Test drive autobiography Range Rover SDV8: noble by nature

First impressions of Range Rover updates as an autobiography

Range Rover has never been just an SUV. Despite being evolved many times over different generations, the model remains to this day one of the biggest and most recognizable developments in the illustrious history of the UK motor industry. In its first generation it was more of an invulnerable vehicle that could equally go on a fox hunt or trek across Africa, but today the Range Rover is more like the ideal round-the-world travel companion. The original Range Rover was recognized as a work of art, and today's successor is also fairly close to a similar definition, although, in keeping with the era we live in, it is likely to be perceived as an expensive and coveted toy, and not so much as an intrinsic value much more. One thing is for sure - in the world of off-road models, Range Rover is what it is. Bentley and Rolls-Royce in the boutique luxury car class. That is, the best of the best.

My car is my fortress

In perfect harmony with its image, Range Rover provides its customers with the very best that modern British manufacturing has to offer, and combined with details that recall British tradition in meticulous handwork down to the smallest detail. The exterior of the car has been changed quite subtly - the emission of a five-meter colossus (in combination with some engines, an even more luxurious design can be ordered with an increased wheelbase and greater comfort for passengers in the second row of seats, where the body length reaches 5,20 inches). meters) still looks more like an impregnable castle than a typical SUV. Depending on the preferences of the client, the look of the car can be customized in two main ways - more dynamic with more elements in the body color or more traditional with additional chrome decor.

More serious innovations are discovered only after a person enters the interior of the car - by the way, in such models the verb "landing" should be understood in the most direct sense, but since this is still a Range Rover, for an additional payment of the order of "modest" 5500 leva are offered steps with an electric drive (note that they are quite convenient in everyday life!). Closing the heavy door behind you, you find yourself in an extremely interesting combination of classic British atmosphere, dominated by the pleasant rich smell of leather, and solutions that come from the digital age, such as black glass-coated touch surfaces instead of the previously used buttons. on the center console. In fact, modern techniques are very cleverly integrated into the traditional charisma of interior design - personally, as a supporter of classic automotive values ​​\uXNUMXb\uXNUMXb(a fact that more and more people are starting to see as a manifestation of conservatism), I am much more impressed. the excellent workmanship and superb comfort of the large leather seats with integrated armrests and all sorts of adjustment, ventilation, heating and massage functions, the exquisite wood appliqués that the test car has even on the steering wheel, and the amazing silence that reigns on board regardless of speed. The sense of calm that comes with getting into a Range Rover is at least as British as the thousands of stories, tales and anecdotes about English housekeepers with their impeccable manners. Whether you are driving or anywhere else in the car, you get the impression that you are looking at the surroundings from the terrace of a luxurious mansion, and not from the cab of an ordinary car. Few machines can make you rise above things - literally and figuratively.

A chassis capable of anything

Undoubtedly, an extremely sophisticated undercarriage with even more advanced capabilities contributes to a sense of inviolability from the phenomena of the outside world. Range Rover Air Suspension delivers exceptional ride comfort while reducing body roll, tirelessly handles a full load or tows an attached load and, don't miss the fact, increases ground clearance to values ​​normally only found on SUVs specially tuned for heavy terrain. Combined with intelligent all-wheel drive and the latest generation of Terrain-Response technology, this vehicle can take on any challenge on the road without losing an ounce of glamorous flair. And since we were talking about limitless possibilities, the presentation of an eight-cylinder turbodiesel unit under the hood suggests similar thoughts. The 4,4-litre engine pulls with the power of a locomotive, while developing its power as harmoniously as possible - of course, not without the help of a perfectly tuned eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. It is worth mentioning the fact that the appetite for fuel is much more modest than the drive performance and the weight of more than two and a half tons. As for prices, we will treat this nobleman with due gentlemanly indulgence - after all, the pleasure of owning a living classic has never been cheap.

Text: Bozhan Boshnakov

Photo: Miroslav Nikolov

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