Elegant Adventurer
The 2007 Range Rover
Few other vehicles share the universal recognition of the Land Rover. Since their 1948 inception, Land Rovers have traversed the planet on excursions aplenty, lending to their global reach. When Land Rover took the next step and introduced a luxury flagship brand in 1970, the Range Rover was born to international acclaim. More than impressed, the world applauded. For the first time ever, a vehicle combined the ruggedness of Grizzly Adams with the svelte style of 007.
While some of the earlier models suffered reliability problems, those produced since the mid-1990s have shown a high level of dependability. Strengthening client support is a revised dealership network ready to assist with anything an owner may need, including seminars and classes on how to properly maintain and handle the Rover on and off road. In addition, there has always been a healthy network of enthusiast groups.
The 2007 Range Rover represents an interesting paradox for the brand. Inside, passengers will still find the requisite luxuries that have defined Range Rover from the beginning, such as high-grade leathers covering extremely supportive seats, thick carpets, well-polished wood veneers, superb entertainment and navigation systems and power everything. However, despite the obvious luxuries, RR diehards may complain about Ford’s influence and ownership and the void of British warmth and charm inside. True enough, the newest edition to the Rover line up has a more BMW interior feel than previous RRs – and that’s not entirely a bad thing. Opinions vary, but regardless of one’s side of the fence, no one can argue with the fact that the Range Rover is still the most luxuriously appointed 4x4 on the planet.
The RR is also one of the safest. Passengers are protected from collisions with a host of airbags for frontal and side impact, including bags at knee level. They are also safeguarded from rear impacts thanks to a uniquely designed seat offering whiplash protection.
Outside, the world is greeted by one of the finest paintjobs around. Under that shiny skin, an extremely well constructed body lends to safety and comfort, featuring some of the best vibration and accident absorption ever, equating to an extremely smooth, quiet and refined ride.
Possibly the most impressive feat for Range Rover, though, comes from the engineering under the hood. While every Range Rover has been a technical tour de force, the 2007 absolutely outtechs the RRs of yesteryear. Two engines are available: a 4.2-Liter supercharged V8 packing a 400 horsepower punch, and a 4.4-Liter V8 offering a more civilized 305-horsepower smack. Each has a 6-speed automatic transmission, which provides power to all four wheels, all the time. When activated, the Range Rover furthers its safety design with Hill Decent Control (HDC), 4-wheel Electronic Traction Control (4ETC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and ABS. In addition, Land Rover has finally shared Terrain Response with the Range Rover, an option that has proven easy to use and quite useful in all types of off-road situations.
All of the aforementioned acronyms work in unison to provide surefooted motoring on any surface by way of altering the vehicle motor functions to fit the situation at hand. The brakes work with the transmission, which works with the engine, which works with the suspension. A main computer controls them all, giving the vehicle an entirely different personality off road. The seemingly peppy SUV on the road is morphed into a powerful, prowling off-road beast when properly set to do so. The idea is that when the engine, transmission, differentials, brakes and suspension are in tune, the vehicle is better equipped to descend, ascend, crawl and swim rather than simply shift into 4-wheel drive low.
Conversely, switching the controls back to normal brings the engine timing back into par, alleviates the brake work and low gearing, and allows for proper, quiet boulevard cruising. It’s all part of what makes Rovers “the best 4x4xfar,” according to their marketing department. Truth be told, only one thing should be reconsidered before running off road with a Range Rover, and that’s the wheels and tires. At 19- and 20-inches (depending on the engine), these tires are much more suited for street performance than off road. But, outside of that, the old Rover philosophy remains intact and the vehicle is certainly one of the best values for the money. Land Rover has come a long way since the 1940s, and Range Rovers have advanced technologically nearly to the point of rocket science when compared to their 1970 debut. The old Rover spirit is still alive and well.
Take a test drive at Hubacher Land Rover, 1 Cadillac Drive, Sacramento. Call 916-929-2777, or visit them online at hubacher.landroverretailer.com
a ROVING history
It all started in 1948 when Rover designed and engineered an extremely utilitarian off-road vehicle for exploring the inlands of England. Lightweight and short, the Land Rover, as it became known, was a smash hit. By the late 1950s, Land Rover adopted a uniform design that was well recognized and engineering that had proven more than capable in many terrains. A myriad of body styles were available, making the Land Rover the choice for government, industry and private owners alike.
Because of the company’s “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy, the Land Rover remained very much the same until the mid-1980s. The major variation before that time was the 1970 introduction of the Range Rover.
Presented as a sort of off-road Rolls-Royce, the RR (some speculate that the double "R" isn't an accident) brought Land Rover into a new arena of utility vehicles. An interior fit for a king signified to all that this was no ordinary machine. Outside, the chiseled body was unique in many ways, especially the liberal use of aluminum body panels. The combination of interior luxury and exterior ruggedness was unlike anything the world had seen before. Since its introduction many followers have emerged, but the Range Rover will remain the original.
