On the move, the Range Rover feels substantially more compact — even manoeuvring through narrow streets is possible, without the driver sweating profusely.
The Range Rover’s combination of unmatched luxury, brilliant off-road abilities, style and panache that’s second to none, and solid on-road comfort comes at a relatively pocket-friendly price. If you’re in the market for one, it’s safe to say that the Range Rover hasn’t looked as lucrative a deal ever.