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Just some more notes on the Land Rover / Range Rover branding split #landrover #rangerover

rr-na

When Range Rovers first became officially available in the US back in 1987, the name of the car company here was, Range Rover of North America – prior to that, you could get Range Rovers, but I believe they were all grey market.  Here’s an ad from 1984, showing they were available.

Range_Rover_North_America_sized

Anyway, back to the focus of the post, just more notes on the separation that’s happening between Land Rover & Range Rover as brands.  From the slow removal of Land Rover badges from the Range Rovers to the branding they’re using on the web.  The actual Land Rover website has two distinct looks and logos depending on what models you’re looking at:

lr-webweb-rr

The thing to notice there is that “Range Rover” logo in the upper left of the page.  It’s those separate Land Rover / Range Rover logos that are showing up more often.  Here’s the cover & last page from the iPad version of the OneLife magazine.

onelifeIMG_0029

I didn’t notice all this extra Range Rover specific branding until the Evoque launch, I probably just wasn’t paying close enough attention prior, but now I can’t miss it.  Especially when those first Evoque pictures were missing any type of Land Rover branding – a Land Rover badge did appear on the Paris show car.

And finally, back to that OneLife magazine/app, they seem to be very careful in talking about Land Rovers and Range Rovers as independent items which seems like a lot of PR editing. 

Directly from the Ratan Tata article:

Tata wants to broaden the Land Rover and Range Rover model range and further differentiate the two brands to attract more customers to the business.

I just wonder what that means exactly?   Is this going to be a Toyota/Lexus arrangement?  We currently only have two Land Rover models in the US.  If this grows with something like the still secret L486 project, where do the Land Rover models fit in?  Why not lose them and go all Range Rover?  Are they going to be a lot cheaper?  There will be a Range Rover at the $40,000 level with the Evoque and I know it’s not the LR4 segment, but what’s going to be the differentiator?  Is it just to help people with the confusion between LR & RR that happens at times?

Can someone explain?

lr-rr

2010-10-31T00:02:56-04:00November 8, 2010|
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Now this is what Autobiography means… #rangerover

ab

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.2005-Range-Rover-Autobiography-(45)

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.

 

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2010-11-04T07:43:00-04:00November 4, 2010|
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The Evoque, the fireplace & OneLife on the iPad #rangeroverevoque

So Land Rover UK has created their OneLife magazine as a free new app on the iPad:

They always like to add in a lot of “lifestyle” content to these things and nothing is different here with an article on Bhutan with “Range Rover” references sprinkled throughout.  And there’s also one about a father and son team in the Freelander 2, here’s their video (it’s also available in the app itself):

 

But along with those articles, we usually do get some real info that doesn’t always show up in other places.  We hear from Ratan Tata, current JLR owner with some good insight.  And from the actual designers & engineers on the Evoque team.  It was there that we learn from the Chief Program Engineer, David Mitchell that:

  • They’ve adapted the LRX feature where by the lights on the instrument clusters change from blue to red depending on which sport dynamic mode it’s in.
  • They call the center stack the “fireplace”, which also has an ambient glow – now for this one I’m not totally clear on – did he mean the area that’s lit up behind the HVAC controls?  Or the storage area between the armrest and the Terrain Response controls?  He mentions it’s where you’d keep sunglasses or other odds & ends.
  • Finally, when unlocking the vehicle, there is a glow from underneath – is this an enhancement to the puddle/approach lamps or real ground effects?  – UPDATE – I missed this in the original PR: “Approach the car at night, and you will also see a bold vehicle graphic alongside the front doors, illuminated by the ‘puddle lights’ which shine from the mirrors.”

So overall, they did a really great job on this issue and I recommend you check it out.

Here’s a link to it again:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/onelife-magazine/id396905875?mt=8#

I’ve got a little more to say about it, but will follow-up in another post since it’s a different topic.

2010-11-04T20:11:30-04:00November 1, 2010|
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Harman Kardon Logic7 high dynamic (HD) system – Exclusively Available on Range Rover

 

HARMAN high-performance audio system launches in Range Rover models

Harman Kardon® Logic7® high dynamic (HD) system – Exclusively Available on Range Rover

KARLSBAD, Germany–(BUSINESS WIRE)–(www.harman.com/automotive) – HARMAN, the premium global audio and infotainment group, prides itself on its principle of designing, developing, manufacturing and supplying branded audio systems. This authentic approach has been applied to its latest technology offering, the Harman Kardon® Logic7®HD system, exclusively available on Range Rover Autobiography and offered as an option throughout the model range. The new system continues 16 successful years of collaboration between Harman Kardon and Land Rover.

In celebration of this latest evolution in the Land Rover/Harman Kardon relationship, an exclusive launch event was held in June at the recording studios of music icon Mark Knopfler. British Grove Studios in London was selected as the perfect venue to demonstrate the capabilities of the Harman Kardon® Logic7® HD system in the Range Rover, reinforcing the depth of competency of HARMAN’s heritage in the professional recording process, coupled with the authenticity of our approach in automotive audio systems.

British Grove Studios is a state of the art facility with the ability to record in 5.1 surround and was used to best effect with Grammy winning Producer and HARMAN aficionado Steve Levine producing two tracks performed by Ivor Novello nominee Patch William. The studio was a hive of activity for two days as this young band worked under the expert supervision of Steve, producing a number of 5.1 recordings for demonstration on the Harman Kardon® Logic7® HD system in the Range Rover Autobiography.

The latest Harman Kardon® Logic7®HD system offers the audio connoisseur a unique listening experience. Utilising the most up-to-date digital technology, an impressive 1200W D class amplifier is at the heart of this premium sound system, delivering high dynamic performance, authentically reproducing the recordings back to the listener with the same unparalleled quality achieved during the live performance.

Fifteen independent channels drive the audio system, offering levels of control previously unavailable in an automotive environment. With nineteen hi-powered speakers strategically located throughout the Range Rover cabin, this class leading system delivers smooth and controlled vocal performance from the most challenging of tracks. Complemented by the new 200mm front door woofers and subwoofer in the rear quarter deck, the control of the low end frequencies is truly remarkable. Coupled with Harman Kardon’s® proprietary Logic7® surround sound processing technology this creates an all encompassing, multi-layered experience releasing the subtle nuances of the original recording, irrespective of the seat location.

HARMAN is proud of its long standing iconic and visionary collaboration with Land Rover. With the new Harman Kardon® Logic7®HD system exclusively available on Range Rover, the bench mark has been set once again.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon® and Mark Levinson®. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 11,000 people across Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $3.4 billion for fiscal year ended June 30, 2010. The Company`s shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYSE: HAR.

 

Links:

http://www.lro.com/news.php?sid=709&page=1

2010-10-17T13:04:05-04:00October 28, 2010|
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