Video lets you experience the 2013 Range Rover reveal event

The recent public unveiling of the 2013 Range Rover confirmed what earlier reports suggested: The newest version of the SUV has emerged lighter and more efficient than its predecessors, but hasn't sacrificed the performance or luxury that built the brand's reputation.

The Range Rover's all-aluminum unibody structure has a lot to do with this. Aluminum helps cut the weight of the vehicle's body by 39 percent. The new SUV isn't exactly a lightweight, but Land Rover says that figure represents a 700-pound reduction in curb weight.

In the United States, buyers of the new Range Rover will choose between a pair of 5.0-liter V8 engines. One will be naturally aspirated and kick out 375 hp, while the other will produce 510 hp, thanks to a supercharger. The European market receives a third option: a 3.0-liter diesel engine paired with a 35 kilowatt electric motor. This hybrid powertrain, which is not slated for the U.S. market, is supposedly good for 45.5 mpg.

Lists of specifications are good. Experiencing the vehicle in person is better. You won't be able to do that until the new Range Rover goes on sale next year, but the video of the vehicle-release event below might help tide you over.

Hold tight through a few interviews and interactions with celebrities who are virtually unknown on this side of the Atlantic—including Jodie Kidd, David Gandy and some guy named Mark Knopfler who used to play in “Dire Straits”—and you'll be treated to footage of the well-executed grand unveiling.

We don't want to ruin the surprise, but we will tell you that the Range Rover's all-terrain capabilities are put on display right on stage.

By Graham Kozak