Who would have thought that the issue of these two car cultures would have turned out so well? We speak of the German (or more specifically the Bavarian) and the British automotive traditions.

An odd, and short-lived, union began with BMW's acquisition of a handful of British marques a number of years ago. From that congress came the delightful MINI and MINI Cooper S, the only offspring still under the BMW roof.

When BMW decided it wanted out of its precipitous plunge into matrimony the custody of Land Rover migrated to Ford, along with Wolfgang Reitzle who had been chief of BMW's product development. He continued looking after the Range Rover at his new address.

Out of all these convoluted and sometimes fleeting relationships (Reitzle is himself no longer with Ford) we nonetheless have the happy circumstance of Land Rover's new 2003 Range Rover.

It's a fine, lusty and handsome specimen.

This is the third major redesign of the Range Rover in its some 30-year history. The 2003 version is wider, taller, longer, heavier, higher off the ground, more powerful and more expensive than its predecessor. It also is far better mannered on the highway, roomier, better-looking, more comfortable and more replete with technological and safety features (there are no fewer than eight airbags in the new model.)

In brief, the 2003 Range Rover is a dazzler. And quite likeable in the process. Though it lives large it drives small. Goldilocks would have found it just right.

The first thing the German input did at Rover was straighten the rather wobbly quality control that had befallen the British industry. (Ford had brought much the same reforms to Jaguar.)
Then came the total makeover of the Range Rover. The new influence is immediately evident in some of the de-quirking of the controls. But perhaps fortunately BMW did not have the time nor will to indulge its penchant for over engineering that can be downright obfuscating at times. You'll find nothing like BMWs befuddling iDrive in the Range Rover. Everything is in ordered rows with clear dials and generally intuitive controls.

A legacy of the new BMW 7 Series is pleasantly present in the smart interior. Executives familiar with corner offices, fine ocean-going yachts, limited edition watches and furniture with designer names attached will feel instantly in their element in the Range Rover. There's the sculptural wood trim that invites a hand, the brushed aluminum and the touches of bright work all making for the sort of elegance that is cool and warm at the same time. The seats are both comfortable and supportive and fitting for both off-road upheavals and Interstate blandness.

The Range Rover with its excellent full-time four-wheel-drive system has always been noted for its aplomb on seriously bad roads and on no roads at all. Perhaps only the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen (now called the G-Class) with its three locking differentials could out do it off-road. This new Range Rover may well be a match. It certainly bests the G-Class in elegance and smooth design. The G-Class still cannot quite conceal its military origins in its stiff civilian clothes and utilitarian demeanor.
The Range Rover's road clearance has been increased by 2.6 inches to an impressive 11 inches. That's one of three riding heights. The vehicle automatically lowers its stance at highway speeds and an "Access" height (1.5 inches lower) can be selected to make getting in and out easier. (CONTINUE...)