Land Rover and Range Rover are terms that SUV fanatics are sure to have encountered more than once or twice. These two are among the top players in the SUV world as they offer some of the most capable, reliable units in the game.
Now, because of their similarity in name, some people often wonder if they are one and the same.
Are Land Rovers and Range Rovers the Same?
The answer to this question is yes… and no. Land Rover is a brand of SUVs that has Range Rover under its line up of vehicles.
The Rover Company was established in 1947 and in the same year, it released its first vehicle – the Series I Land Rover.
The goal of the Rover Company was to provide an off-road SUV that was strong and capable enough to provide an off-road experience that would rival the industry’s leading manufacturer which, at the time, was Jeep.
Eventually, they came up with a new set of Rovers called the Range Rover which would soon become embody luxury SUVs.
As the years went by, the Rover Company adopted the brand name Land Rover which would eventually break off and become its own company, taking the Range Rover model with it.
To this day, Range Rover is still included in the line of vehicles that Land Rover offers. However, vehicles that bear the Range Rover name vary vastly in appearance, priorities, and performance compared to other Land Rover vehicles.
How Did Range Rovers Come to Be?
The Range Rover’s complete name is actually Land Rover Range Rover. It started out as a model launched in 1970 that great extremely popular.
Its success then allowed it to evolve as a sub-brand under the Land Rover brand of sports utility vehicles and the rest is history.
When it was initially launched, the goal was to create another type of utilitarian SUVs. As a result, the Range Rover Classic was initially used as a base unit for several utility vehicles.
The first generations of this vehicle featured box ladder type designs not unlike the Land Rover vehicles that came before it.
It was a far cry from today’s standard of Range Rovers with its only signs of luxury being carpeted floors, leather seats, and air conditioning.
Despite this, it was a huge leap forward for the Rover Company as it was considered an “exemplary work of industrial design” and exhibited in the Musée de Louvre.
However, as the design process went on, the Range Rover design began to develop as a unique type of sports utility vehicle that paired luxury and comfort to its strong off-road capabilities.
It wasn’t until its third generation that the modern Range Rover design started peeking through.
At this point, BMW acquired Land Rover and Range Rover with it and decided to revamp the brand’s look by ditching the boxy vintage designs and incorporation smoother curves onto the SUVs’ looks.
From there, the Range Rover’s priority of elegance and luxury only continued to grow. This, in turn, allowed it to showcase its flair and produce other models under the line-up of the Range Rover sub-brand.
To this day, Range Rover remains the industry standard for luxury sports utility vehicles.
How Does Range Rover Differ from Other Land Rover SUVs?
While Range Rover may be included in Land Rover’s line up of cars, the cars in its line up can be extremely different when compared with other Land Rover SUVs — a reason as to it was able to flourish so much as a sub-brand.
Design
Early Land Rovers were said to derive great inspiration from the industry’s giant, the Jeep. Thus, they exhibited rough exteriors and boxy bodies.
It wasn’t until many years later that the modern-looking Jeep came to, swapping sharp angles for slightly more delicate curves, all while still maintaining a strong outdoors-y look.
Land Rovers that aren’t included in the Range Rover sub-brand, overall, are more humble and rugged looking sports utility vehicles that evoke a tough spirit of rough adventures and the great outdoors.
Range Rovers, on the other hand, differ a lot from the other Land Rover vehicles in a sense that they do not really embody the rugged, outdoors look. As a luxury SUV line, they usually exhibit a more relaxed city look.
It ditches the boxy, macho designs for a sleeker set of curves that exude elegance and style.
However, don’t let the way they look fool you, this is still a fully capable SUV that can outperform some of the strongest utilitarian SUVs that Land Rover has to offer all wrapped in a posh little package.
Models
Land Rover currently has seven vehicles in its line-up, including the Range Rover line of vehicles. The models that solely bear the Land Rover name are the utilitarian vehicles that were made with ample space and and off-road performance as the utmost priority.
The three models that bear the Land Rover name only include the Land Rover Discovery, Land Rover Discovery Sport, and Land Rover Defender.
Range Rover currently takes up four out of the seven total Land Rover sports utility vehicles. These vehicles were made for luxury and comfort all while maintaining strong on and off-road capabilities.
These are the Range Rover, the Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Evoque, and the Range Rover Velar.
Price
Land Rovers that are not included in the Range Rover line, being utilitarian vehicles, often sport relatively cheaper prices. As of writing, starting prices for Land Rover vehicles range around $41,900 to $53,900.
Range Rovers, however, being luxury vehicles tend to lean more on the pricier side of the things. These members of the Land Rover family have starting prices of around $43,300 to $104,900.
Conclusion
Simply put, Range Rover is a member of the Land Rover family that provides a different flavor, dare we say, to the Land Rover brand of SUVs.
However, regardless of which Land Rover you have or are thinking about going for, you are assured of an extremely capable and reliable vehicle with a great look and exemplary performance.
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