Land Rover Lr2 Reviews

2011 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged Review

1. Starting at $78,835; 510-hp Supercharged models jump to $94,615 plus options.

2. For improved ride comfort and handling there’s an active damping Dynamic Vehicle Control system.

3. A Terrain Response system includes five modes: grass, gravel, snow, mud /ruts, sand and rock crawling, as well as a default tarmac setting.

4. If you want the luxury and the brand image but could do without the size, cost and fuel bills, the compact Range Rover Evoque will deliver all that for just $45,000.

And so we have the vehicle known as the Range Rover Supercharged, a monument to ostentatious motoring that stands out as a profligate urban tank favored by wealthy housewives, rappers and professional athletes, as well as plutocrats throughout the world. Is the Range Rover Supercharged a totally irrelevant vehicle in this day and age? Without a doubt, yes.

Fortunately, the sheer excess of the Range Rover is part of what makes it such an awesome vehicle. From its aggressive front grille resembling an electric shaver to the slab-sided styling and 20-inch wheels, everything about the Range Rover says “I’m rich; you’re not, so get out of my way, plebian motorist.”

If the peasantry elects to throw rotten produce at you as you collect tribute from your serfs (or in this case, tenants, since only a slum lord can afford this vehicle), you will be ensconced in a cabin that could be described best as “opulent”. Our tester had a lovely chocolate brown interior, with the butter-soft leather accented by white piping and dark wood trim. The driving position is high (the better to lord over the masses), and the front seats come with a pair of armrests that were lifted from the First Class section of a Middle Eastern airliner.

Interior controls can be operated via well laid-out buttons on the center stack or through a touch-screen mounted above the stack. Unlike a number of touch screens, we found this one easy and intuitive to use, a welcome addition from the centrally mounted knob that other luxury brands require in order to navigate the vehicle’s various functions.

2011 Land Rover LR2 Review - Official photos, features, specs ...

The straight six is the best balanced of all engine configurations but its length usually makes it difficult to package transversely. The straight six accelerates the LR2 to 60mph in 8.4 seconds (0-100 km/h in 8.7 seconds) and on to a top speed of 124mph (200 km/h). However, the Rear End Ancillary Drive (READ) arrangement of the i6, with ancillaries like water pump, air conditioning compressor and alternator mounted at the rear rather than the front, reduce the length of the i6 to an incredible 23.64 inches (60 cm) making it an easy fit in the LR2’s engine bay.

With an advanced, aluminum block, head and bedplate the i6 remains at the cutting edge of engine design. The i6 is equipped with twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder with cam profile switching (CPS) and variable valve timing (VVT). The combination of the two mix high power with low end flexibility and maximum efficiency.

The i6 also has a variable length inlet tract which adapts to optimise both high end power and low end torque. These technologies combine to deliver 80 percent of maximum torque across the entire useable rev range and 189 lb.-ft. is available between 1400rpm and 6400rpm. The engine uses Intelligent Power System Management (IPSM) for ‘smart charging’ of the battery.

The i6 engine was originally developed with Land Rover applications in mind and is designed to resist dust, mud and water intrusion as well as operation at acute tilt angles.

The exterior of the LR2 gets a new look for 2011 with a new front bumper assembly incorporating new front fog lamp bezels. There’s a new front grille in Bright Finish. The Halogen projector headlamps are new, as are the rear tail lamps which now have a clear inner lens and a black lens surround for greater definition. The tailgate handle is now finished in body color and the full width signature strip is finished in Noble. Additional body colored parts include door handles, headlamp washer jets, door mirrors and lower side door panels and rear bumper are fully painted as standard. Door mirrors now have a 10 percent larger glass area and to really set off the fresh styling there are also new 18” (standard) and 19” (optional) alloy wheels. The choice of colors has changed for 2011 too, with the addition of Kosrae Green, Baltic Blue and Fuji White.

In the cabin, there are two new contemporary seat styles offering a greater range of choice. Napoli leather and New Windsor leather for the LUX Package. These two new styles differentiate between trim levels. A 6/4-way electric adjustment is standard and 8/6-way electric adjustment included in the LUX Package seats.

Sports Car Market magazine - January 2008

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