2018 Range Rover refresh – it’s like the S versions of the iPhone
I’m going with the slightly more boring version of the official PR here – the one released by Land Rover USA – no fancy LED options or the like but more realistic for US readers.
NEW RANGE ROVER TO FEATURE SIGNIFICANT CABIN, TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN UPDATES IN 2018MY, FOLLOWED BY A PLUG-IN HYBRID MODEL JOINING THE LINEUP IN 2019MY
– Land Rover’s flagship SUV, the 2018 Range Rover, evolves with an updated exterior design featuring new LED headlights and a wealth of new comfort enhancing features
– 2018MY Range Rover offers its customers a sanctuary experience via a new interior with advanced technology and features, including the elegant Touch Pro Duo infotainment system, all-new 24-way adjustment and massage seating, Air Cabin Ionization and Gesture Sunblind operated by advanced gesture control
– New 557hp 2018MY Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic mixes sumptuous interior with supercharged V8 performance (0-60mph in 5.1 seconds5)
– 2019MY Range Rover P400e Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) combines electric and gasoline power for sustainable performance:
o Total power / torque output: 398hp (297kW) / 472-lb. ft.
o Electric-only range: 31 miles (51km)
– Customers can choose their Range Rover, starting at $87,3501, with either a supercharged V6 or V8 gasoline engine, a turbocharged V6 diesel engine, and beginning in 2019MY, a new plug-in gasoline-electric powertrain
(MAHWAH, N.J.) – October 10, 2017 – More than ever, Range Rover represents the pinnacle of luxury travel, making every journey a treasured experience whether driving or being driven.
Today, technology drives the next major step for the Range Rover, with a plug-in hybrid electric powertrain providing sustainable luxury with new levels of efficiency and capability complementing its refinement and desirability.
Comfort-enhancing functions transform the travelling experience for the 2018MY Range Rover driver and passengers. The front seats feature an optional 24-way movement thanks to the new seat frames, with wider and deeper foams as well as heated arm rests. In the rear a completely redesigned cabin and seating layout create a tranquil sanctuary with no compromise to the rear load space.
If you’re working while being driven, up to 17 connection points including domestic plug sockets, USB, HDMI and 12-volt are all available; a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot7 for up to eight devices and convenient storage are all designed for the business traveler. The cabin is tailored for relaxation with luxurious seats offering up to 25 massage programs thanks to Hot Stone massage technology within the seat backs.
Wider, softer seats offer sumptuous comfort. Reclining by up to 40 degrees, they make the most of the additional 7.3-in (186mm) legroom (now 47.5-in/1,206mm in total) and can be deployed at the touch of button. The exemplary comfort extends to heated and cooled seats, plus heated arm, foot and calf rests. For additional convenience and personalization, all seat functionality can be controlled via a smartphone app, whether inside or outside the vehicle.
“Our customers are very clear about what they want from any new Range Rover. ‘Don’t change it, just make it better,’ they tell us, so everything we’ve done has been about enhancing our flagship SUV,” said Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover. “After nearly 50 years the fourth generation Range Rover is the finest so far, ensuring the original luxury SUV remains the choice for discerning customers the world over.”
The elegance of the interior has been elevated by the seamless integration of the most advanced infotainment system yet created by Jaguar Land Rover. InControl Touch Pro® Duo, combines two high-definition 10-inch touchscreens on the center console working in perfect harmony6. Information can be swiped from one screen to the other, making the layout highly intuitive and engaging to operate.
The new Range Rover has been enhanced with further technologies for greater comfort and convenience:
Gesture sunblind: opened and closed by an advanced gesture control system that senses an occupant’s hand movement. All it takes to open the blind is a rearward swipe in front of the rear view mirror, and forwards to close
Activity key: customers can securely lock and unlock their vehicle without the need to carry a conventional key fob
To experience tailored Range Rover luxury and performance in its most dynamic form, customers can now savor the enhanced Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic – the most powerful production Range Rover to date. The output from its supercharged V8 gasoline engine is up to 557hp delivering 0-60mph time of 5.1 seconds (0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds)5. Striking design revisions include an exclusive Graphite Atlas mesh grille design with chrome inserts and a revised rear bumper with integrated metal tailpipe finishers.
2018MY RANGE ROVER U.S. MODELS AND MSRP
SE 3.0L S/C V6 Gas – 340hp $87,350 HSE 3.0L S/C V6 Gas – 380hp $94,050
SE Td6 3.0L T/C V6 Diesel – 254hp $89,350
HSE Td6 3.0L T/C V6 Diesel – 254hp $96,050
Supercharged – 5.0L S/C V8 Gas – 518hp $104,850
Supercharged LWB – 5.0L S/C V8 Gas – 518hp $108,895
Autobiography – 5.0L S/C V8 Gas – 518hp $141,995
Autobiography LWB – 5.0L S/C V8 Gas – 518hp $148,295
SVAutobiography Dynamic 5.0L S/C V8 Gas – 557hp $177,200
2019 Range Rover Sport PHEV Open Water Challenge
The demanding point-to-point is the latest in a series of challenges completed by the Range Rover Sport, including a record-setting hill-climb at Pikes Peak, a record crossing of the ‘Empty Quarter’ desert in the Arabian Peninsula and last year’s Downhill Alpine Ski Challenge.
With two-time open-water swimming world champion Keri-anne Payne and endurance athlete Ross Edgley hitting the waves, the Range Rover Sport faced soft sand, tidal roads and waded through waves up to 850mm deep on its 14km (8.7-mile) inland drive from Bantham Beach to Burgh Island in South Devon, UK.
The team of swimmers faced a challenging 1.5km (0.9-mile) course across the choppy coastline while the new Range Rover Sport P400e electric-petrol model encountered roads flooded by the incoming tide and used its EV mode to make near-silent progress through the tiny villages along its route.
The performance SUV reached the beach just as the tide covered the sand that links Burgh Island to the mainland, leaving the Range Rover Sport to put its wading capabilities to the test and overtake the swimmers just before the finish line.
The victorious Range Rover Sport is available for the first time with an advanced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain. It gives the P400e version an EV range of 51km, combined fuel consumption of 101mpg and CO2 emissions of 64g/km.
The Range Rover Sport P400e is the first model to use Land Rover’s advanced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle technology, combining an 85kW (116PS) electric motor and a 2.0-litre Si4 300PS (221kW) Ingenium petrol engine to produce 404PS (297kW) and 640Nm of torque.
Land Rover’s intelligent Terrain Response 2 system optimises all-terrain capability for maximum traction on any surface, automatically configuring the vehicle to suit the driving conditions. Allied to the electric motor on the new P400e model, this allows for even more precise management of torque that makes the Range Rover Sport such a capable performance SUV.
2018 Range Rover Sport Refreshed – The Minutia
The little details that aren’t always featured in the initial write-ups.
- Speed lowering is back, similar to the second generation Range Rover (P38A), if cruising at 65MPH or above, the air suspension will lower by up to .6" to reduce drag. The speed lowering will give the 7.5 count drag benefit.
- Clear Exit Detection will alert passengers of approaching traffic or other dangers before they open their doors
- CD/DVD drive has become a NCO and moves to the new upper glove box, significantly reducing the space available.
- Front center console refrigerator gains a new rapid cool function, initially going down to 23°F then up to 41°F and holding.
- USA still only gets the base non-laser 24 LED headlight option. UK options include, 52 LED Matrix, 142 LED Pixel along with the 144 LED Pixel-Laser High Beam:
- Turn signals now have an animated sweep from inner to outer. It can be turned on or off depending on the owner’s preference under Vehicle Settings>Exterior Lighting>Turn Signals>Animated: On/Off
- The P400e PHEV model includes a new Comfort Mode for the suspension
- Further they recommend running the gasoline engine when wading to prevent water entering the exhaust system
- The PHEV also loses some trunk space with the addition of a small step. It also does not get a spare tire.
- Streaming music will be built into the vehicle from Deezer and Tunein. There will be no smartphone needed, these apps will run natively on the vehicle.
- The new gesture sunblind will open and close the sunblind with a swiped of your hand but in addition to this, the system can be set to automatically close the sunblind after everyone has left the vehicle and then reopen when the driver opens their door.
- A new cabin air ionization system, Nanoe™, is central to the increased focus on passenger wellbeing. It improves the air quality within the cabin and can help reduce allergens, viruses, bacteria and odors. The system uses nano-sized charged water particles which decompose harmful substances and thus help to cleanse the air. It can be switched on or off via the Climate screen.
We can see the new key quickly in these shots:
Updated key pic (1/22/18):