Land Rover has released the first official images of the 2013 Range Rover. The fourth generation of the famous British luxury SUV, has been revealed along with initial details that confirm the new vehicle is hundreds of kilograms lighter than its predecessor.
The design of the new Range Rover has been inspired by the brand’s smallest model, the Range Rover Evoque. The front end styling features a headlight, grille and clean bumper design that draws obvious cues from that of the Evoque. It’s what you don’t see, however, that truly makes the fourth generation of the British SUV stand out from its predecessors.
The secret to the 2013 Range Rover’s triumph over gravity lies in its all-aluminium monocoque body structure. The new construction is 39 precent lighter than the steel body in the outgoing model and together with additional weight-saving measures, the new Range Rover is reportedly 420 kg lighter over the outgoing model, depending on market and specifications. As an example, Range Rover say their US-spec model fitted with a 5.0-litre V8, will be approximately 318 kg lighter than the outgoing equivalent.
The 2013 Range Rover is all-new inside too, adding 118 mm of rear leg room, with an optional two-position seating arrangement in place of the standard second-row bench. Noise levels are kept down with acoustic laminated glass and careful attention to the body’s vibration characteristics. A new sound system developed by Meridian is also standard, while Range Rover’s advanced technology like Terrain Response and other driver assistance and chassis control systems are also available.
The engine line-up consists of three choices, including a supercharged V8 petrol engine, 3.0-litre TDV6 and 4.4-litre TDV8 diesel engines. All engines will be matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF with the driver making the selection through a rotary knob positioned on the lower part of the center console.
More details on 2013 Range Rover are expected to be announced at next month’s Paris Motor Show.
