Jaguar Land Rover UK invited me on a secret mission to their headquarters in Gaydon, England. They lured me in (as a Range Rover fanboy, it didn’t take much) with the promise of a factory tour and first-drive of prototype Range Rover and Range Rover Sport electric vehicles. But they had another surprise lurking behind a roller shutter in the Electric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre, Wolverhampton, on day two. Even in an industry that leaks like a sieve, JLR somehow kept the Range Rover GT under wraps.
Our first introduction to Range Rover was back in 1970 when they brought us the Range Rover Classic, the first ever luxury SUV. Since then, they’ve kept refining the formula: bigger, bougier, better. Now, they’ve taken an unexpected turn… the Range Rover GT is the smallest one yet. Despite a lack of height and scarce pricing details, this modern interior gives me the impression it will cost over £100,000.
What is the Range Rover GT?
While final on-road testing of prototypes takes place, most of the details are still unconfirmed. What we do know is the reductive cabin is like nothing we’ve ever seen from Range Rover. The low roofline and long wheelbase remind me of the Range Rover Velar. Though it’s clearly curated to a specific type of customer, it strips back the buttons in favour of a calm sanctuary. They say it is a fifth member of the Range Rover family, rather than a replacement.
“The Range Rover GT will redefine the grand-touring segment with the ability to deliver beautiful and engaging GT poise, proportions and long-distance refinement while offering capabilities no conventional GT can match.”
Martin Limpert, Managing Director, Range Rover
It will be the first Range Rover on the new electrified EMA platform, so it should become the quiestest Range Rover on the road alongside other Range Rover electric vehicles. This modern grand tourer will combine effortless EV performance and long distance refinement with the same capabilities of a pure Range Rover.
First look at the Range Rover GT Interior
Get inside and the first thing you notice is what’s missing. No wall of buttons, no cluttered console. Just one screen next to the driver display, and a woven textile blanket across the dash that hides the speakers and airbags underneath. It’s a small thing, but it sets the tone for the whole cabin. Calm rather than busy. Purity, precision, quiet modernity. That’s the goal for this grand tourer. For the most part, the cabin backs that up.
The three-screen approach
Range Rover is calling it a “flow of information.” Instead of showing the same data on the head-up display, the cluster and the OLED touchscreen display, each one shows something different. The theory is that splitting the information declutters your line of sight compared to repetitive information distracting you longer than necessary. It’s a good idea… on paper.
The steering wheel will be more circular than the press shots (why reinvent the wheel, right?), and that’s where my issues begin. I’ve driven cars with a similar fixed display setup, and, depending on your driving position, the steering wheel can cover important information. Designers defended this by saying it has been specifically placed so you always look over the wheel. We’ll have to wait and see.
Space and a few nice touches
The silhouette of the Range Rover GT tells us it is a coupe. It comes as a 2+2, with a five-seat option if you need it. The roofline doesn’t drop until behind the second row, so rear headroom isn’t sacrificed in favour of a sporty shape outside. A long wheelbase gives the impression of a low stance, while awarding class-leading rear leg room.
I wouldn’t bother with a middle seat though, it’s narrow and would feel cramped on anything but a short trip. Plus, a large, cushioned indent in the centre of the electrochromatic panoramic roof eats into headroom. A 2+2 design is how the designers imagined this GT, so just trust them.
Keeping this configuration also gives rear passengers more space, and the option to leave the centre armrest down for extra comfort and access to dual wireless charging pads subtly hidden under a translucent sliding cover, matching the one in the front. We’re told rear passengers will have cupholders deploy from under the middle seat, but we didn’t see it.
A few other details stood out to me for various reasons. For example, there’s a hot and cold storage box under the front armrest. A refrigerated unit is commonplace in posh Range Rovers, but I can’t justify the need for a hot box without knowing how warm it gets. Perhaps to heat bottled milk for babies? At least it can’t be controlled by kids in the rear, like the AION V. Another detail is the vertical chrome inserts on the doors. Range Rover joked about competitors copying them, but it looks identical to the signature Waterfall grill on the Jaecoo 7. How ironic.
Where it doesn’t quite land
The seats felt waxy rather than smooth, not the ‘leather’ quality I’d expect from a luxury brand. The gear shifter and indicator stalks sit behind the wheel, which felt closer to Audi’s recent layouts than anything Range Rover has done before (but I think it’s carried over from the controversial Jaguar Type 01). And depending on your seating position, the wheel might block part of your view of the cluster, which feels like an odd miss for a system built around clear information. I’m undecided on the touchscreen until I try it. It’s refreshingly modest in size, but that could be a hinderance.
Ultimately, as a Range Rover fan, it just didn’t impress me much. That said, this is still a prototype, and I only had a short amount of time in it. But I walked in expecting that unmistakable Range Rover feel and didn’t quite get it.
What do you think about the new Range Rover GT?
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