Flagship SUV gets a refresh
Range Rover updates include exterior, comfort features and seatback massage tech
The 2018 Range Rover has been introduced with an updated exterior design and new comfort enhancing features.
Looking to further transform the travelling experience, Land Rover has added an optional 24-way movement to the front seats, thanks to new seat frames with wider and deeper foams as well as heated arm rests. The Range Rover also boasts a completely redesigned cabin and seating layout in the rear that includes 17 connection points with domestic plug sockets, USB, HDMI and 12-volt. And in today’s connected world, the Range Rover offers a 4G Wi-Fi hot spot for up to eight devices.
Enhancing relaxation, the luxurious seats offer up to 25 massage programs with hot stone massage technology within the seat backs.
The Range Rover has been further enhanced with gesture sun blind, allowing the blind to be opened with a rearward swipe in front of the rearview mirror, or a forward swipe to close.
There is also an activity key now, that allows owners to securely lock and unlock their vehicle without the need to carry a conventional key fob.
Priced from $88,345, including destination, is the standard 2018 Range Rover SE model, powered by a 3.0litre supercharged V6 gasoline engine, providing 340 horsepower. The HSE trim features a more powerful version of the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 engine with 380 hp and a starting price of $95,045.
Diesel shoppers have two options to choose from, the SE Td6 and the HSE Td6. Both models come with a 3.0-litre turbo-Diesel V6 engine delivering 254 hp, with the SE Td6 starting from $90,345 and the HSE model priced at $97,045.
Then there’s the more powerful Supercharged model, featuring a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine with 518 hp starting from $105,845. There’s also a long-wheelbase variant that costs $109,890.
For added luxury, there’s the Autobiography model, also featuring the 518-hp engine and a $142,990 price tag.
The long-wheelbase version costs $6,300 additional.
At the top of the range is the 2018 Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic, powered by a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine with 557 hp. It doesn’t come cheap, with a starting price of $178,195.
Like the 2018 Range Rover Sport, Land Rover has added a plug-in hybrid variant to the Range Rover lineup, called the Range Rover P400e. It will, however, be introduced as a 2019 model sporting 398 hp and 472 pound-feet of torque. It will have an all-electric range of 51 kilometres and a top speed of 220 km/h. The plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-litre Ingenium four-cylinder engine with 296 hp paired with a 114-hp electric motor.
Expect pricing for the 2019 Range Rover PHEV to be announced closer to its launch.