Are Range Rovers considered luxury?

The proverb says not to judge a book by its cover – it is similar with the class of a car, which should not be hastily judged. The attractiveness and status of a given car depends largely on the country it is located in, and at the same time its country of origin. In Poland, an ordinary American cruiser, which in the USA is a common D-segment car, can arouse much greater admiration than its European equivalent in the same class. An example is the Ford Mustang, which in the United States is not synonymous with luxury or sport – it is just a mere splinter of the former glory of muscle cars from the 1960s and 1970s. The Range Rover is a completely different pair of galoshes – or rather two pairs of tires. Since the 1970s, the model line of the British Land Rover has traveled the road from the middle class segment, through the upper class, to the luxury class. So can the Range Rover be considered a luxury car? Of course, but it is worth finding out what is behind it.

Is Range Rover the same as Land Rover?

Often seen on the streets and strikingly similar – Land Rover and Range Rover. No wonder, because although they are two separate brands, the manufacturer is invariably the British Land Rover. Range Rover is a line of models that began to be created in the 1960s by engineers Gordon Bashford and Spear King. Bashford and King wanted to create a car that would combine the advantages of an off-road vehicle with the comfort of traveling a traditional passenger car. After all, we know that Land Rover previously focused exclusively on off-road vehicles. There is probably no film about Africa and other corners of the Earth, where extremely difficult terrain conditions prevail, in which we would not see the famous Defender. As a “British” he had to appear in, among others, the James Bond series.

The first prototype of the Range Rover was created in 1967. Land Rover engineers hid it under the code name “Velar” – from the Italian “velare”, which literally means “hidden”. Velar remained “velare” for another 25 prototypes, because the British made 26 of them in total. Three years later, the first model of the Range Rover was presented to the world. This vehicle was exactly what its creators intended it to be – versatile. The first Range Rover had permanent four-wheel drive, a two-piece rear hatch and a characteristic body line that referred to traditional Land Rover models. However, there was something about it that made it very quickly become a living legend on the roads – primarily on the roads, because it was the forerunner of the SUV, but it also did well off-road. Besides, the photographs still clearly show the somewhat raw character of this car. Subsequent generations looked less and less “off-road” and more and more “urban”. The level of luxury, both inside and out.

After 11 years of successfully conquering the market, the Range Rover Classic was refreshed in a five-door version, making it more attractive as a vehicle for families, which at that time could still be very large. The bodywork, however, did not change much.

The 1994 Range Rover: A Gateway to the Luxury SUV Segment

The next breakthrough in the history of the Range Rover was the second generation of this model (P38A). When we look at it, we can already see a jump up a shelf – to the segment upper class cars. The Range Rover then almost completely gets rid of its off-road past, although it still has something of the Land Rover Defender of those years. The similarities are obvious. However, in fact, these are two completely different cars.

Engineers have retained the strong body and large-capacity engines in the second generation: a 4.0-liter V8 and a 4.6-liter V8. Later, a more economical 2.5-liter diesel engine from the BMW, which allowed for better adaptation of the vehicle to the needs of various customers.

The interior of the second generation Range Rover was designed with comfort and luxury in mind. High-quality materials such as leather and wood were used, as well as advanced technologies, which at the time raised the standard in the high-end SUV segment, which the Range Rover became after 1994. In the mid-1990s, the Range Rover was already owned by BMW, which continued to develop the brand. There was even a prototype of an SUV with a V12 engine with BMW 7 Series, but ultimately it did not go into production.

Production of the second generation Range Rover continued until 2002, when it was replaced by the third generation model. The P38A played a key role in establishing the Range Rover as synonymous with luxurious and versatile SUVs, combining elegance with unparalleled off-road capabilities. To this day, the Ranger Rover II is prized by collectors and especially connoisseurs of the brand.

Third and fourth generation Range Rover

The Range Rover III is probably the most famous model of this luxury SUV brand. The third generation has stormed into the top class SUV -segment F. In addition to luxurious finishes, this model is packed with technology – including advanced navigation systems and the best audio and electronic installations. Innovations were also used in the design itself, ensuring that the suspension provides driving comfort both on asphalt and unpaved bumps. The model was produced from 2002 to 2012, but the line of this car can be seen even in modern Range Rovers.

The fourth generation of the Range Rover was already dripping with luxury. The latest model of the popular SUV was presented at the Paris Motor Show. It was the world’s first SUV with a body made entirely of aluminum, which allowed for a significant reduction in the vehicle weight by approx. 400 kg, and thus improved fuel efficiency. The Range Rover did not give up on powerful engines. The weakest was the V6 3.0 TD with 258 HP, and the most powerful was the V8 5.0 Supercharged with 550 HP. All variants of the new Range Rover were equipped with an 8-speed gearbox and inherent four-wheel drive. Despite its already distinctly luxurious character and direct competition with the Mercedes S-Class of the time, the Range Rover still retained its off-road properties, coping well off the asphalt surface. Here Mercedes was certainly lagging behind.

Range Rover Today – Rolex among SUVs

Since then, BMW has been “cashing in the bag” because there has been no other version of the Range Rover as important as the fourth generation. Since then, the brand has been refreshing its previous portfolio, in the meantime presenting various unusual variations.

In 2005, the Range Rover appeared Sport, and later its latest version Range Rover Sport SV, which was considered the fastest model in the history of the brand. The creators focused here on classic luxury and off-road qualities, but with a touch of sportiness.

The Range Rover Evoque also appeared on the market – the smallest of the family, it gained recognition for its compact dimensions, but while retaining everything that the fourth generation has to offer, enriched, of course, with the latest technological and design achievements.

Finally, the Range Rover returned to its roots with the Velar – named after the Range Rover Classic prototype from the 1970s. The Velar fills the gap between the Evoque and the Sport, creating a kind of hybrid of the two models. This model features a sleek silhouette and a modern interior, but also outstanding performance.

Are Range Rovers considered luxury?

To sum up, yes! Range Rover is already a luxury car today, competing with brands such as Mercedes, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.