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The New Range Rover
2001-09-03 - By Philip Byrne
When it comes to real luxury off-road vehicles, so far the Range Rover is the only choice. That will soon change. Mercedes, BMW and Porsche will shortly be offering their weapons in the mud-war. However, this the new Range Rover will not tolerate without a fight...
 Funny enough, the new Range Rover is still developed and tested by BMW in Munich and also powered by BMW engines. And there is more that connects the new Range Rover with BMW, although Ford has taken over the Land Rover make after work on the development of the new Range was almost finished: The whole chassis including wheel suspension comes from the BMW X5 which is to satisfy the needs of sports-orientated drivers, while the new Range Rover will excite those who are looking for luxury, for perfect off-road capability and status symbols.
Basing on these thoughts, the Range Rover will retain the independent wheel suspension all around but will be equipped with air suspension for all wheels and an active chassis control to reduce body roll and to enable a comfortable height adjustment for better off-road capability and easier coupling of trailers. Also from BMW comes the permanent all-wheel drive with electronic traction control replacing mechanical differential locks.
Although to some the car's exterior might appear very much like that of the current Range Rover, every piece of the car is new. To start with, the car will get modern light technology behind a crystal clear glass cover, a new high-pressure headlights washer system without wipers, a more sculpted bonnet, shorter overhangs front and rear but a longer wheelbase, more upright taillights and an overall refined and smoothened exterior design.
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