By Jason Neeson
Unlike many of the modern day Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV), the Land Rover Range Rover is a true off road capable SUV that feels just as comfortable on paved roads as it does in the dirt. The Range Rover has a body on frame construction, like a truck, which makes it a very capable off road vehicle. The Range Rover has been in production since the 1970′s and is classified as a luxury vehicle. Many of the early models from the 1970′s can still be seen driving around, which is a testament to their durability and high quality.
The modern Range Rover is extremely luxurious with all of the latest technologies one would expect from a luxury car. The interior is lined with premium soft-touch leather and includes a lot of insulation to reduce cabin noise. It can seat five adults comfortably and is equipped with the highest quality sound system and includes an in-dash 6 DVD system for the occupants to watch movies. The 2011 Range Rover comes with a hard disk based navigation system that can be synced with local traffic control centers to avoid highly congested streets. The front leather seats are heated and cooled and also have a massage function, which comes in very handy after a hard day’s work. There is a three zone climate control system for the driver, front passenger, and the three rear passengers.
On the exterior, the 2011 Range Rover has the same basic shape as models from the 1970′s but it has been refined over the years to give it a contemporary look fit for the 21st century. The vehicle comes with aluminum wheels, High Intensity Discharge (HID) head lights with LED daytime running lights and LED tail-lights.
Under the hood is a supercharged 5.0 liter Ford V8 engine that produces 510 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 461 pound feet of torque at 5,500 rpm. The power is delivered to all four wheels via a six speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode. The Range Rover can reach 60 miles per hour from standstill in 6.2 seconds, which is very impressive considering it weighs over 4,000 pounds, and can reach a top speed of over 140 miles per hour.
There are various styles and configurations that the Range Rover can be order with. There is the standard version which starts at around $70,000, the next step up is the supercharged version which costs around $100,000, and the extremely luxurious version called the Autobiography that costs well over $125,000 and is fitted with all leather interior surfaces including the dashboard, door panels and even the ceiling.
For those looking for a bit less off-road capabilities and more sporty driving dynamics, there is the Range Rover Sport which comes with a completely different sporty body.
