2012 Range Rover L405 might go all-aluminium
The king of the luxury 4WDs will go on a diet for it’s next generation, but it’s a diet plan that will take 15 years. A new lighter Range Rover is being proposed by Land Rover engineers for the 2012 model year, using stablemate Jaguar’s rivet-bonded aluminium monocoque chassis technology.
This construction technique will save the new L405 Range Rover nearly 500kg, improving it’s fuel consumption, power, and so many other variables. It will also have a shorter roof so that it’ll look less top heavy. A hybrid drivetrain is also in the works – we don’t really expect petrol prices to have improved much by 2012.
May 29, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
light 4×4 ?
hmm…
does it make much difference ?
May 29, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
Much friendly to environment
May 29, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
Cool!
this would help it to sprint faster!
May 29, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
itell u, even with all the weight savings plan, come 2012 they will still manage to load it up to over 2 tonnes
May 29, 2007 @ 9:06 pm
OMG…this is truly a beauty new range rover…land rover is the best off-roaders in the world!!! i love land rover…but still a long way to go before it launched…PAUL, can you provide more pic of the front, interior and others? will this new model using the previous range rover’s engines-4.2 SC, TDV8, TDV6, 4.4 V8?
May 29, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
all aluminium…. just like my LG handphone.. hahaha..
May 29, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
will it still be strong?
May 29, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
Aluminum is light and strong but not tough. Quite ok for Range Rover (it has become a luxury brand) because people tend to drive around town and city areas.
May 29, 2007 @ 11:15 pm
Our old Proton Saga much better, using the “Milo Tin” material… Muahahaha…
May 30, 2007 @ 10:33 am
why not got for carbon fibre then? its lighter and proven to be more stronger than steel
May 30, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
It’ll be extremely expensive if they use carbon fibre……T.T
May 30, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
15 years? Won’t that make it 2021?? It’ll be cool if they make the whole body unpainted aluminium, just like how DMC built Deloreans with a stainless steel body!
May 30, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
acbc, aluminum by itself is soft and weak. but with the proper engineering, it can can create a car chassis thats light, as well as very strong and stiff.
Paul, any idea if Jaguar’s alloy chassis was developed by lotus? i believe the allow chassis in the aston martin is by lotus. so i’m guessing it must be.
but aluminium use is nothing new for land rover. even the old landrover series1 from 40 years ago uses aluminium body panels and continues with the landrover defender today.
May 30, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
wow wow wow… when talking bout this high end luxury 4wd, i only manage to wow only lar… not tat lucky to have a chance to own this masterpiece…
May 31, 2007 @ 4:48 pm
nice……sloping rooofline…go for the carbon fibre laa! just like the merc mclaren f1
June 4, 2007 @ 7:02 pm
Alu can be light, strong and TOUGH. There’s more to it than pots and pans!
When alloyed by Mg,Ti, etc it can be as strong as “steel”, and that is why it has been used for umpteen years on airplanes, armoured vehicles, sports ind. etc. Alu/alloys are used in the automotive industry for wide ranging parts, power, structural, panels etc. and in order to fulfil new legislation it can make cars even lighter and stronger. Even the GM Hummer uses an armour grade alu. The Range Rover is a superb car. Most popular vehicle with soccer stars in Britain.
November 22, 2007 @ 2:35 am
Ugly! most likely won’t be purchasing a Range Rover after 2011 – if this is really what the 2012 model is set to look like.
November 12, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
range rover has gone babanananaas