Auto Express 1724

THERE’S no doubt that the new Range Rover is an incredible piece of design and engineering. I was blown away by how well it drives (see page 6) and was really surprised how much I enjoyed throwing it around some seriously twisty roads. You forget just how big and heavy it is – until you slide out of the super-comfy driver’s seat and your feet eventually hit the ground! There’s an incredible amount of tech on board, too, and some real high-end luxury features – the quality seems to be superb. However, there’s one question that hangs over the Range Rover (and other JLR products) and one which must be banished for good with this car. Being honest, whenever I recommended a Land Rover to people in the past, it…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler IN over 50 years of the Range Rover, this new model is only the fifth iteration of the iconic 4x4. To put that into context, in roughly the same period of time, there have been 11 versions of the Honda Civic, while plenty of other legendary models – including many other 4x4s – have been and gone. The original Range Rover was conceived as the ultimate lifestyle SUV; luxury came later. This new car is tasked with reinventing the genre yet again, with luxury, tech and design to the fore. And this is our first opportunity to get behind the wheel and give our verdict. Look at the newcomer, from the front at least, and you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a design evolution. But stand it…

WE speak to the man in charge of the latest Range Rover programme about new model’s attributes and its importance to Land Rover, its workers and the UK Q How important is the new Range Rover for JLR? A The latest Range Rover is crucially important. It’s the halo of all of our product range and really defines the top of our portfolio. It’s a massive global success, and you couldn’t really underestimate how important it is to the whole business. Q Is this everything JLR knows about cars in one model? A Yeah, it really is. The Range Rover is the absolute latest in all of our technology, from both an engineering perspective and also a manufacturing-technology perspective. It’s all new, from the ground up. It’s a massive commitment…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • Compact EV arrives in 2023 • Claimed range of 273 miles SMART’s reboot as a premium compact electric car maker has begun with the Smart #1, which represents a totally fresh start for the city car marque. Arriving in 2023, this compact EV is the first Smart developed under joint Daimler-Geely ownership, and is based on an all-new electric architecture from the latter, called SEA. This will underpin Smart’s forthcoming new range, while the #1 sets the template for the brand’s future design direction. Auto Express understands all of the firm’s future cars will use the same ‘#’ hashtag numbered nomenclature, which will position models chronologically rather than by size. From launch the #1 has a 66kWh battery, for a claimed range of up to 273 miles. It’s…

THREE trim levels will be offered in the UK when the #1 goes on sale later this year, ahead of deliveries in 2023. Alongside the top-spec Launch Edition, Smart UK CEO David Browne told Auto Express that a Pro+ and a Premium trim will be available, simplifying the line-up with very few options. Asked if an even more affordable version to slip in under the plug-in car grant threshold was possible, Browne said that “the market has moved so quickly with EV adoption and pricing that we have to keep watching to see if it’s somewhere we can get to.” He also said that despite the shift in focus for the brand, “Smart still stands for iconic design, innovation and utilisation of space” and the #1 lives up to this.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • Tech and tuning tweaks aim to boost Lamborghini Huracán THIS is the new Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, which the brand says is designed to offer “driving fun and lifestyle perfection on the road and track”. Based on the rear-drive Huracán Evo RWD, the Tecnica is powered by the STO’s 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine, producing 631bhp and 565Nm of torque for a claimed 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds. The car’s top speed stands at 202mph. Key to the Tecnica’s balance between usability on the road and performance on track is a recalibrated Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata (LDVI) driving mode system. The car has a rear-axle steering set-up and specifically tuned suspension damper profiles, and more downforce and less drag from the revised styling. Specially designed cooling ducts channel air…