Chris Saul's Blog

Monday June 15, 2009

2010 Range Rover

Here's a short video from Land Rover's 2010 range launch.

I don't like the new Range Rover bumper - the fog lights look a lot better where they were before. It looks too American for my taste.

The presenter also doesn't mention improved reliability during his speech.

The idea of a TFT screen for the instrument panel is interesting. This just seems like one more thing to fail, however.

I wonder how a 'de-teched' Range Rover would sell? Take out all those unreliable electronics and give us something that looks great and doesn't fall to pieces.

I doubt I will ever be able to afford a brand new Range Rover, so I am not Land Rover's target market. The more unreliable electronics they install also mean I'm far less likely to buy a secondhand one again.

This comes from someone faced with having to spend $1,000 to fix a broken radio in his 2003 model - the radio is part of a small computer that also handles voice control and lots of other useless features. When it breaks, the only option is a whole new computer. Imagine what you'll have to pay when that TFT display stops working?

Imagine the servicing bill for that 2010 model in five years' time - new air coils, new TFT display, broken motors on the seats, steering column, peeling bits of plastic, etc, etc... I can see the 2010's resale value plummeting the moment you drive it off the forecourt.