2022 Range Rover Debuts With All-Wheel Steering, BMW-Sourced V8

The all-new 2022 Range Rover has finally made its debut. Now in its fifth generation, the all-new model might look too similar to the previous model, but the research and development team pulled out all the stops in making this the ultimate luxury off-roader.

Land Rover’s designers are treating the Range Rover similarly to the Porsche 911. The shape of the SUV is already instantly recognizable, so why mess with a winning formula, right? The evolutionary exterior design carries a lot of the previous model’s design characteristics. This includes its iconic silhouette and side door gills. Upfront, the grille is now flushed and shallower into the car’s fascia, while the matrix LED headlights retain their signature design graphic.

The side profile looks very similar to the previous model, but the design team further modernized the vehicle to fit into these ever-changing times. Apart from the aforementioned side gills, the all-new Range Rover now adopts the pop-out door handles from the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar.

The rear, on the other hand, is what features the most radical redesign. The LED taillights with their square-shaped elements have now been replaced by a slender LED bar the looks like a piano black trim piece when not illuminated. This is integrated cleanly into the gloss black tailgate trim piece.

Dimensionally, the 2022 Range Rover is ever-so-slightly longer than its predecessor. The standard-wheelbase model measures from 5,000 mm to 5,052 mm, while the long-wheelbase model adds 200 mm to the vehicle’s length. All of that stretch is dedicated to the rear seats, which we’ll get into a bit later.

While the Range Rover is no doubt large, the addition of all-wheel steering should help in maneuvering the vehicle in tight spaces. The rear wheels are able to turn by up to seven degrees in the opposite direction as the front wheels at low speeds. As a result, the turning radius is reduced to just 11 meters. Yes, Land Rover’s longest SUV also now has the smallest turning radius in its lineup.

While the interior design of the all-new Range Rover is also an exercise of restraint, the overall vibe is more opulent and luxurious than ever before. Material quality and fit-and-finish are definitely top of the class. A 13.7-inch fully-digital gauge cluster comes as standard, along with a 13.1-inch curved glass touch screen, both of which run Jaguar Land Rover’s Pivi Pro operating system. Rear occupants can enjoy rear-seat entertainment through the optional twin 11.4-inch touch screens, also running on the Pivi Pro software. For the first time ever, the Range Rover also gets third-row seating. This was always limited to the slightly smaller Range Rover Sport.

If you want even more luxury, the four-seater Range Rover SV gets a permanent rear center console with electronic folding tables, 24-way power-adjustable executive chairs with a massage function, along with ceramic and metal trim pieces around the interior. And because this is a vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, the level of customization is almost limitless.

Riding on the group’s new MLA-Flex architecture, the Range Rover can accommodate internal combustion engines (ICE), plug-in hybrid powertrains (PHEV), and even a purely-electric set-up (EV). The range consists of a mix of inline-6 and a BMW-derived V8. While this was not written in the press release, Land Rover announced its partnership with BMW way back in 2019 for the development of future electric powertrains, but the deal has expanded to also include a series of ICEs according to Wards Auto. This 4.4-liter V8 from the BMW X7 M50i is one of the results of this partnership, and it replaces the supercharged V8 of the previous model.

In Land Rover’s case, the BMW-derived V8 produces 523 hp and 620 Nm of torque, enough to propel this heavyweight from 0-100 kph in just 4.6 seconds. The V8 has been modified by Land Rover to have a unique sump allowing for up to 45 degrees of articulation during off-road scenarios. In addition, Land Rover’s tuning to the V8 will still let the engine start-up even under the coldest of temperatures.

For now, we still have no clue on what kind of engines the 2022 Range Rover will be equipped with once it arrives in the Philippine market.

Coventry Motors Corporation President, Chris Ward delightedly shares “The New Range Rover is the most desirable Range Rover ever made and will continue to be the must-have luxury SUV globally. We are thrilled to bring in the new Range Rover into the Philippine market to serve our clients with the most sophisticated of tastes. Another exciting development for Range Rover, a vehicle that represents ultimate luxury and class, as it advances into the future as a luxury EV by 2024. We will be able to share more information about this astonishing vehicle in the next coming days.”