The current Land Rover Range Rover generation (L405) has been traveling the world since way back in 2012 and its Range Rover Sport sibling is just a few months younger. So, it’s only natural for the fourth-generation flagship and the second-generation (L494) RRS to diligently prepare for passing the SUV flame to their respective successors.
It’s not the first time we have caught the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport prototypes undergoing winter and then summer testing. And it’s only natural for Land Rover to research and develop the new iterations almost back-to-back since they’re both rumored to switch to a completely new architecture.
JLR’s new MLA (Modular Longitudinal Architecture) platform will make its debut with the traditional Range Rover later this year. Then it will probably be a noticeably short wait until Range Rover Sport also makes the switch, considering that we are dealing with one of the best-selling products in the company.
While underpinned by a completely new architecture, which is officially envisioned as a platform for both ICE (including hybrid) and full EV derivations, the rumor mill thinks Land Rover is not going to adopt a striking new design for the RRS. Instead, the style is said to be more of an evolution, as the company is mostly interested in delivering a technical revolution on the backbones of a known appearance.
As always, the Range Rover Sport will be smaller than its regular counterpart, and the wheelbase might remain the same as now – albeit with the SUV having smaller overhangs and a sleeker appearance. Interestingly, unlike the hot-weather prototype that we see enjoying the sun in a Spanish-speaking location, the one caught testing in Germany also flaunts an interesting addition to the roof.
It’s an external sensor – possibly a new-generation Lidar that’s way more compact – and we can easily think it’s made in collaboration with the German folks over at Bosch. It’s not an assumption, but rather a certainty, considering the big camera decals on the side and the clear “Bosch Test Vehicle” branding underneath. Now, if only we could use that QR code to see where it leads...
JLR’s new MLA (Modular Longitudinal Architecture) platform will make its debut with the traditional Range Rover later this year. Then it will probably be a noticeably short wait until Range Rover Sport also makes the switch, considering that we are dealing with one of the best-selling products in the company.
While underpinned by a completely new architecture, which is officially envisioned as a platform for both ICE (including hybrid) and full EV derivations, the rumor mill thinks Land Rover is not going to adopt a striking new design for the RRS. Instead, the style is said to be more of an evolution, as the company is mostly interested in delivering a technical revolution on the backbones of a known appearance.
As always, the Range Rover Sport will be smaller than its regular counterpart, and the wheelbase might remain the same as now – albeit with the SUV having smaller overhangs and a sleeker appearance. Interestingly, unlike the hot-weather prototype that we see enjoying the sun in a Spanish-speaking location, the one caught testing in Germany also flaunts an interesting addition to the roof.
It’s an external sensor – possibly a new-generation Lidar that’s way more compact – and we can easily think it’s made in collaboration with the German folks over at Bosch. It’s not an assumption, but rather a certainty, considering the big camera decals on the side and the clear “Bosch Test Vehicle” branding underneath. Now, if only we could use that QR code to see where it leads...