Land Rover is confident that the new Range Rover can establish a foothold in the super-luxury SUV segment prior to the launch of forthcoming rivals from Bentley, Lamborghini and Aston Martin Lagonda.
The firm tested the waters for a £125,000 Range Rover with the 2011 Autobiography Ultimate Edition, and the success of that model has encouraged Land Rover to push the Mk4 Range Rover into a higher price segment.
See pictures of the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition
“The Ultimate Edition shows there’s an opportunity to go up a notch in price,” said brand director John Edwards. “We tested the market for a reason. We always learn for future models.”
Edwards said he wasn’t initially sure how the market would respond to a £125k Range Rover. “I was quite nervous about it,” he said. “The top model before that was £90k, so it could have been interesting. But they all went straight out of the door. The rush in China, Russia and Middle East was huge, and the UK exceeded forecasts, too.”
Bentley previewed its first foray into the SUV segment with the EXP 9 F concept at the recent Geneva motor show, while the Lamborghini SUV will be previewed with a concept at next month’s Beijing motor show.
“Bentley and Lamborghini are entering the market and it’s exciting,” said Edwards. “We welcome them and are confident we can compete.”
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