Eberhardt: No Separate Brand Above Range Rover For Ultra-Luxury SUVs
Though Bentley and Rolls-Royce are adding ultra-luxury SUVs to their collections, Jaguar Land Rover has no plans to put one above Range Rover.
Car & Driver reports JLR North America CEO and president Joe Eberhardt stated during the 2015 New York Auto Show that such a thing won’t likely occur, adding that JLR hasn’t yet seen “where Range Rover can go.” Eberhardt also said that he wasn’t too worried about the ultra-luxury SUV competition stealing sales from the high-end brand.
Presently, the most expensive Range Rover in JLR’s lineup is the recently introduced Range Rover SVAutobiography, which tops out the range with a base price of $200,490; the Bentley and Roller SUVs are expected to begin between $300,000 and $400,000 for comparison.
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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At the introduction at the NYAS of the Range Rover SV Autobiography, which is $120,000 worth of trim and stuff added to a $80,000 vehicle, I turned to someone and said, "Why don't they just call it the Range Rover Expensive?" A few minutes later Jaguar's Andy Palmer concluded his remarks with, "And it's very expensive!"
I will say that I saw a convoy truck headed north on I-5 with a load of Range Rovers. Two of the six were totally wrapped in white cloth.
Good move. You don't need to go further upmarket beyond the brand preferred by the Queen of England. But the Evoque should die in a fire. Or at least be badged a Land Rover. That is the single vehicle I irrationally hate the most (yes, way more than K2XX SUVs). It's the yappy Shih Tzu of cars. Useless, annoying, no redeeming qualities whatsoever, basically a Ford Escape with less room, more ugly, and a much higher price.
I am very frustrated - I would buy Land Rover for that price, but Bentley and Rolls Royce - never - I do not want to show off.