The Range Rover has been extensively revised for the 2007 style year. The cab has been redesigned for comfort and ease of use and new protection features have been added. Off-road and on-road features have been enhanced with Land Rover’s new Terrain Response. system, which allows you to even get further away from the road than before. The Range Rover has benefited from new engines and transmissions for 2006.
These changes, which coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Range Rover’s presence in the U. S. auto market, continue in what remains the quintessential luxury SUV. This top-of-the-range Land Rover offers original off-road features combined with a beautiful interior. with European flavours and the latest protection features.
The 2007 Range Rover is quieter, more comfortable and less difficult to use. The cabin benefits from new electrical equipment, revised air conditioning, redesigned seats and increased noise relief measures. Redesigned airbags increase your safety. Inspired by luxury yachts with beautiful joinery and rich leather, the Range Rover’s cabin is a comfortable place.
Driving a Range Rover makes you feel good. It’s quiet, sleek and balanced on or off-road and makes its occupants feel modern and sophisticated. This is one of the luxury cars available, which is in addition to the cars. The Range Rover remains an exclusive vehicle, adding to its elegance and panache. It also represents, in our opinion, a big step up from the Range Rover Sport. It’s the ultimate luxury SUV.
Exemplary service is also part of the Range Rover experience. Surveys imply that consumers are very much in favour of their Land Rover dealers and take pride in taking care of their consumers’ cars. Our anecdotal evidence backs this up. Land Rover centres go beyond a typical car dealership and act as suppliers of off-road vehicles. They buy car accessories and clothing and organize outings. Land Rover’s four-year/50,000-mile warranty includes roadside assistance (even where there are no roads) and free scheduled maintenance.
The 2007 Range Rover is available in two trim levels, the HSE ($76,535) and the Supercharged ($92,035). The HSE is powered by a 4. 4-liter V8 engine with 305 horsepower. The Supercharged has a 4. 2-liter V8 with 400 horsepower.
Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Both also feature permanent all-wheel drive with two-speed gearbox and electronic Torsen centre differential, off-road traction and stability, hill descent and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, and now Land Rover’s Terrain Response technology.
The HSE comes with three-zone climate control, a 12-way power driver’s seat with three memory settings for seat, tilt-and-telescope steering wheel and outside mirrors; 10-way power front passenger’s seat; rain-sensing automatic windshield wipers; and voice-control, DVD-based GPS navigation and Harman/Kardon digital surround-sound system with six-disc CD changer and 14 speakers, and Sirius satellite radio (subscription required). Nine exterior colors and six interior pallets are available to choose from.
Options include the Luxury Interior Package ($5,000) with premium leather seating surfaces and dash, 14-way power seats with inflatable lumbar support for the driver and front passenger, cooled-air ventilated front seats, choice of light or dark 12-piece wood trim, adaptive front lighting, auto dimming exterior mirrors and a cargo net. Seven-spoke, 20-inch alloy wheels with a full-size spare are available ($4000). Also available is an electronically controlled infinitely variable locking rear differential ($500). A DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system ($2,500) is optional.
The Supercharged comes with the full luxury interior package, plus 20-inch bright-tipped aluminum wheels and a locking rear differential. The brakes have been upgraded with Brembo calipers up front and ventilated discs all around, in the position of the HSE’s ventilated/solid setup. In addition to the HSE’s paint and interior options, two monochrome interior palettes and unique Grand Black Lacquer wood trim are offered, as is the Entertainment package. The brake and accelerator pedals are made of stainless metal with rubber inserts. .
The protective apparatus in all Range Rovers is complete. Nine airbags are popular: front, side and head airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as head- and seat-mounted side airbags for the outside rear passengers, and a special airbag designed to protect the driver’s knees. This is in addition to the many active safety features. Also popular are a front and rear parking distance system, a color rearview TV camera, any of which are incredibly useful in reverse, as well as tires. Voltage monitors. Safety is also a top priority, including lockouts and an ultrasonic alarm system. A panic button opens the locks for added security against attacks.
The Range Rover cuts a distinct profile, instantly recognizable as a Range Rover. Its contours are smooth and taut, with just enough curvature to suggest substance and strength. Compared to less exclusive, but more conspicuously massive SUVs, the Range Rover looks trim, muscular, and athletic, like a formidable middleweight fighter next to a costumed television wrestler, a look bolstered by the Range Rover’s comparatively short wheelbase and markedly robust approach, break-over and departure angles.
The front trim is forged and horizontal, topped through the Range Rover clamshell bonnet. High-tech lighting clusters housing bi-xenon headlights (with tensioning washers) wrap around the corners in a circular fashion. Available adaptive headlights rotate several degrees in the same direction as the front tires to better eliminate darkness from corners. The bumper is marked via two eye-catching circular ports with deeply recessed fog lighting fixtures and a long horizontal slot that supplies air to the engine. The rear light accessories echo the futuristic look of the front and incorporate a very bright rear fog light.
Viewed from the side, the latest Range Rover features a high beltline and a flat expanse of sleek metal dramatically slashed by vertical louvers that extract hot air from the back of the engine bay to help cool the engine.
Supercharged styling is highlighted through a silver steel grille and side vents and monochromatic external paint with black-on-silver badging. Two chrome exhaust tips indicating the presence of the toughest engine are recessed under the rear bumper at the same transparent departure angle as the HSE.
Ground clearance levels range from just nine inches to just over 11 inches, depending on the height-adjustable suspension configuration.
Underneath the skin is a steel monocoque structure with an integrated chassis that improves ride and handling and gives the Range Rover the ability to tow, haul and tote just about anything on or off road.
Towing capacity with trailer brakes is over 7,700 pounds, e. g. without brakes, almost 1,700 pounds, while the most sensible regulated speed is 120 mph in HSE, 130 mph in Supercharged.
The Range Rover features a spacious and well-appointed interior that has been subtly but absolutely refreshed and updated for the 2007 style year. The interior design is fostered through the beloved racing yachts and includes beautiful speed pillars adorned with wood.
The dashboard, the center console, the interior door panels and even the seats themselves are new. Also new are things you can’t see: The cabin is quieter, thanks to triple-laminated of window glass and a revised ventilation system that not only operates more quietly but more efficiently (due in part to a new pump that pushes air to those sitting in the back seat).
New defense measures for 2007 include side airbags moved from the doors to the seat backs to provide greater optimal coverage whether the seat is forward or rear. There’s also a new protective knee bag for the driver. The front passenger frontal airbag has been redesigned and now emerges upwards and then into the passenger seat instead of exiting directly from the dashboard, which deserves to have full coverage while also helping to decrease injuries caused by airbag deployment.
The tool panel and center console have more intuitive equipment in their placement and operation. The tools are also a bit more geared around the driver.
One of the new controls is the knob that manipulates the Terrain Response system. First introduced in the Land Rover LR3, the system is now on the Range Rover. Terrain Response allows the driver to set a dial to any of five road conditions, from dry pavement to snow to rock crawling. The vehicle’s onboard computers and mechanical components then adjust to provide optimum traction for those conditions. One of the five settings is designed for on-road use, three for off-road use, and the other for wet or snowy roads or off-road trails.
The center console has revised cup holders that are similar in length to 2007. To free up space for cup holders and Terrain Response controls, the ignition key has been moved from the center console to a more classic location on the dashboard. Two glove compartments are provided for storage.
The new seats on the 2007 models not only have the ability to be heated, but also cooled. Of course, they are upholstered in sumptuous leather, something highly appreciated in Range Rovers.
Front and rear passengers have plenty of space and not only a better view, but also all the wood, leather, and luxury of a limousine. The ride of the Range Rover is sleek and quiet. That’s real luxury.
Carrying a lot of gear is no problem. The Range Rover’s tailgate is divided horizontally with a shorter-than-traditional bottom half to ease loading and unloading. That bench-like lower half was designed to support the weight of two adults, making this a perfect vehicle for tailgate parties, or for pulling on a set of waders, or for a quick picnic lunch, or any of those other times you might want a tailgate, often good, memorable times.
The rear seats are split 60/40 for versatility when moving goods and people. Luggage hooks on the floor of the shipping area are designed to keep parts secure. The full-size spare wheel is stored in a compartment in the cargo floor.
The DVD navigation formula has a 7-inch VGA touchscreen fixed on the sprint and is sophisticated. An off-road mode with elevation contours that can guide you to a destination and also track where you’ve been, presenting an electronic navigation route, making it easier to get back to your starting point. It offers voice-activated controls. It uses a single disk that maps the entire continental United States, so there’s no need to replace it when driving across the country.
In addition to the usual on-board computer functions such as fuel consumption, range, speed, etc. , the dashboard of the Range Rover has an interface that shows the operation of the wheels and suspension, as well as the direction of travel.
The 2007 Range Rover maintains its legendary off-road capabilities, while offering equally civilized handling. It doesn’t lean much when cornering, which makes it fun on twisty roads.
Our jaunts through Northern California wine country, along the state’s northern coast, throughout the Monterey Peninsula and on various highways and freeways in the 2007 Range Rover were delightful and comfortable. Freeways and urban traffic were conquered with ease and smoothness. Off-pavement obstacles showcased the Range Rover’s ability to live up to its name in the woods, around quarries or seemingly anywhere a four-wheel vehicle might venture.
As boxy and upright as the Range Rover is, it’s remarkably quiet, its improved soundproofing and laminated side windows blocking out most outside noise.
The Range Rover’s very good ride and handling balance is the result of a highly refined interlinked air suspension that allows for softer springs for greater on-road comfort and an adjustable ride height over a range of about two inches. This formula allows for serious off-road driving and a polite lowering of the ride height to make it less difficult for passengers to get in and out, a wonderful feature for smaller and older passengers and for social outings around town. A setting can be pre-selected so that the frame lowers to the desired height when the Range Rover comes to a stop, saving passengers from having to wait while it kneels.
The HSE’s Jaguar-based 4. 4-liter V8 is more powerful, more fuel-efficient and quieter than the BMW engine it replaced in 2006. It produces 305 horsepower at 5750 rpm and 325 pound-feet of torque at 4100 rpm. The Range Rover HSE can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just over nine seconds, faster than the two-hundred-five-powered style supplied with the BMW engine. The sensitive speed is electronically limited to two hundred km/h. The Jaguar engine is empty and has an EPA rating of 14/18 mpg city/highway.
The supercharged 4.2-liter V8, also from Jaguar, increases the output to 400 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Even so, fuel economy is EPA-rated 13/18 mpg, and we saw 16-17 over the course of our driving. Land Rover says the Supercharged model can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph time in 7.1 seconds with top speed governed at 130 mph. Though stately in its performance, the Supercharged model is noticeably quicker, both in accelerating off the line and when it comes to passing other traffic.
Both V8 engines are mated to a state-of-the-art ZF six-speed automatic transmission with CommandShift, one of the most flexible manual control systems on the luxury market. On the Range Rover, CommandShift can work on the upper and lower levels of the gearbox. for on- or off-road use. It will increase the shift in manual mode, but not before the engine redline, and out of respect for the occasional need for off-roaders for a low, restrictive engine speed, it delays downshifting until just before the engine. point of loss. In automatic sport mode, the transmission uses slightly higher gears and shifts downwards more easily. You can feel it shift down a gear mid-corner to gain a softer spot on the engine’s power curve.
Speaking of tracking through corners, for 2007 the HSE gets the same suspension setup as the Supercharged version. That means the suspension is some 30 percent stiffer in front and 100 percent in the rear, reducing body roll by some 15 percent in cornering. Ride, however, remains smooth and quiet when cruising down the highway.
Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are supported by Emergency Brake Assist, which applies the full braking force in the event of an emergency stop, even if the driver mistakenly releases brake pedal pressure, and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). ), which helps reduce distances by balancing braking forces from front to rear.
The Range Rover also comes with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which helps drivers stay on the intended path by avoiding skidding. This electr.
The Range Rover is perhaps the ultimate in style, prestige, luxury, and off-road capability in an SUV. Upgrades for 2007 keep him in contention for the best-in-class title. The Range Rover brings European styling and pedigree, which is not available on Lexus or Infiniti. It provides off-road features and a shipping space that BMW X5 drivers can only dream of. Even the new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class doesn’t compete with the Range Rover in terms of on-road luxury or off-road prowess. In short, the 2007 Range Rover reinforces its reputation as the popular model that other SUVs aspire to. It’s exciting to drive and it’s simple to look at. For many, he is in fact the SUV world champion.
New Car Test Drive correspondents Larry Edsall and Tom Lankard contributed to this report on test drives in Northern California.
Land Rover Range Rover HSE ($76,535); Supercharged ($92,035).
Solihull, England.
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