New Range Rover makes world debut

After an embarrassing leak, the all-new fifth-generation Range Rover has officially broken cover this morning, showing off an ultra-modern exterior design, new levels of attention to detail and a seven-seat option for the first time.

Favoured by Hollywood A-listers and the British monarchy alike, the iconic large luxury SUV will be priced just north of $220,000 – a hefty $20K increase on the current range – when it arrives in Australia from June 2022 after the order book opens tomorrow (October 28).

More than 50 years after the trail-blazing original Range Rover’s launch in 1970, the new Rangie emerges with the option of two wheelbases, three seating layouts and four engine types – including a brawny 390kW BMW-sourced 4.4-litre petrol V8.

A potent 375kW six-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain with an extended 100km range and the high-performance SV models will roll into Aussie showrooms later in 2022. The order book for the latter models will open on January 27, 2022.

No pricing has been supplied for SV or PHEV models (see below for the full Australian price list thus far) and the British brand has also confirmed its first EV will be an all-electric Range Rover in 2024.

From launch, the 22MY Range Rover line-up will include entry-level five-seat SE, plus HSE, Autobiography and First Edition variants, while long-wheelbase models will be offered exclusively in high-end Autobiography spec with the option of seven seats, the latter topping out at $304,700 plus on-road costs.

Top-spec LWB Autobiography models also come with 24-way heated, cooled and massaging front seats as well as power reclining, heated and ventilated rear seats and even heated third-row seats.

Again set to butt heads with the Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW X7 and even more exclusive SUVs like the Bentley Bentayga, the new Range Rover brings a host of other luxury and tech advances made possible by its new MLA Flex platform architecture.

Most noticeable, however, is the suave new exterior design which won’t alienate Range Rover loyalists, thanks to its familiar front and side profiles, but delivers a more chiselled and modern take on the big British SUV.

Terms like ‘simplicity’ and ‘precision’ are bandied about by Range Rover’s designers, and the vehicle’s hewn-from-solid appearance is accompanied by tighter shut lines and a more seamless integration between the body work and the solid glass form along its sides.

The design is claimed to be free of any superfluous ornamentation and the clamshell bonnet that’s graced all previous Rangies remains. New-look advanced LED headlights execute a ‘wake-up’ mode when you approach the vehicle, while new pop-out door-handles and optional power-operated doors add a bit of interactive bling.

Riding on a 75mm longer wheelbase (now 2997mm), the regular Range Rover measures 5052mm from bumper to bumper, while the long-wheelbase model has a 200mm longer wheelbase than before (now 3197mm) and measures a whopping 5252mm in total.

The longer side profile is still unmistakably Range Rover, but the rear-end design tries something a little different. It’s described as a boat-tail rear motif and has a few neat features like hidden LED tail-lights and a windscreen wiper tucked underneath the roof spoiler.

However, the split tailgate returns for active duty and even comes with an impromptu fold-out bench seat with cushions so you can sit in the boot with your legs dangling.

Chief designer Gerry McGovern says the design will “challenge expectations and push boundaries”.

Entry-level variants roll on 21-inch alloy wheels, while massive 23-inch alloys will be available and smaller 20-inch rims are offered as a no-cost option.

A new 13.1-inch curved, frameless, floating infotainment touch-screen blends into the new-look dashboard and runs Land Rover’s latest Pivi Pro operating system including wireless Apple and Android phone pairing, wired Baidu CarLife integration and in-built Alexa voice control.

It’s combined with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster, a new-look two-spoke steering wheel and a huge choice of open-pore wood veneers and metal finishes in a clean cabin design with a reduced number of buttons.

A digital rear-view mirror is also offered and the front seats feature deeper side bolsters and can be upholstered with traditional cow-hide or sustainable eco leather trims.

Range Rover reckons its most advanced model ever is also one of the world’s quietest SUVs, thanks to new noise-cancelling technology incorporating exterior microphones that pair with world-first in-seat headrest speakers to eliminate certain frequencies. Double-glazed windows also help make this the British brand’s quietest and most refined SUV to date.

Of course, there’s also an options list as long as your arm, including $16,000 hot stone massage front seats and even a $20,550 Icy White in Satin paint job.

The new Rangie can be had in four-seat, five-seat and, for the first time, seven-seat configurations.

Depending on the model or options fitted, all seats can be heated and power-operated, plus there’s USB ports for every row, including a 60-Watt USB-C port in the second row providing enough power to charge a laptop without a power pack.

The second row in long-wheelbase Range Rovers comes with powered footrests, reclining seat backs offering up to a metre of legroom and even a power-operated fold-out work bench.

There’s also an 8.0-inch touch-screen with controls for lighting, climate and infotainment in the centre armrest, plus twin 11.4-inch entertainment screens complete with sound bars integrated into the seat backs.

Range Rover reckons every seat delivers a first-class experience – even the third-row seats, which are claimed to accommodate six-foot tall passengers even with a similarly sized occupant in front of them.

A new air purification system developed by Panasonic is also included and is claimed to deliver PM2.5 filtration which helps to “significantly reduce odours, bacteria and allergens including SARS CoV-2 virus”.

Boot space is rated at 818 litres in the SWB model and 1050 litres in the LWB, maxing out at 1841 and 2727 litres respectively.

The big news for the 2022 Range Rover is the arrival of a BMW-sourced V8 and a new extended-range plug-in hybrid powertrain.

All engine types are paired to a conventional eight-speed automatic transmission and the BMW-supplied 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 (390kW/750Nm), called the P530 in Rangie-speak, delivers enough zing to propel the exceedingly heavy 2585kg vehicle to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds.

It also means the much-loved 5.0-litre supercharged V8 has been retired.

The other newcomer is an advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain (P510e), which pairs a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with electric motors to deliver impressive performance (375kW/700Nm).

A hefty (for a hybrid) 38.2kWh lithium-ion battery located under the floor delivers a claimed 100km cruising range.

The new Range Rover PHEV maintains the same boot space as non-hybrid models and can travel at speed of up to 140km/h in pure electric mode.

Land Rover says it takes less than an hour to recharge the battery on a 50kW fast-charger and around five hours via a 7kW wallbox home charger.

Entry-level models will be powered by the D300 powertrain, a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel (221kW/650Nm), while the D350 has a similar engine with more power (258kW/700Nm).

Both feature 48-volt mild-hybrid tech, as does the P400 with a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (294kW/550Nm).

Based on Land Rover’s all-new MLA Flex platform, which comprises 80 per cent aluminium and 20 per cent steel for improved body rigidity and refinement levels, the new model features a full-time 4WD system and adaptive air suspension as standard, offering up to 295mm of ground clearance.

All models come with an active locking rear differential and various on- and off-road modes, and the adaptive suspension can raise and lower the vehicle automatically. It can also firm up both left or right wheels to reduce body roll to maintain a flatter attitude when cornering, thanks to its eHorizon system.

An all-wheel steering system is also standard on all new Range Rovers, delivering a turning circle of less than 11 metres.

In terms of off-road capability, the new Range Rover has an approach angle of 34.7 degrees, a departure angle of 29 degrees and a ramp-over angle of 27.7 degrees. Maximum wading depth is an impressive 900mm.

Towing capacity is a Toyota LandCruiser-matching 3500kg with a braked trailer (750kg unbraked).

Range Rover says its new flagship SUV has been extensively tested on road and off in the real and virtual worlds and 125 new patents were filed during its development.

Stay tuned for our first drive of the all-new Range Rover in early 2022.

How much does the 2022 Range Rover cost?
SE D300 – $220,200
SE P400 – $225,500
HSE D350 – $241,400
HSE P530 –$259,500
AUTOBIOGRAPHY D350 – $279,600
AUTOBIOGRAPHY P530 – $297,600
FIRST EDITION D350 – $298,800
FIRST EDITION P530 – $312,500
AUTOBIOGRAPHY LWB D350 – $285,100
AUTOBIOGRAPHY 7-SEAT LWB D350 – $286,600
AUTOBIOGRAPHY LWB P530 – $303,100
AUTOBIOGRAPHY 7-SEAT LWB P530 – $304,700

*Prices exclude on-road costs