We haven’t seen the best of Range Rover yet
The most expensive new Range Rover you can buy is the SV Ultra, which starts at $252,800 in the U.S. before options. While that’s far out of reach for the average buyer, Range Rover is aiming far higher. The luxury brand will be increasingly targeting high-value bespoke commissions, with a top executive saying there’s no limit to how much customers will be able to spend on a new Range Rover. It’s an area of the market historically dominated by Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but Range Rover is looking to challenge these prestigious brands in a segment where exclusivity and high-end customization are prized.
Expect More Exclusive Range Rovers
JaguarLand Rover said in a new interview that “the sky is the limit” for pricing on Range Rover models, as the luxury SUV brand embraces more bespoke models to rival ultra-luxury competitors.
“We don’t want to show up as a car company, we want to show up as a modern luxury company,” said Range Rover managing director Martin Limpert in an interview with Autocar.
Last year, a one-off version of the Range Rover SV was commissioned for a customer in the United States. Known as the Asilomar Edition, it’s the sort of project Range Rover wants to do more of. We didn’t know its price at the time, but now we know that special SUV sold for over twice the price of the standard SV.
“Bespoke is a really big business area for us,” explained Limpert. “We curated for a U.S. customer the SV Asilomar Edition, which was sold for $550,000, roughly double the price of the Range Rover SV. But after elevating and curating it with the personal requirements, that’s where we ended up.”
The Asilomar Edition boasted personalized elements like a bespoke paint finish, a Liberty Blue leather interior, and doorsill treadplates bearing the SUV’s name.
Related: One-Off SV Asilomar Revealed As The Pinnacle Of Range Rover Bespoke
More Commissioning Suites Coming
Over the next year, Range Rover will open 12 more commissioning suites. Known to the brand as “Range Rover Houses”, customers will be able to participate in the creation of their personalized vehicles in a luxurious atmosphere. These locations will help the brand attract the sort of clients that would otherwise be interested in a custom Bentley or Rolls-Royce.
“I don’t see a limit,” said Limbert when asked how expensive a bespoke Range Rover could be. “Honestly, I think it depends on the value that we generate for the customer. It really depends on the levels of customization capabilities, where we’re really trying to push the boundaries—from paint jobs, to stitching, to embroidery, to getting a family crest or your family name on different places of the veneers and so on.”
Limbert said the company is open to using new materials not currently available, should the customer request it.
These one-off, high-priced vehicles support Land Rover’s efforts to create more distinction between the Defender, Discovery, and Range Rover sub-brands.
What It Means
Land Rover
For many automakers, increasing profitability means prioritizing quality over quantity. Many luxury brands have been hit by tumbling profits over the last year or two amid costly EV investments and shifting customer demand. Porsche is one example, with the German sports car manufacturer planning to cut production. Focusing on higher-margin vehicles is one way to address this.
For Range Rover, high-margin SUVs are especially lucrative. Selling one vehicle for half a million bucks is a more profitable exercise than selling several for $100,000. And, while Range Rover doesn’t quite have the pedigree of fellow British brands Bentley and Rolls-Royce, projects like the Asilomar Edition show that there are customers out there willing to splurge on a Range Rover.
Related: Meet Nocturne: The First Bespoke Range Rover Sport
