As if luxury SUVs haven’t taken a big enough bite out of luxury car market share, Land Rover seems to have an appetite for more. Autocar reports the brand will launch a line of car-like-but-still-off-roady vehicles under a new sub-brand called "Road Rover" in the next few years.
The first model in the new lineup is expected to take the fight to one of the masters of luxury: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The new Road Rover will reportedly have the comfort, features, and technology of a flagship luxury sedan, but with some off-road capability to keep it worthy of a Land Rover badge. However, like many modern crossovers, on-road comfort and drivability will supposedly take priority over off-road chops.
Autocar speculates this new model will debut at the 2019 L.A. Auto Show, and the price tag is expected to go as high as $120,000. The first Road Rover model will supposedly be an all-electric vehicle, but we don’t know for sure if the whole Road Rover lineup will be electric.
The rumor goes on to say the Road Rover is being developed alongside the next-generation Jaguar XJ sedan. If true, that goes to show how closely related the Road Rover will be to a full-size luxury sedan...without actually being a sedan. The rumored twin-motor electric drivetrain is expected to get a range of at least 300 miles on a full charge, while hustling the car from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.
The Road Rover name is nothing new, going as far back as the 1950s. It was the name of an experimental model intended to be slotted between Rover cars and the Land Rover SUV. The idea turned into a three-door estate concept in the 1960s....which lead to the inception of the original Range Rover.
Would a Land Rover soft-roader EV be heresy, or a step into the future of luxury cars? Let us know what you think in the comments below.