Range Rovers have existed since the late 1960s, but they’ve exploded in popularity in recent years – why exactly is that?
Range Rovers have become so popular as a result of their increasing standards of luxury, reliability, and elite following. They’re aspirational cars that come with a hefty price tag, and to many, they’re a dream car because they’re so impressive.
Read on to learn more about Range Rovers, how they originated, and how much it costs to own one today.
Home, Home On The Range… Rover
When the first Range Rover was introduced in 1969, it was a far cry from the sleek and luxurious vehicle we all know today. At the start, the project car was to be named the Road Rover, and at first glance, it didn’t even resemble an SUV.
It was the Rover Company that was developing the Road Rover, seeking to expand the Land Rover range that had existed since the early 1950s. At the time, SUVs weren’t really a thing, and it was an ambitious project, to say the least.
It took around two years for the Rover Company’s designers to settle on a final build, which was officially released as 1970 ticked over. Thankfully, the manufacturers had settled on something big, boxy, practical, and dominating.
In many ways, the released version of the Range Rover was a completely different vehicle from the one proposed in early plans. This can only be seen as a good thing, as the Range Rover was an instant hit, and it soared in popularity over the next few years.
Remarkably, the first generation of the Range Rover saw one of the longest production windows out of any vehicle ever produced. It was manufactured from launch in 1969 to 1994 – a total of twenty-five years before an entirely new generation was introduced.
However, there was a distinct rising in popularity once again, and the third-generation Range Rover was revealed just seven years later. In 2012, the fourth-generation Range Rover was released, serving as the most modern example of the vehicle.
The Journey To Get There
While Range Rover has seen a relatively positive and popular journey, the circumstances surrounding the ownership of the vehicle were somewhat confusing.
Originally, it was the Rover Company that owned the rights to the Range Rover, having been the original creators. Although, by the time the second-generation Range Rover was released, the company was acquired by BMW.
It would be just six years later that ‘the Rover Group’ was broken apart by BMW and sold off to Ford, but that wasn’t the end of the journey. In 2008, Tata Motors, an Indian motoring conglomerate, fully purchased ‘Land Rover’ from Ford.
And of course, that purchase included Range Rover as a subsidiary.
Today, Tata Motors retains ownership of the Land Rover brand, and by association, the Range Rover line of vehicles. It forms half of the ‘Jaguar Land Rover’ subsidiary – two of the most iconic British vehicle brands to ever grace the industry.
Becoming Truly Popular
The Range Rover is a massively popular vehicle for three key reasons. Firstly, it’s an impressive construction, boasting remarkable durability, performance, and overall power, dominating the road space with relative ease.
Secondly, the Range Rover is a luxurious vehicle – something that was never really intended when the first-generation example was launched in the sixties. It comes equipped with extensive comfort, infotainment, customization, and performance upgrades that make it a truly luxurious vehicle.
Finally, the Range Rover is a vehicle loved by many of the world’s elite, such as celebrities, politicians, and artists. In recent years, the likes of Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Daniel Craig, and even the Queen of England favor the Range Rover.
When it comes to boosting the popularity of a commodity, nothing works better than a celebrity endorsement of sorts. After all, these are the people that society looks up to, and if they’re driving a Range Rover, then everyone else wants to drive a Range Rover.
Ultimately, the Range Rover is simply a solid car – it’s well-built, resilient, and it feels like a luxurious vehicle both inside and out. It’s also relatively accessible, with the entry-level model, the Evoque, starting at around $40,000 – an achievable sum for what is a luxurious car.
Although, be aware of that top end, as the most expensive Range Rover is the SVAutobiography, a massively sumptuous vehicle with a $400,000 price tag. If you want to learn more about the Range Rover range, check out this article.