Range Rover long-wheelbase (2013) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew

First Official Pictures

28 October 2013 00:01

A limousine off-roader that’s not a tarted-up stretch Hummer? Meet the new Range Rover long-wheelbase, which Land Rover is aiming squarely at the elongated versions of its luxury saloon rivals, like the Mercedes S-class, Audi A8, and Jaguar XJ.

On sale in the UK in March 2014, the Range Rover long-wheelbase is expected to cost around £140,000 – twice the price of an entry-level Rangie, and £40k more than its short wheelbase specification equivalent, the top-spec Autobiography.

Rear seat passengers get an extra 140mm of rear legroom in the LWB Range Rover – on top of the 120mm improvement the new aluminium-bodied Rangie offers versus the previous generation.
Customers can choose either a three-seater rear bench seat, or individual reclining chairs separated by a sideboard worthy of a stately home. The seats can be reclined by up to 17 degrees: eight degrees further than the standard-wheelbase Range Rover allows. Powered sun blinds and a panoramic glass roof are equipped as standard.

Plus, your extra outlay buys exclusive, high-end materials not found in regular Range Rovers, including luxury grade leather upholstery and trim pieces. The only other change is a subtle ‘L’ badge denoting the long-wheelbase variant, found below the fake side vent design on the front doors.

Sitting pretty at the head of the regular-wheelbase Range Rover family is the new Autobiography Black edition. Yes, as you can see in our gallery, it is available in colours other than black – eat your heart out, Henry Ford.

Improvements include: clear rear light clusters, new finishes for the front grille, plus the option of polished 22in alloy wheels – only one inch smaller than the wheels worn by the Jaguar C-X17 SUV concept. Tellingly, the standard-wheelbase Autobiography Black will make its in-the-metal debut at the Dubai motor show in November 2013, and isn't being offered for sale in the UK.

By Ollie Kew