The 2013 Land Rover Range Rover features what many are calling the most radical reinvention the vehicle has ever seen. It has been a decade since a full makeover has been undertaken and for good reason. It has always been consider a leader in the luxury segment. The new Range Rover balances the feel of a luxury sedan on the streets without sacrificing its ruggedness when driving off-road. The biggest change is the additional of aluminium to nearly every inch of the vehicle. It has had aluminium side panels for several years, but it is now 700 pounds lighter than previous models. This not only creates a smoother ride, but also makes it more energy efficient.
Interior and Exterior
Depending on how long you have followed the Land Rover Range Rover, the changes made to the 2013 model are either hardly noticeable or it looks completely different. It still features the two-box silhouette everyone recognizes and retained a variety of “old-school” details, but the overall appearance is much sleeker and slimmer. The LED headlamps are slimmer as is the trimmer mesh grille. This has broadened its appeal to luxury sedan buyers. The cabin is still one of the most luxurious and comfortable in its class. Many argue it is only rivaled by the Bentley.
Performance
The performance of the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover is where buyers notice a huge difference. It is much faster on pavement and easier to handle than ever. While this still largely due to added aluminium, it is also longer and has a stiffer, stouter body for going off-road. The suspension is a combination of cast-aluminium and forged aluminium pieces as well as composite liners to shed even more pounds. While the lighter body would allow for a smaller engine, the 2013 model gives buyers the option of choosing from a pair of 5.0-liter V-8 engines. Both operate with a ZF 8 speed automatic transmission with paddle shift controls. The entry level engine has 375 horsepower whereas the supercharged edition boasts 510 horsepower.
Along with an improved engine and increased straight-line acceleration, the Land Rover Range Rover features noticeably improved handling. Along with being lighter, it relies on a unique combination of control-arm front suspension and variable-ratio electric power steering aims for an S Class-like handling. There is also a full-time four wheel drive system with 50:50 torque split. New Terrain Response Control utilizes sensors to predict the surface ahead and alter the traction, stability, and steering from 5 pre-sets. The pre-sets are General, Mud/Ruts, Rock Crawl, Sand, and Grass/Gravel/Snow.
Safety
The new Land Rover Range Rover has yet to receive its official IIHS or NHTSA safety ratings however the new design seems promising in theory. There is a good chance it doesn’t receive a crash test rating because the sales volume is comparatively low (due to the high price). At the same time, the sheer volume of safety technology built into the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover leads experts to believe it could be one of the safest vehicles on the road. Some of the technologies available with the Land Rover Range Rover include standard airbags, traction control, four-wheel drive with selectable traction modes, hill-descent control, hill-start assist, locking rear differential and adaptive headlights. It also includes a surround-view camera, which has a “kerb-side” view down the car. It even has adaptive cruise control which can slow the Range Rover to a complete stop in traffic. There are also blind-spot monitors and cross-traffic alerts. For the size of the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover the view is relatively unobstructed around the entire vehicle. This is because of the new driving position as well as the new slim roof pillars.
Features
It should be no surprise that during the redesign a number of additional features were made standard and the lavishness of the Ultra-Luxe Autobiography Edition introduces a variety of new features. All 2013 Land Rover Range Rovers come with V-8 eight-speed automatic four-wheel drive and user-selectable traction control modes. It also include cruise control, keyless entry, push-button start, 3-mode climate control, power heated front seats, power split tailgate which lift-gate and fold-down tailgate.
Additional features include duel LCD screens, 12.3-inch display (replaces gauges), 8-inch touchscreen to manage infotainment systems, soft and hard keys, Blue-Tooth voice control for nearly all functions. The basic audio system is powered by Meridian and boasts more than 300 watts of sound. The most expensive Land Rover Range Rover has 20 speakers and 1700 watts of power. All Land Rover Range Rovers have leather upholstery, although there several different grades. In total, there are 37 exterior colors, 17 interior colors, and 3 veneers. 22 of those colors are exclusive to the Autobiography editions.
Overall
There is no arguing that the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover remains one of the best luxury vehicles on the market. As always, it is feature rich and extremely luxurious. The new redesign makes it even smoother on the road without sacrificing the off-road ruggedness it is known for. While the Land Rover Range Rover starts at nearly $85,000 it can go as high as $140,000+. No one said buying a Range Rover was cheap, but everyone loves the ride.
