Let's face it: Range Rover has always been the class leader when it comes to luxury sports utility vehicles. It is as happy plowing across a snow-covered field as it is graciously depositing occupants outside Her Majesty's front door. It's a vehicle which not only says you've arrived, but also that you'll get home no matter what your friendly weatherman throws at you.
Range Rover is as British as fish & chips and afternoon tea, except that Britain's favourite dish is now officially an Indian curry, and those quaint little English tea shops have long been replaced by Starbucks!
Times have changed considerably since the world's first SUV was introduced in Britain back in 1970, and the famous Land Rover product has had to evolve. So I took a spin in the new 2013 Range Rover Supercharged to see how things have progressed.
Owners will likely never fully utilize the extraordinary capabilities of their Range Rover. They'll probably never cross the Sahara by night or drive to base camp at Kilimanjaro. Just like the Ferrari owner who has never driven his vehicle at 300 mph, they each own the right to say they could if they wanted to. And for just $114,750 (top of the line Supercharged version), that is the very exclusive club to which you could belong.
At first glance
I'm pleased to say very little has changed for 2013 and everything is as it should be: utterly distinctive Land Rover with just a hint of progression supplied by a rather stylish new front grille and some dashingly attractive LED lights. So, yes, the granddaddy of all SUVs aptly retains its commanding presence on the road drawing attention wherever it goes. Jolly good show!
Climbing aboard, one is instantly aware of one or two things somewhat off kilter. Yes, you're still invited into a sea of supple cow hide, yet the usual wood veneers are now a glossy piano black finish. I'm still not 100% sold on this new, fashionable look, but I will admit that it adds a certain sportiness to the interior.
Then there's the gear selector, or what appears to be a lack thereof at first glance: The 2013 Range Rover now sports the ultra-modern pop-up dial familiar to current Jaguar owners. Completely unnoticeable until the vehicle is powered up, it then gracefully rises from within the centre console. A tad strange at first, once you've acclimatised yourself to the idea it works well and matches the appearance & operation of the company's famous traction control system which nestles neatly alongside it.
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| Yes, you're still invited into a sea of supple cow hide, yet the usual wood veneers are now a glossy piano black finish. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan) |
Power on, and we're off!
Thumb the start button and the supercharged DOHC 32-valve 5.0L V8 thunders to life, yet quickly settles down to a surprisingly smooth, library-quiet tickover. In fact, the powerplant appears so peaceful at rest that it's easy to forget the 510 hp (461 lb-ft of torque) beast tethered to your right foot.
“Beast” is certainly the right word. The new 2013 Range Rover Supercharged can claw its way to 100 km/hr from a standing start in just over 5 seconds! That's true sports car territory, and in a vehicle of this size it's an experience which quickly becomes addictive.
Of course, like all addictions, pleasure comes at a certain cost. Fuel economy obviously springs to mind as “happy foot” typically equates to “unhappy wallet.” However, the techno-boffins at Land Rover haven't just idled away their time dreaming up new flavour shots for new-found caffeine-laced beverages; far from it. After all, the company has its reputation as the 4x4 industry leader to maintain, so this is the world's very first SUV manufactured with a lightweight, all-aluminum unibody.
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| The powerplant appears so peaceful at rest that it's easy to forget the 510 hp (461 lb-ft of torque) beast tethered to your right foot. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan) |
Sounds impressive, eh? It is. The 2013 Range Rover Supercharged is now 700 lbs lighter! The true benefits lie in the vehicle's new-found handling characteristics. The previous Range Rover was no wallflower in that department. In fact, each model has boasted superb handling which is why the UK police have always used Range Rovers as highway pursuit vehicles. However, the 2013 Range Rover Supercharged takes things to an entirely new level. In fact, I'm almost tempted to describe this as the world's first sports-utility supercar!
It's not only in high-speed manoeuverability where this new diet is noticeable; it also plays a role in the overall comfort of the vehicle. On downtown roads with Canadian potholes, the 2013 Range Rover Supercharged feels considerably lighter and less bulky, even though it is still a sizeable vehicle. As the weight-savings all stem from the lower portion of the vehicle, and the structure is now much stiffer, everything feels less burdened and this allows the chassis components to work better, and more effectively absorb impacts.
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| So, yes, the granddaddy of all SUVs aptly retains its commanding presence on the road drawing attention wherever it goes. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan) |
The best 4x4 by far!
This statement has been used by Land Rover for many years, and who am I to argue with it? After all, history has proven that Land Rovers were often the very first vehicles seen on certain continents. While I doubt many new Range Rover owners will plan expeditions across yet-uncharted new territories, just in case they'll be pleased to discover the vehicle's water-wading depth has now increased (up by around 8”) to just a tad under 3 feet.
Information like that just about sums this vehicle up.
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