Celeb Chariot

Glitz and glamour are no strangers to the Range Rover. From footballers to film stars, the clientele of this luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV) is creme-de-la-creme. We find out what makes it so desirable

- Joshua Varghese

WHEN THE PAPARAZZI ARE BUSY filming our movie stars as they step out, my eyes are busy seeking their cars. It was clear that car enthusiast or not (and regardless of the number of cars they own), almost every successful celebrity has a Range Rover. Is it their way of supporting Tata Motors or does the Range Rover offer something all of them need? A call to the Land Rover India press office gave me a few days with the, hold on, Land Rover Range Rover L P400 Autobiography and here are my findings that no one asked for.

The Range Rover press car is probably the only Range Rover that caters to a lacklustre audience; especially yours truly. Naturally, there were no paps to herald its arrival at our office and, even in a nondescript grey colour, the Range Rover's elegance was subtly yet firmly established. The designers have ensured that this luxury SUV stands out as an opulent chariot to cater to those with an affinity for reductive, tasteful styling. Although it may look worlds apart from its early predecessor, it is interesting to note that even in its fifth generation, the heritage is intact because it retains the falling roof-line, strong waist-line, and rising sill-line that define the Range Rover. This exquisite blend of modern minimalism and heritage would have been enough to secure the first batch of bookings.

Furthermore, the focus on aerodynamics has given this Range Rover one of the most slippery bodies in the luxury SUV space with a drag coefficient of 0.30. The car we drove came equipped with 22-inch wheels which do justice to the SUV's dimensions but it can accommodate 23-inch units too.