Today's Range Rover reminds us of an old New Yorker cartoon, in which a small group of clearly British hunters are enjoying a fine meal in the African veldt. Despite their wild location, they sport formal dinner attire and enjoy fine china, crystal, and silver. At a separate, somewhat rickety table, a single, forlorn hunter dines alone in his shirtsleeves. "Pity about Carruthers," comments one of the better-dressed men, "losing his dinner jacket like that."
Range Rover is all about bringing civility to unlikely places. Few, if any, vehicles can match its combination of rock-climbing ability, refined British luxury and on-road performance. In a Range Rover, you can traverse a boulder field more easily than in most SUVs, all the while pampered by a sybaritic interior that would shame many high-end touring sedans.
Land Rover has revised the Range Rover model lineup for 2001. Two models are still available, but both now share the larger, 222-horsepower, 4.6-liter V8. (The previously standard 4.0-liter V8 is no longer available in the Range Rover.)
So now the 4.6 SE ($62,000) and 4.6 HSE ($68,000) are separated mainly by their level of standard equipment and available options. HSE comes with 18-inch wheels in place of the SE's 16-inch wheels. Many of the HSE's spiffier features, such as its 460-watt, 12-speaker audio system and off-road satellite navigation computer, can be ordered on the SE as a $3,000 option package.
All Range Rovers come with permanent four-wheel drive and a four-speed automatic transmission. In addition, four-channel ABS is used to provide traction control to each wheel.
Distinguished by its upscale, yet rugged appearance, a Range Rover cannot be confused with any other sport-utility. It looks purposeful, yet says class in understated British fashion. Even the expensive Lexus LX 470 cannot match the Range Rover's subtle aesthetics.
Both Range Rover models received a mild exterior makeover for 2000. So for 2001, the company has turned its attention to the interior of the high-line HSE, adding even more wood accents and leather trim. Color-coordinated carpets and seat piping, a $750 extra in 2000, have been made a no-cost option for 2001. Last year's optional navigation system returns in a more sophisticated form and is now standard on HSE, optional still on SE.
The 4.6-liter engine starts instantly, and sings when you rev it to its 5500-rpm redline. Nonetheless, the Range Rover engine is tuned for low-rpm torque for off-road driving. Land Rover shares the sophisticated engine management system from BMW's 7 Series flagship sedans, boosting power and efficiency.
The steering feels light, over-assisted, and slow to respond, but there's a reason for it: When driving off-road on greasy, slippery surfaces, quick steering motions can cause a loss of traction. So the steering is deliberately slow. This also facilitates minute steering corrections when climbing a boulder field.
Similarly, the throttle pedal travels a long distance before the big power comes on, so a tap on the gas doesn't spin the wheels. This means you can finesse the Range Rover over obstacles more easily than other sport-utilities. But this wide range of control calls for extra motion to maneuver the Range Rover. You need to turn the steering wheel more, mash the throttle down farther.
Still, the Range Rover provides the driver with lots of feedback. On fast dirt roads, it will drift with its tail swinging wide, more so than any other luxury sport-utility. It doesn't drift far enough to swap ends, and ultimately gives the skilled driver more control.
