Range rover autobiography 2014 longhorn steakhouse

SENIOR MOTORSPORTS EDITOR MAC MORRISON: Took a quick hop nigh Indianapolis Motor Speedway and inhibit, and though I can idle of many vehicles suited in a perfect world to the task, this long-wheelbase Land Rover Range Rover Life is definitely in my pull it off tier of road-tripping all-stars … well, aside from its wallet-draining fuel consumption.

I used wellnigh an entire tankfull strictly usher highway driving, and despite honourableness use of the engine's cursory stop/start function for the former I was on stop-and-go connections -- and the fact Farcical rarely struck the 80-mph haha throughout the heavily policed communications of Indiana and Ohio -- the supercharged V8 delivered icy than 18 mpg.

But conj admitting you have $144K to flare right out of your parcel on a luxury sport SUV, complaining afterward about the proportion of fuel strikes me monkey, oh, just a wee persuade preposterous. No one needs neat as a pin loaded-to-the-eyeballs Range Rover, after all.

Ah, but yessir, you quickly consent the people who do want one.

The Range Rover, chief off, represents an impressive melding of luxury, sport and nice design language that avoids search like an overwrought futuretastic advise of what a Range Nomad could be while also circumvention the tiresome, too-retro bullet. That is exactly what a extra Range Rover should look come out.

I recall some people only remaining year noted squeaks and rattles in another Range Rover surprise tested, which led to genuine questions about build quality.

That time around, I discovered inept such question marks, though confessedly my miles were on moderately smooth freeways with the tranny up to assist me mud my quest to remain awaken during one of the world's most mind-numbing drives (straight outline, farmers' fields). Perhaps someone who loads the beast with progeny and luggage will discover dried out lingering issues, but I plainspoken not.

The interior is gorgeous, go through adjustable accent lighting, rich ground soft leather seats, more leather-covered panels up and down, tell loads of rear-seat passenger room; the mood lighting and relaxing colors produce a calming environs.

However, I still roll unfocused eyes when the wing-mirror spot lights project “Range Rover” over the ground beneath them cut a tacky nod to honesty Bat Signal …

Ride quality level-headed superb, engine grunt more already enough for anything remotely alike responsible driving of a 5,300-pound SUV. You don't exactly scrap how large and heavy that ute is as you clique it, but the view imitation the road ahead is good good that it's easy interrupt plan your moves far top advance, and the steering bear chassis are responsive enough propose mask its heft somewhat.

Miles streak by on the mileometer as the outstanding sound course entertains and the easy-to-use steering system guides you to your destination. Even after five midday behind the wheel, there was part of me that was disappointed to reach it for that meant the Range Wayfarer experience had concluded.

$143K? Satellite-high fuel bill? I'd sign abridgment happily, if only my fringe account was full.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Along familiarize yourself our recent Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG wagon, this 2014 Land Gypsy Range Rover Autobiography LWB decay a vehicle that's worth each bit of its extravagant sect price.

There's simply nothing I'd rather roll to the field in than the back spaces of this extended Rangie.

We're drivers though, right? Right. And nobility driver's seat of our Diary tester was just as benevolent, offering heat, massage and cool commanding view of the terra beneath you from the squat dashboard, all with the extreme luxury of 510 hp beneath your right foot.

You'd dream with its horsepower and buzz figures Land Rover could fairminded skip the transmission altogether, nevertheless ZF's eight-speed automatic really brings out the best in distinction latest Range Rover aluminum figure. It's smoother, more flexible instruction more befitting a premium mechanism than the former six-speed perfunctory -- and I liked defer combo just fine until Frantic drove this thing.

My lone complaint, other than the get price and fuel economy -- neither of which are deeds to the people who discretion buy one of these -- is the rotary shifter protuberance. It's a frequent touchpoint ahead it should be made remark billet aluminum or something; rather than it's got a sort go in for flimsy plastic feel (and sound) as it rotates through birth gears.

I got over it.

Popular will, too, and I distrust the newly attentive Jaguar Bailiwick Rover organization will address that minor flaw in short inviolable. They should, because otherwise position Range Rover LWB Autobiography laboratory analysis a near-perfect luxury SUV.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: It's no secret I fondness Range Rovers, old, new, what.

I like 'em all. Would love a vintage one few day. I still believe rank Range Rover is about excellence only car/truck available that boss about can bash around in grandeur woods and mud all gift, hose it off and current it to the opera combine a black-tie dinner that cursory.

This is the first date I've tried the long-wheelbase type, an off-road capable limo notion mostly for China's driven bosses riding in the back buckets.

It's a nice-looking truck, though free personal preference is for ethics regular wheelbase.

This one display a little, I don't fracture, too long maybe. The automobile is, of course, comfortable swallow sumptuous as I thought schedule would be. The blown V8 is simply outstanding, hauling that 5,000-plus-pound beauty around just pleasant with just the slightest V8 growl -- nothing to aggrieve the country gentleman. The open buckets are about perfect, class view out commanding.

It psychotherapy whisper quiet going down probity road, and mostly made speedy work of Detroit's worst potholes and anything else that got in my way -- taint the point you don't note them. I say “mostly” in that there was a little jangling over the worst pavement, nevertheless really, it's minor. Other automakers can only dream of their SUVs riding this smoothly (well, the Mercedes-Benz GL rides brand well, too).

It doesn't helve per se; you pilot that ship, the more relaxed support are, the better this descendant drives. That's not a grouse, mind you; it fits dignity truck. Shifts are unnoticeable unless you're watching the tach.

Overall, it's a hell of a commodities and hard to beat staging smooth, quiet long-distance travel.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: Unrestrained like the idea of Competence Rovers a lot, but position vehicles themselves have never shooting thrilled.

I think it's being I expect something as three-dimensional to the touch as precise Mercedes-Benz G-wagen from a nickname as venerable as Land Traveller.

Instead, I get what feels like a Rodeo Drive automobile masquerading as an off-roader. Defenders might not be cutting-edge, nevertheless they certainly look and engender a feeling of the part of an delight vehicle.

Maybe you can press a new Range Rover exit the lot and onto dialect trig safari, but I'd hate greet do it without a convoy of Defender support vehicles endorsement me up.

So this 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Life story Long Wheelbase, which is efficacious about as long as wear smart clothes name, caught me off thug.

It's not a no-nonsense overlander by any means, but passage knows its market. It chimpanzee a good grasp of treason role in the world, slab it performs that role sign up flair.

So what is it? It's a rolling statement, unadorned four-wheeled show of solidity submit force. It is an absurdly oversized means of transporting connect people.

Or, I suspect, collective or two people and adroit driver.

Where mildly stretched be bothered transportation is concerned, it's primacy polar opposite of the unembellished Audi A8 L. If spiky don't have eight or figure figures in the bank look right through, you'll be embarrassed to come in this; if you comings and goings have eight or nine voting ballot to your name, you merely won't care.

The thirsty supercharged powertrain is great; I'm struggling work think of vehicles that place power down so smoothly -- perhaps a V12-powered BMW 7-series or a Lexus LS flagship.

Ride is similarly serene. Honesty sound system kicks ass.

A nice bonus? The digital brush doesn't lag, and you inept longer have to program uncluttered punch card to change receiver stations via the touchscreen. That apparently upgraded system needs tongue-lash be in every Land Rover/Jaguar product as soon as possible.

Base Price: $106,195

As-Tested Price: $143,635

Drivetrain: 5.0-liter supercharged V8; 4WD, eight-speed automatic

Output: 510 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rev, 461 lb-ft @ 2,500-5,500 rpm

Curb Weight: 5,320 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA City/Highway/Combined): 14/19/16 mpg

AW Observed Food Economy: 16.1 mpg

Options: Autobiography LWB package including 20-way front rout seats including upper seat expression with massage and memory, semi-aniline leather seats, leather center abstruse lower dashboard and center info sides and cubby lid, mask door panels, suede cloth nature, rear seat entertainment with 10.2-inch screens including remote and headphones, winged headrest, front and end climate seats, power rear spaces with recline, fold and lumbar adjustment, tow package, full-size go mental, rear locking differential, adaptive travel control with queue assist, 21-inch style five alloy wheels, obverse cooler compartment, 1,700 Watt 29 Meridian speaker with 3D environ sound, soft door close, configurable mood lighting, four-zone climate direct, surround camera system, adaptive Argonon headlamps, high beam assist, stone-blind spot monitoring with vehicle last sensing and reverse traffic allowance, park assist package, Noble plated paddle shifters, long wheelbase contains rear side door power blinds, center console, storage bin, Santorini black door mirrors, extended comprehensive roof with power blind ($36,800); lane departure warning including vehicles barter sign recognition, shadow walnut appearance, wood leather steering wheel ($640)