Amaan AhmedOct 27, 2021 04:02:11 IST
After nearly a decade, the reign of the fourth-generation Range Rover has ended, with the all-new, 2022 Range Rover making its world premiere in the UK ahead of its market launch early in 2022. The crown jewel of the Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) crown, the fifth-generation Range Rover looks to build on the success of its predecessor, which, in its nine-year-long stint, grew to become one of the most popular luxury SUVs in the world. With the Gen 5 model, Land Rover has retained the iconic design of its flagship SUV, but made vital changes on the technical front.
New Range Rover: Exterior design and dimensions
At first glance, most will find it difficult to tell the new Range Rover from the fourth-gen model because it sticks to a familiar stance and silhouette. A closer look reveals ‘Digital LED’ headlights (with a claimed beam range of up to 500m), a new grille, redesigned front bumper with a two-bar insert (which neatly hides the sensors and cameras necessitated by driver assistance systems), reshaped ‘gills’ on the flanks, flush-fitting door handles and an almost-seamless glasshouse that lends the ‘floating’ roof effect. Wheel sizes range from 21- to 23-inches, depending on the variant, and at the back, there’s a gloss black vertical bar (housing hidden turn indicators) that flows into vertical tail-light housings, which are only visible when lit.
Changes made to the design of the 2022 Range Rover are only evolutionary in nature. Image: Land Rover
Based on JLR’s new MLA-Flex architecture, the new Range Rover will be available in two versions – standard wheelbase (SWB) and long wheelbase (LWB). At 5,052 mm, the 2022 Range Rover SWB is 75 mm longer than the model it replaces, and has a 2,997 mm wheelbase. In contrast, the Range Rover LWB measures in at 5,252 mm, with all of the extra 200 mm of length going into the wheelbase, which measures in at 3,197 mm.
Maximum ground clearance for both versions is rated at 295 mm, and with rear-wheel steering being offered as standard, the turning circle for the Range Rover SWB is pegged at 10.95 m, which Land Rover says is identical to that of a big hatchback and will make the new Range Rover easier to manoeuvre around town. Rear-wheel steering will turn the rear wheels by seven degrees in the opposite direction of the front wheels at low speeds to aid manoeuvrability, and in the same direction as the fronts at high speeds to improve agility.
LWB model (on the right) is 200 mm longer than the SWB model. Image: Land Rover
In ‘Wading’ mode, the new Range Rover will have a wading depth of up to 900 mm – the same as the Defender – and is said to be able to tackle even steep, 45-degree inclines with ease.
New Range Rover: Interior and features
More comprehensive changes are seen on the inside, where the new Range Rover gets a fully new dashboard and overhauled infotainment. There’s a 13.1-inch curved, floating touchscreen (with haptic feedback for the Pivi Pro infotainment system that features Alexa integration and will be able to receive over-the-air updates), and a 13.7-inch full-digital instruments display, with a head-up display available as an option. Also included are a new, double-bar steering wheel, physical controls for the climate control system, a full-size panoramic sunroof and 11.4-inch entertainment screens for the rear-seat passengers.
Minimalist theme carries over to the inside; 13.1-inch touchscreen features Alexa integration. Image: Land Rover
As before, the Range Rover will be available in four- and five-seat configurations, but for the first time ever, buyers of the LWB model will also be able to choose a seven-seat layout, with a third row said to be genuinely comfortable even for taller adults. This is a move Land Rover is understood to have taken to avoid losing sales to rivals that do offer three rows of seats and are thus more popular in regions such as North America.
Also part of the equipment list are a 1,600-watt Meridian Signature sound system with additional 20-watt speakers in the four main headrests, active noise cancellation (enabled by a pair of 60mm diameter speakers in the headrests for each of the four main cabin occupants), power-assisted doors, remote park assist via a smartphone app as well as an air purifier. On the range-topping SV model, buyers will be able to spec 24-way adjustable rear seats with massage functions, a fixed console between the seats housing a champagne fridge as well as a powered fold-out table, and larger 13.1-inch entertainment screens, with an 8.0-inch touch control panel for the rear seat passengers.
New Range Rover: Powertrains
With the new Range Rover, there are no four-cylinder engine options to choose from. Buyers will be able to pick between 3.0-litre, six-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines (offered in different states of tune) with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and outputs ranging from 250 hp to 400 hp. A 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine – sourced from BMW – will also be available, producing up to 530 hp and propelling the new Range Rover from 0-100 kph in just 4.6 seconds. An eight-speed ZF automatic transmission is standard.
There will also be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the new Range Rover, which will pair the 3.0-litre Ingenium six-cylinder petrol with a 143 hp electric motor that will draw power from a 38.2 kWh lithium-ion battery. With a combined output of either 450 hp (P450e) or 510 hp (P510e), the Range Rover PHEV will have a real-world range of around 80 km, which Land Rover says would ensure 75 percent of all everyday journeys in a new Range Rover could be completed on electric power alone.
New Range Rover to be available in mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms initially; all-electric version due 2024. Image: Land Rover
With 50kW DC fast charging, Land Rover claims the Range Rover PHEV’s battery will take just under an hour to go from 0 to 80 percent charge, and can be fully recharged in five hours using a 7.2 kW AC charger at home. Additionally, the P510e version will do 0-100 kph in just 5.6 seconds, and in electric-only mode, reach a top speed of 140 kph.
Land Rover has also confirmed an all-electric version of the new Range Rover will arrive by 2024, which will be the brand’s first full-fledged battery electric vehicle (BEV).
The new Range Rover comes with a 48-volt electronic anti-roll system, an active locking rear differential, a five-link rear axle, twin-valve Bilstein dampers, and the air suspension now features what Land Rover calls ‘Integrated Chassis Control’, which utilises navigation data to read oncoming bumps and potholes as far as three kilometres out to adjust the suspension accordingly. What the new Range Rover is also equipped with is the famed Terrain Response 2 system, with as many as six drive modes to choose from.
New Range Rover: India launch and expected price
Land Rover has already started taking orders for the new Range Rover, with India deliveries expected to commence in 2022. The current Range Rover – shipped in as a CBU import – is priced from Rs 2.10 crore to Rs 4.38 crore (ex-showroom), and the fifth-gen SUV will almost certainly move further up the price ladder.
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