Google tells me it's 19 degrees in the day and about 11 degrees in the late evening. I put on my shirt and my blazer for the official presentation of the all new fifth iteration of the Range Rover and head out… only to find out it's way colder than it is.
The cold wind blows through my skin and into my bones, but I hold it in. I pretend to pace up and down, holding my cell up to my ear, as if I am on the phone with someone important over something that concerns life and death. Truth be told, I am just... cold.
Best consolation? Scotch, cigarettes and a conversation with the lads at Jaguar Land Rover to find out a little bit more about what the new Rangie is really all about and how they came to finalise the design of such a big car with such a minimalistic concept.
1. Three simple lines
Three lines that can trace their origins through the generations of the Range Rover According to David Eburah, the Design Manager of the Rangie, the SUV is defined by three simple lines. During the presentation, the phrase "modern reduction" was constantly used, but not without ensuring that the three lines that have always been part of Range Rover are being fulfilled.
These balanced lines, according to David, refer to the falling roofline, the bold waist line as well as the rising sill line. They give the car an instantly recognisable character as well as the impression of converging at a point behind the SUV.
2. It's quiet... I mean really quiet
The new Range Rover is extremely well-insulated If you were to read the press release, you'll find out that the new flagship SUV is a noise-cancelling vehicle. Whatever that means, I do not know. What I do know is the fact that the Rangie is extremely quiet on the go. As a matter of fact, while my partner from Prestige Singapore and me were driving the diesel variant, he made a comment about how the car sounded more electric than anything else.
Plus, the car comes with 35 speakers scattered around the cabin, including the headrests. And with those high-quality Meridian Signature Surround Sound system, one can hardly hear external noises...
3. Attention to detail
Three light bars of the same length can be seen The rear of the Rangie is obviously the biggest difference you'll see on the car. The black panel that hides the brake lights and signal indicators when not in used are all about reducing any unnecessary clutter. Again, trying to minimise mess without losing its design language wasn't that much of a challenge. It was the attention to detail.
For instance, the third brake light at the spoiler was made to be exactly the same length of the vertical taillights on the car, just so that when the brakes are applied, you'll see three identical lines appearing around the car.
4. There's the SV variant and it's ridiculously royal
New ceramic SV roundel at the rear of the Rangie The Range Rover SV is an interpretation of the carmaker's pinnacle luxury SUV that provides heightened craftsmanship. With this car, you can customise whatever and however you like. For instance, you can choose to have the car in fancy four-seater configuration or just a regular five-seater. This iteration of Range Rover is also the first vehicle to carry the new ceramic SV roundel and simplified 'SV' name.
According to Land Rover, from rotary dials and buttons to exterior paintwork and wheels, the Range Rover SV can be configured in more than 1.6 million different ways. Yes, 1.6 million.
5. There will be plug-in hybrids and a full-electric variant coming
Electrified Rangie to be coming our way soon Because the Rangie is based on a new MLA-Flex architectural platform that provides the foundations for efficient powertrain options, two plug-in hybrid variants are already available - a 434bhp or a 503bhp - both of which come with an official electric-only range of 113km. The cars are equipped with a 38.2kWh battery and a 105kW electric motor.
According to the carmaker, a Range Rover electric SUV is due to arrive some time in 2024, spearheading the brand's drive towards an electric future.
The cold wind blows through my skin and into my bones, but I hold it in. I pretend to pace up and down, holding my cell up to my ear, as if I am on the phone with someone important over something that concerns life and death. Truth be told, I am just... cold.
Best consolation? Scotch, cigarettes and a conversation with the lads at Jaguar Land Rover to find out a little bit more about what the new Rangie is really all about and how they came to finalise the design of such a big car with such a minimalistic concept.
1. Three simple lines
Three lines that can trace their origins through the generations of the Range Rover
These balanced lines, according to David, refer to the falling roofline, the bold waist line as well as the rising sill line. They give the car an instantly recognisable character as well as the impression of converging at a point behind the SUV.
2. It's quiet... I mean really quiet
Plus, the car comes with 35 speakers scattered around the cabin, including the headrests. And with those high-quality Meridian Signature Surround Sound system, one can hardly hear external noises...
3. Attention to detail
For instance, the third brake light at the spoiler was made to be exactly the same length of the vertical taillights on the car, just so that when the brakes are applied, you'll see three identical lines appearing around the car.
4. There's the SV variant and it's ridiculously royal
According to Land Rover, from rotary dials and buttons to exterior paintwork and wheels, the Range Rover SV can be configured in more than 1.6 million different ways. Yes, 1.6 million.
5. There will be plug-in hybrids and a full-electric variant coming
According to the carmaker, a Range Rover electric SUV is due to arrive some time in 2024, spearheading the brand's drive towards an electric future.
