Ford’s Land Rover brand has given its top-line Range Rover a mid-life facelift for the 2006 model year – sales worldwide start in spring 2005. The key change is the replacement of the BMW-made 4.4-litre petrol V8 by two Jaguar units – a supercharged 4.2 and a naturally aspirated 4.4.
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Now heading the line-up is a supercharged 291 kW (400 bhp SAE) 4.2-litre engine, with maximum torque of 560 Nm (420 lb ft SAE). It offers over 35% more power than the outgoing V8, over 25% more torque and is projected to be around 1.5 seconds faster from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph).
The new, naturally aspirated 225 kW (305 bhp SAE) 4.4-litre V8 is also quicker and more powerful than the outgoing V8. The 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time is projected to be around half-a-second faster and maximum power is increased by 15kW (20 bhp).
Both engines are lightweight and use advanced torque-based engine management systems that, together with drive-by-wire throttle control and variable camshaft phasing (on the naturally aspirated), continually adjust the engine to deliver optimum performance, fuel economy and emissions.
For the Range Rover, the Jaguar-sourced engines have been further developed to offer more torque at lower revs and to operate at more extreme angles to cope with tough off-roading. They have enhanced protection from dust and rocks, and are also better water-proofed for Land Rover’s tough river-wading requirements.
The new engines are matched to a ZF six-speed automatic electronically controlled transmission. It uses a centre differential (now electronically controlled) that improves both off-road performance and on-road handling. Low-range is also available for extreme off-roading.
Steering feel is enhanced and the air suspension with adjustable ride-height is improved.
The supercharged version gets performance Brembo front brakes and revised suspension that delivers flatter handling, for superior high-speed on-road performance.
The Range Rover is sticking with its BMW-supplied three-litre turbodiesel engine option, however, despite the recent appearance of Jaguar’s twin-turbo 2.7-litre V6 diesel in the recently redesigned Discovery/LR3.
The updated Range Rover has a new front bumper, new headlamps and tail-lights, a new grille and revised side vents. New 18-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels are also available. The supercharged model gets additional styling modifications, which include mesh-design front grille and side vents, and unique 20-inch alloy wheels.
The interior is largely unchanged though the supercharged model offers two new trim colour combinations, jet/jet (all black) and ivory/jet and black lacquer wood is also now available. Supercharged vehicles get ‘sports’ stainless steel accelerator and brake pedals.
The new petrol engines offer better NVH qualities than their predecessor, and are also better isolated from the interior. Cabin noise is significantly reduced. The front side glass is now laminated to cut out more external sound and the profile of the A-post has been modified to reduce wind noise.
New options include a rear camera, a tyre pressure monitoring system and adaptive front headlamps that swivel when cornering. A rear seat entertainment system is now available, with two headrest-mounted 6.5-inch screens, a six-disc DVD auto-changer, infra-red remote control, wireless headphones and sockets for auxiliary media sources.
Optional phone systems now include Bluetooth technology and a new touch-screen display is standard on all models for operating the audio, navigation, on-board computer, telephone and 4×4 systems.
