The third generation Range Rover finally became the vehicle we all knew it should have been. Chronic underfunding had starved the latter-day first generation models of development and the second-generation car, whilst much improved, never had the coherence of design a winning model needs to succeed, being patchy in all round ability. The third generation model, on the other hand, was bankrolled to a large degree first by BMW and latterly by Ford, two big corporations who certainly know a thing or two about building quality vehicles. It shows. Magnificent, imperious and with genuine presence, this version of the Range Rover did away with the cheap plastics, shoddy styling and the surprisingly amateurish parts-bin feel of previous models. Here is a car that feels like an off-road Bentley. Used car examples are starting to appear in meaningful numbers and prices look tempting.
The story behind the third generation Land Rover couldn’t have been scripted any better if a crack team of tabloid hacks had been set to work on it. The British firm was owned by BMW but the Germans departed in an acrimonious split that left new owners Ford with a magnificent vehicle with which to do battle with – you guessed it – BMW’s X5. What’s more, the Ford organisation learned lessons from the construction of the BMW designed Range Rover that would later produce another X5-basher, the Volvo XC90. Like I said, you couldn’t make it up. Despite its troubled existence, there’s not a great deal wrong with the third generation Range Rover. The previous model’s Metrocab styling and low rent interior was resolutely fixed and the BMW-sourced engines were superb units. Reliability has proved good and the addition of a Td6 diesel version has opened Range Rover ownership up to those who baulked at the V8 model’s thirst. A V8 Autobiography special edition was launched in late 2003 but other than that, buyers chose between either the Td6 diesel or the 4.4 V8 in SE, HSE or Vogue trims. The original Range Rover was billed as the first luxury 4x4, but the term is relative. Any car whose interior could be spruced up with nothing more sophisticated than a well-aimed hosepipe can hardly be described as chic. Step into the latest car and you’ll be amazed at what the designers at Land Rover’s Gaydon studio have conceived. Winners of a three-way design battle with BMW’s Munich and California styling houses, the homegrown touch has certainly paid dividends. This is a car whose interior ambience is closer to an Aston Martin than anything else, with wood trim that’s tastefully integrated, lustrous pleated leather seats and intelligent use of aluminium and chrome finishing on the dashboard. The effect is tasteful, restrained and isn’t going to date as quickly as a more extreme design. Some of the minor controls are obviously BMW-sourced but then that’s no bad thing. Despite the Germanic provenance, the exterior styling is unmistakably Range Rover. In fact, when viewed from the side, only the twin gills mounted behind the front wheel arch immediately give the game away to the casual observer. Chief Executive Bob Dover explains, It is essential that people instantly recognise the new vehicle as a Range Rover. The exterior is modern yet retains all the distinctive styling cues. It also introduces some new ones. We get a return to round headlamps, plus we get vertically stacked indicator units, a design cue nicked from the utilitarian Defender. This feature is mirrored with the tail lights and indicators, narrowed to allow a wide opening tailgate. The rest of the exterior lines are almost Audi-esque in their surgical cleanliness The average Range Rover owner, if such thing exists, may also need some extension work undertaken, for the latest car is no less than 291mm longer than the outgoing version. It’s also 46mm higher, but in an effort to take the sweaty palms out of city driving, it’s also 37mm narrower. A longer wheelbase means that interior space, especially for rear passengers and luggage have been hugely improved, but weight has increased, the V8 model weighing a hefty 220kg more than its predecessor.
Prices for the 4.4-litre petrol V8 start at £38,000 for an early 2002 SE model on a 51 plate. An equivalent HSE will command £40,500 and the lavishly equipped Vogue will retail at around £45,500 for a well looked after model with around 31,000 miles on the clock. The 3.0-litre Td6 diesel models are a little more affordable, with prices opening at £36,000 for an SE, £38,600 for an HSE and £42,500 for a Vogue model. Insurance ratings are surprisingly reasonable given that the Range Rover is such a high-end vehicle with the diesel models being rated at Groups 13,14 and 15 per respective model and the petrol engined V8 cars at Groups 14, 15 and 16. Although there’s little doubt that the Range Rover is still mighty off road, you’ll need to check that the previous owner, perhaps buoyed by that feeling of being bulletproof, hasn’t been a little overconfident. Damage to the alloy wheels and exhaust through overenthusiastic off roading can be an expensive fix and even relatively trivial bodywork scrapes can put a sizeable dent in the car’s resale value. Check the headlamps for stone chips as this is a very expensive part. Both the V8 and the Td6 engines have proved paragons of reliability and owners have reported good experiences with Land Rover dealers. If you want the best you’ll need to pay for it, but the Range Rover works out very good value for money. Threatened recently by cars like the Volkswagen Touareg, the Volvo XC90 and the Porsche Cayenne, the Range Rover remains the real thing. A used example still looks box fresh and will give you a superiority complex visible from space. Suddenly those prices don’t look that steep.
(approx based on a 3.0Td6 - ex Vat) A clutch assembly will be around £275, a full exhaust about £575, a starter motor should be close to £220 and a headlamp £275. Front brake pads are about £50 and a rear set £40.
After all, the two engines that nestle beneath the trademark castellated bonnet are also of Bavarian lineage. The 4.4-litre BMW V8 petrol will be the mainstay of the range, but for those who prefer not to swell the coffers of OPEC quite so extravagantly, a 3.0-litre ‘Td6’ diesel is also available. Both of these engines can also be found in - you’ve guessed it - the BMW X5, which should lead to some interesting comparisons. Both engines are magnificent units, far better than anything any Range Rover has been powered with to date. There’s no shortage of technology built into the latest car. The automatic gearbox includes all the proper off-road functions Range Rover buyers now expect, such as a high/low transfer box and Hill Descent Control. A Steptronic manual override option allows drivers to switch ratios ‘manually’ and the stability control system can be disabled. There’s none of the BMW 7-Series’ iDrive features inside, but there is an all-independent suspension set up (a first for a Range Rover) allied to an air suspension system that allows the car to be lowered for dignified mini-skirted exits. Although this Range Rover may be used as the ultimate urban battle bus, should the need to take it off-road beckon, a new Torsen centre differential should make sure you return safely. The options list includes such niceties as satellite navigation, a voice activated telephone and a winter pack that features a heated steering wheel. The lengthy options list means that there are no specific trim levels, so expect the list prices to be merely the opening point for negotiations.
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