wow 1M miles? That's 40 yrs at 25k ea. year. Did you get a RR from the very beginning?
Sounds like LR should give you a L405 for free after doing so much work for them and being such a loyal customer

Badger wrote:

Well, I'm 24k miles and 1 year into my 10th Vogue (my 2nd 4.4TDv8), having done around 1m miles in FFRRs, and I have the first new RR out of my local dealership being delivered W1 Feb. Having spent 3 hours driving the new RR on all road types and over a very rough and wet offroad course at West Wycombe, I can tell you that the new car is an improvement in every respect.
Looks, you'll have to decide for yourself (personally I find it a jewel to look at), but it really is a step-change evolution all around.

VMPP wrote:

Been last week inside one of the new Ranges, an totally not impressed with the new car.

It is, by far, a great product, but it lives more by what gizmos and bells it has, than by being a proper Range Rover.
The car was parked in the garage below the dealer showroom and you had to look twice to find it, as its stance is not at all imposing. With the old car, you could spot one on the streets miles ahead. The main thing is the rear, which seems totally out of proportion. I said once, you could stretch and resize the previous three models and they would all fit into the same template. With this one, you couldn't do that as the car has the wrong proportions.

Then there are some detailing which are also a bit bad. The plastic on the top of the bonnet feels and looks very cheap. The door gills are not also a very quality item.

The inside on the other hand, feels very good and very well built. The driving position gives some of the Range Rover feel, even though it is not a 100% level. Something has been lost.

I've been inside a P38, Classics, and the L322, and somehow, when I sit in the drivers seat, they all feel special, taking into account their ''times''. This one, i sat on the drivers seat, the passenger, even the rear seat and the car does not feel like an event, as all the others do. It feels like a very good car, but not a special one.

I, for one, exited the dealer with the strong conviction, that for the time being, would much rather spend my money on a second hand later 4.4 and not this new one. Even if given the Euromillions draw.

rant over

Java Jungle wrote:

Have one on pre-order for February/March delivery but I don't have to take it if I change my mind To be honest VMPP, I'm not 100% sure myself On some pictures it looks realy nice and on others I think:"What have they done" Haven't seen one in flesh yet, but from the pictures it looks HUGE! The interior looks niche though.
Well, time will tell, to keep mine or to change...
The L322 is now 10 years old but it still looks great, IMO

JJ

Quote:

Try to get a glimpse of one ''in the flesh''.

The new car is very good indeed, but, as I said, I doesn't feel special.
When you get into any RR, old or new, you kinda breathe deep, and admire the view. (command driving position term they use...). With this one, the feel you get is of a very good, high end, car, but not that ''event'' feel you get with any of the older models.

So, don't throw the dealar the cash without being sure about the car...

So, I drove the v6 version of the L405 yesterday. Here are my thoughts:

1) my current tdv8 is just a standard vogue and the new interior did feel more luxurious/quality - but I expected that
2) despite the figures on paper the v6 did feel slower that the current tdv8 - to be fair it was a very brief drive and I wasn't hammering it
3) it did feel smoother and quieter - but given the brief drive didn't really get a good idea of how much better or different The handling is
4) quite like the panoramic roof

The dealer was Marshalls of Melton Mowbray (they've done the body repair work on the current car - all good and glad to have her back). They'd also just had a causeway grey 4.4 se and a yukky silver 4.4 tdv8 autobiography delivered as demos. Unfortunately these hadnt been prep'd yet but the guy let me have a poke around anyway.

I really like the causeway grey. I think this is the only colour that would tempt me away from black. And the se has the suede/alacantara roof lining which looked nice.

In conclusion: for me at least, one can see where the extra cost is going. I'm still not 101% on the looks. But to be honest, if money were no object I'd have one in a shot.

As it stands: I imagine it'd take the current car plus £35-40k to get in the new one I'd want (can get one first half of this year if I like) and I'm not sure I want to commit to that spend.

And I am very pleased with the current one we have.

Depends what Mrs Tomw2000 wants to do with houses/moving this year. Will keep you posted  MY2011 TDV8 Vogue - GONE
MY2006 Porsche 911 C2S - GONE
MY2003 Defender 90 (JE stage 2)

VMPP, will have to see when it's here, but surely not going take it if I'm not 100% sure

Thanks!

JJ

VMPP wrote:

Try to get a glimpse of one ''in the flesh''.

The new car is very good indeed, but, as I said, I doesn't feel special.
When you get into any RR, old or new, you kinda breathe deep, and admire the view. (command driving position term they use...). With this one, the feel you get is of a very good, high end, car, but not that ''event'' feel you get with any of the older models.

So, don't throw the dealar the cash without being sure about the car...

^ +1 Disappointing in the flesh on the road. Looked good in Paris under the lights but parked at the Dealer it looks a bit tubby and ordinary...

wackyjim wrote:

^ Been thinking the same as you...Is the new model that much better than a late L322??????????

I remember thinking when the P38 was launched that it wasn't a real RR and that the old car had been debased by the new aero look. But familiarity brought acceptance of the shape, and the mechanicals of the newer car at the time were undoubtably better (if not properly tested for reliability) with the air suspension and more cohesive interior.

The L405 might well come into that category too. For me I've seen many on the road around Gaydon and now in the dealer and the I'm comfortable with the front and middle but slightly less with the (Sport-like) rear end. The slightly lower overall height is what is most game changing as regards the overall look as it initially seems less imposing. I read somewhere that you actually sit at the same height though. For sales that is actually quite important. My local dealer reported a lot of wealthy people moving into Disco (and FL2!) when the recession started as the RR was too in your face and I'm certain many of us have experienced jealousy on the road.

What swings it for me most is the inclusion of all the things that the L322 was missing, especially after the 2010 update.

The biggest issue having been the lack of nav', telephone and radio info in the TFT. That is now sorted and you can even import POIs into it. The addition of the speed limiter, the remote control of the air suspension when hitching the trailer, the longer flat loading area, that magnificent panoramic roof, the lack of body roll, marginally better fuel efficiency, performance and refinement make it better too. You'll note that most of my plus points relate to the usage experience and not only the visual. Certainly mine felt very rely poly after testing the new one.

Now flame away, agree, disagree but I'll be ordering one as soon as I can as I applaud LR for moving things on. After all you could say that none of the subsequent iterations have done the original justice. 2019 D5 HSE Lux SDV6 Indus
55 D3 SE
98 MX5 1.8 RS
gone 17 older variants of FFRR

Well said Nick.

I hope the looks will grow on me (I expect they will) as I prefer the L322 for looks. I am pretty sure I'll be buying a L405 in the future (when prices are "reasonable" and reliability info is readily available, so wealthy people, please buy as many L405s as you can, the sooner I can get mine . MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Nick Ground wrote:

I read somewhere that you actually sit at the same height though. .

There really still isn't anything else to go for anywhere near as good. Even if you don't need the 4x4 ability, nothing compares to the driving position / feel....does it ?

100% agree!!!

JJ

Well you may be right, however I drove one for about an hour on Saturday and certainly did not feel lower. I note that in my L322 I could possibly wear a hat when driving (don't mean a flat cap) and in fact I do often. As I am 6 foot tall and sit quite upright that means there is a lot of headroom. I suspect that wouldn't be possible in the L405 so they may have gained two or three cm there?

OR I didn't read the fact or due to age related amnesia I have attributed the comment to the RR from another review. 2019 D5 HSE Lux SDV6 Indus
55 D3 SE
98 MX5 1.8 RS
gone 17 older variants of FFRR