New range-topping Range Rover to take on the Bentley Bentayga on the cards

Land Rover are considering an even more expensive Range Rover to tackle the Bentley Bentayga, arguing the Range Rover would have the pedigree to compete.

It’s getting on for half a century since the very first Range Rover was created as Land Rover looked to build a car that could be both workhorse and family car for country folks. 

Creating a market for luxury SUVs in the process, the Range Rover has become everyone’s idea of the ultimate luxury SUV, even if its owners probably never make their Range Rovers strut their stuff off-road.

Land Rover has also managed to stretch the Range Rover Concept in to the ‘Sporty’ SUV arena with the Range Rover Sport, reach a wider car buying audience with the Range Rover Evoque and has now got a more road-focussed, lifestyle, model with the Range Rover Velar.

But there are storm clouds on the horizon for the full-sized Range Rover with the arrival of the new Bentley Bentayga, arguably knocking the Rangie off its perch as the ultimate luxury SUV. And there’s more to come as the Rolls Royce Cullinan nears production too.

But Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s design boss, doesn’t seem to be worried, telling AutoNews that there’s room for another Range Rover model sitting above the current Rangie.

Currently, the most expensive Range Rover is the 5.0 V8 S/C 550PS SVAutobiography LWB at £167k, which is actually about the same price as the Bentayga W12, and the diesel Bentaga is a chunk cheaper.

But the perception is that the Bentley is more upmarket than the Range Rover, and most of that perception revolves around the interior.

Despite the Range Rover having a lovely interior, the Bentayga’s really is in a class above, and if Land Rover are to tackle the Bentayga with a new model, then that’s where the work will have to be.

But as McGovern says:

I would argue you could have two Range Rovers exactly the same size but if they had two personalities then they would both have equal appeal but to different customers.

Bentley doesn’t have the pedigree and authenticity in that particular sector. We’ve got unquestionable pedigree.

Watch this space.