2007 Land Rover Range Rover

"You took a $95,000 vehicle off-road?" asked a fellow Autoblogger as we shared some of our latest exploits with media vehicles. His question made it sound like I'd done something impressive with the Range Rover Supercharged, but it wasn't much more than gingerly tiptoeing this big British beast into a field. My little romp was equivalent to testing the water in a wading pool, but I discovered that the Range Rover's ride, no hard-tail chopper on the street, is even better off road. The Range Rover Supercharged is a dichotomy of brilliant and idiotic, swathed in sumptuousness. The luxury might likely be enough to convince you to forget about some of the less pleasurable aspects of the Range Rover. For us, not blessed with the faculties to swing the monthly payment on such a terrible investment as a $100,000 vehicle, all of the luxury, equipment, and capabilities were largely gimcrackery ladled into a vehicle that will essentially pull station wagon duty. %Gallery-6156% The styling pays homage to the original Range Rover from the 1970s. It wasn't a bad look then, and it's all there in updated form in the modern RR. Even though the classic cues are present on the flanks of the new model, it doesn't come off as some kind of neo-retro nonsense. The proportions are right, and the crisply folded lines are handsome and stately. The front end projects power and composure, like this vehicle would be equally adept in situations requiring a double breasted suit as it is when muddy boots are the order of the day. The squared-off bodywork is perfect to the mission of the Rover. You wouldn't want any concessions to styling cutting in on that cargo space, after all. Besides, the Range Rover Sport model offers a fastback profile if putting big boxes in your effete SUV isn't so much your thing. The deep blue paint on the example we drove was smooth and lustrous, with only a hint of orange peel. The brightwork comprised the mesh-style grille, faux-extractors on the front quarter panels, badging, and door handles. The attractively blocky alloy dubs were a matching shade of brushed nickel. The grille sits between the jewel-like lamp housings that provide a roost for the bi-xenon lighting. We loved the look. The styling is at once refined and axe-hewn. While every Rover is born with off-road chops, the RR Supercharged looked equally suited to hunkering down on its air suspension and clicking off miles at a rate of two per minute. We never pushed the needle that hard, but we can attest to the distance devouring prowess of Solihull's Zenith of luxury SUVs. Swinging an access hatch open reveals a cabin trimmed in fine perforated leather with contrasting piping, tasteful brushed metal hardware and cherry wood that makes my living room feel far inferior. While capable of puffing up the air bladders to loom above terra firma, stepping into the Range Rover is a trifle with the suspension locked at access height. Upon …
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