LAND ROVER Range Rover 2005-2009 Photos, engines & full specs

While the development of the Range Rover's third generation began during BMW's era, the car appeared on the market only in 2005, when Ford had already bought the British carmaker.

By 2005, Land Rover Range Rover was already an established symbol of wealth and the off-road equivalent of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Ford tried to get the most out of it but also had to create the platform that would allow the British brand to sell this luxurious SUV with high sticker prices.

The idea was to create more of an evolution than a revolution in terms of design. Thus, the 2005 model still resembled its predecessor thanks to the big rectangular headlights. These were placed on a flat front fascia that also sported the three-slat grille. While the Land Rover oval badge was small, mounted on one of the horizontal slats, the Range Rover lettering adorned the aluminum hood. From its profile, the tall greenhouse ensured its customers that they would get excellent visibility all around, while the raked-forward tailgate created a dynamic look for the car.

Despite its big size, the interior was quite cramped. The front bucket seats were separated by a tall and wide center console, which hosted the gearstick, two cupholders, and a spacious storage compartment. The instrument cluster resembled some of the ones installed on several Ford models, while a trained eye could spot some additional Foed-related parts. The rear passengers had just enough legroom, while the headroom was good enough even for those wearing a tall hat.

Under the hood, the carmaker couldn't choose BMW's engine, so it had to rely on what Ford considered appropriate, including some Jaguar-sourced powerplants.