If you have ever read my articles about Range Rover, you would have noticed that I have a massive issue accepting that the new Range Rover is a great car. And there is one reason for this; I can imagine how the Range Rover might be a great car if it was built with the technology of Mercedes-Benz or BMW.
I guess my emotional attachment to Range Rover’s off-road abilities always leads me to imagine this alternative fantasy version of the new Range Rover: an SUV with semi-autonomous driving, radar guided cruise control with steering-wheel assist and stop & go features, a navigation system that works perfectly, seat massage system that would make massage salons jealous, crash prevention systems that can stop the car by itself and tighten your seat belts and warn for a rear-end collision, pedestrian detection system, night vision system…the list could go on forever.
However, Land Rover was struggling to save their business at the time that Mercedes-Benz was designing the AirBus inspired S-Class. As a result of the gap, Range Rover is several years behind in the driving assistance competition. This accounts for my steady disappointment.
I know myself, if I get the chance to buy a Range Rover, I will visit the dealer, drive the car. And then I will go straight to the BMW showroom and order an X5! Or order a Mercedes GLE! I would do this in the full knowledge that I know neither the X5 nor the GLE would be as tempting as the Range Rover and I would never establish an emotional bond with them. However, I would fall in love with the driving assistance systems that are offered on the X5 and the GLE. But whilst driving either an X5 or GLE, I would still be thinking about the Range Rover.
In the end, knowing the potential of the new Range Rover and seeing this vehicle without the contemporary driving assistance systems annoys me! Hopefully, Land Rover will have hired many BMW engineers and their future vehicles will improve immensely. Until that time, I would stick with the X5 or the GLE!
Photo Credits | Land Rover