This is from a few months back but still interesting – can’t say I love every design decision made for this but those floor mats really look cool.
http://www.topspeed.com/cars/landrover/2011-range-rover-spirito-divino-by-anzom-ar108161.html
Land Rover just released a great new batch of photos of the forthcoming Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate. For me it’s the close up of the front window controls & the front door card shot itself that really show the small details they’re focusing on with this limited edition. And again I have to say – these are the kind of things that Land Rover should have had in the vehicle for a while- less plastic BMW trim, more wood & metallic trims. We also get a good shot of the wheel with the new branding on the middle cap, just like the Evoque – “Range Rover”
Enjoy!
With the embargo over, Land Rover has released the official press release and full high-res photos of the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition. There are a few neat items that I’ll point out in another post but for now, here’s the official word, with higher-res pictures at the bottom:
THE NEW RANGE ROVER AUTOBIOGRAPHY ULTIMATE EDITION
Gaydon, Warwickshire, 9th February 2011, the new Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, a hand-finished exclusive addition, will make its debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.
The flagship model adds a handcrafted luxury interior, using specially selected soft feel natural leathers, to an interior renowned for being one of the finest in the automotive world.
The driver benefits from the recognisable command driving position offering excellent visibility and comfort, and the rear passengers now experience first-class-style accommodation never before seen in a Range Rover.
Two stand alone electric rear seats enhance space and comfort for the rear passengers, making the Ultimate Edition the definitive chauffeur vehicle. The addition of a rear console extension, including a machined aluminium laptop table and drinks chiller, and two Apple iPads* as standard (the first car to do so), takes the Range Rover rear seat experience to new levels of luxury.
The luxury theme extends to the rear load space, with a super yacht inspired teak floor with metal and leather detailing.
The interior story is completed with high-end semi-aniline leather seating and Oxford leather on the door casings, dashboard top and steering wheel. For the first time, Kalahari wood veneers are used on the facia and door top rolls and unique interior colourways of either dark cherry or Arabica are available
Two new unique exterior colours, either Roussillon Red or Otago Stone, are available along with body coloured door handles, dark atlas radiator grille and side vents to create a sophisticated finish. This Ultimate Edition is fitted with new and unique 20” multi-spoke diamond-turned alloy wheels, and unique tailgate badging. Customers also have the option of an Exterior Design Pack and deployable side steps.
The all-V8 engine line-up includes the superb new 4.4 litre LR-TDV8 Diesel engine with a new eight-speed transmission incorporating Drive Select with Paddle Shift as standard. This LR-TDV8 combines superior power with 313PS, 700Nm torque whilst delivering even lower fuel consumption and 14% less CO2 emissions than its predecessor in line with the stringent EU5 emissions standards. The combined cycle fuel consumption of the new LR-TDV8 4.4-litre is just 30.1mpg, making this the first Range Rover ever to better 30mpg.
The 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox tuned by Land Rover engineers to combine silky smooth shifting with exceptionally rapid response and improved fuel economy, catapults the Range Rover from rest to 60mph in a mere 7.5 seconds and complete the 50mph-75mph dash in just 5.1 seconds.
The LR-V8 5.0 Supercharged engine is also available delivering awesome power and torque, 510PS and 625Nm, propelling the Range Rover from 0-60mph in a breath-taking 5.9 seconds.
Both variants come with Land Rover’s award-winning Terrain ResponseTM system, which optimises the vehicle set-up for virtually all on-road or off-road driving situations, with five different settings to suit different terrains including new Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control.
This Ultimate Edition was designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK and exclusivity is assured as each vehicle will be built to customer order only. 500 units will be produced and sold in over 20 markets globally.
Pricing will be announced by individual markets later this year.
All I can say is wow – this popped up on Autocar.co.uk and was a complete surprise. A new limited Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition will be shown at the Geneva Auto show next month. With just 500 examples worldwide, and costing around £130,000, this will be the Ultimate Range Rover.
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/255361/
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/the-ultimate-luxury-range-rover/255363
For me it’s always about the interiors and seeing what we see here, it makes me even more excited about what they’re going to do on the all new Range Rover we’ll see in 2013. This is the kind of bespoke look we need. And those wood door toppers are a direct throw back to the 1981 Range Rover Vogue – Why didn’t we have that all along?? AWESOME – NEED MORE PICTURES! And those are iPads in the rear headrests. And it looks like it has the electronically retractable running boards too.
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![LandRover-RangeRover-821111416534241600x1060[1]](http://www.ovalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/LandRover-RangeRover-82111141653424111.jpg "LandRover-RangeRover-821111416534241600x1060[1]")
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![LandRover-RangeRover-821111415546101600x1060[1]](http://www.ovalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/LandRover-RangeRover-8211114155461011.jpg "LandRover-RangeRover-821111415546101600x1060[1]")
![LandRover-RangeRover-82111141653181600x1060[1]](http://www.ovalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/LandRover-RangeRover-821111416531816.jpg "LandRover-RangeRover-82111141653181600x1060[1]")
And for a quick throwback – here’s a spec sheet on the 1981 Range Rover with it’s wood door capping and Picnic Coolbox, just like the Ultimate!
So there it is – Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate
A new Defender limited edition is always fun but bittersweet because I know we’ll never see it in the US, at least not in it’s current iteration. After doing a complete restore on 1971 Series IIA(www.roverhaul.com), it’s the little things on the Defender that really catch my eye. Even with 40 years separating my 1971 and this 2011, the 2011 still has visible pop-rivets – very cool! Even that “upgraded interior” – it’s just so classic Land Rover – window controls in the center!
LAND ROVER ANNOUNCES THE NEW 2011 DEFENDER X-TECH LIMITED EDITION
As a norm, I’m usually don’t care for too many change from the original design and the RS500 doesn’t change my mind. It’s got some neat tweaks but they seem to be a bit overdone. And even though their interior looks great, it appears you have to sacrifice cooled seats for their interior trim package.
And finally, I will say, this RS500 seems like a Range Rover you’d see in the Star Trek “Mirror, Mirror” or Fringe alternate universes. You know it’s a Range Rover, but it has an odd looking goatee.
And I would like to hear how different their exhaust package is from stock!
Read the full post for Official Press Release
Not sure how it affects the utility of the Land Rover, but those wood floors look great!
Sorry there aren’t any specifics, but enjoy the pictures.
Land Rover is really busy putting out these UK only special editions. This time it’s the Freelander 2 that’s getting the treatment. I actually don’t mind the Freelander or the LR2 as it’s called here in the States. But after the big refresh for the other Land Rover & Range Rovers in 2010, the interior really needs an update – they’re still even using the old steering wheel. But overall, it’s a comfortable vehicle that’s not bad to drive.
This Sport Limited Edition adds the usual interior & exterior tweaking where they play with the colors on the exterior trim (door handles, grills, vents, etc…) and add in interesting leather combos. Wheels look good too, they’re 19” and called Shadow Chrome. And I think I like the red interior trim strip on the dash as opposed to the faux wood trim – blacked out front grill also really gives the vehicle a stronger look, maybe it should become standard? Enjoy.
RELEASE DATE: 00:01 2ND DECEMBER 2010
Land Rover announces the new Freelander 2 SD4 Sport Limited Edition
As a real customization option for the Range Rover, the Autobiography program has been something they’ve had in the UK for many years, going back at least a generation.
If you don’t already know, here’s the description of the UK Autobiography program:
An Autobiography is one of those rare opportunities in life to say precisely what you want to say. With Range Rover Autobiography, you have the freedom to express you own distinct taste through wide choices of optional colors and materials creating a vehicle that is an individual as its owner. The Autobiography program is available when you specify The Range Rover Supercharged, the naturally aspirated V8, or diesel as your vehicle order and can be tailored to your individual specification. Take as many liberties as you like. Paintwork, seats, rugs, leathers, wood finishes, facia, steering wheel or perhaps an embroidered headrest. With Autobiography, there are no rules
So all this means is you really get to go crazy with customizing and tailor a Range Rover to your own unique ideas. None of this is cheap and as far as I’ve been able to find there’s no real public price list for the UK program. In the UK, it doesn’t take a completely custom design to get that Autobiography badge, key chain & sill plates – you just need to get an Autobiography paint finish, interior color change, wood package or bespoke commission.
In the U.S., we’ve had special editions through the years that get certain Autobiography options with no real customization – the 2008 Westminster being one of them, along with the various anniversary editions. It’s on these special editions we’ve been seeing more of the exterior trim painted body color, something they offer in the UK, but not here. They usually get that two toned leather interior too, and they use one of the special wood trim options.
Starting in 2009, Autobiography became available in the US, really more of an option package. For 2011, it’s a $21,485 package that you can only add to the Range Rover Supercharged. It adds every option to the Supercharged model, gives you a full leather interior with more color choices(including the two tone options, but nothing like the UK), upgraded rear seats, special wheels and a few more items. You can go with one of the special paint choices which cost between $9,500 & $14,500. And you have three special wood trim choices, which go for $2,300. There are packages for the Sport now too, but I’m talking about Range Rovers here.
So we are getting closer to the actual Autobiography program here in the US but still nothing like the levels of customization they offer in the UK. In the pictures below, you can see pictures from the 2005 UK Autobiography guide, a hard cover book that really shows you what’s possible.
My main question is, why can’t we get this here? Are we too large of a market? Would it be too overwhelming for the Land Rover Special Vehicles people? Or do we just not care about customizing like this in the US and the marketing people have decided it’s not worth it? And how much extra work goes into a US Autobiography vs. a UK model? Does the US model get any special finishing by the Autobiography division?
I’m not looking for any of these crazy color combos, but it would be nice to have more options.
It is a great time for US Range Rover buyers, there are more options & features then ever before; hopefully it will open the door for a real Autobiography program here.
All of the pages have been converted to JPEG & add to the gallery:
2011 Range Rover Sport – US Version
Range Rover items on eBay
