New Range Rover gets full-electric, 7-seat versions

LONDON -- The new Range Rover SUV will be sold with the option of full-electric drivetrain and seven seats for the first time.

Land Rover's flagship model, unveiled on Tuesday, is evidence of the brand's desire to create "the world's most desirable luxury vehicles," Jaguar Land Rover CEO Thierry Bollore said a statement.

The design of the fifth-generation Range Rover closely follows the current model, but it is now underpinned by JLR's new MLA (modular longitudinal architecture) platform designed to accommodate full-electric, plug-in hybrid and hybrid drivetrains.

Land Rover's desire to push the Range Rover more upmarket is reflected in the starting price of 94,400 pounds ($130,140) in its UK home market, a 13 percent rise from the current base price of 83,525 pounds and 28 percent higher than its 2015 entry price of 73,950 pounds.

JLR did not say how much the most expensive version of the new Range Ranger will cost. The full-electric version will go on sale in 2024, two years after deliveries of the rest of the range start next year.

The drivetrain line-up includes two plug-in hybrids with large 31.8 kilowatt-hour batteries that will give the SUV an electric driving range of 62 miles (100 km). The plug-in drivetrain mates a 201-hp electric motor to JLR's six-cylinder gasoline engine to produce 503 hp in the most powerful version.

The top model will use a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine supplied by BMW producing 523 hp. It will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in 4.4 seconds, Land Rover said.

Two six-cylinder mild-hybrid gasoline models and three six-cylinder mild-hybrid diesel models will also be available depending on market.

Technology on the car includes Amazon's Alexa voice control that links to elements within the infotainment system as well connecting to Alexa-enabled home internet devices.

A central floating 13.1-inch touchscreen is the largest Land Rover has fitted to any model and curves for better vision and accessibility. Haptic feedback on the screen lets users know when buttons have been pushed. Hard switches for the climate control remain.

In front of the driver is a 13.7-inch digital display split into three panels. The display can be configured according to the preference of the driver.

The infotainment screen has its own back-up battery for a quick start that avoids the lag of some systems, Land Rover said.

A pair of SIM cards allows the over-the-air upgrade of 69 modules on board without interrupting other applications using data, for example music streaming. SIMs operate on 4G rather than the faster, but less widely available 5G.

Land Rover gave no information about the Range Rover's potential for autonomous driving on the highway, but said it will be offered with Remote Park Assist that allows the driver to operate the car outside of the vehicle using a smartphone app.

The SUV's ability to maneuver at low speeds and high-speed ability is improved with the standard fitment of four-wheel steering. The turning circle of the car at 10.95 meters is the tightest of any Land Rover available.

As before the Range Rover will be offered in standard and long-wheelbase configurations. The standard car is 5,052-mm long and the long-wheelbase is 5,252-mm long. The long-wheelbase option will be offered with seven seats for the first time.

Models will be badged SE, HSE and Autobiography, with a First Edition based on the Autobiography and featuring a unique specification available throughout the first year of production.

Upgraded models will also be available branded SV, which indicates modifications from JLR's Special Vehicle Operations.

SV models will have "even more luxury injected into every part of the car," SVO managing director Michael van Sande said. Interior materials available include plated metals, ceramics, mosaic marquetry and upgraded leather. SV options include a 'club table' that rises from the rear center console to become a workspace.

The SV line has short- and long-wheelbase versions, with new SV Serenity and SV Intrepid design themes and a four-seat SV Signature Suite configuration.

Luxury options include electric power-assisted doors, and a 'tailgate event suite' package that creates a seating area in the trunk facing outward and includes tailored cushions and lighting for when the car is parked at events.

Land Rover said the Range Rover is now "one of the quietest" cars on the road, thanks in part to a noise-cancelling function in the sound system. Up to 35 speakers relay sounds that are said to cut noise and can create special quiet zones in any of the four seats.

The design keeps traditional Range Rover cues such as the clamshell hood, the split tailgate and short front overhang but smooths out the surfaces and hides elements to create the impression it's milled from a single piece of metal, Land Rover said.

One of the hidden elements is the rear lighting, which emerges from the glossy black graphic on the back of the car when needed but blends into the blackness when it's not needed.