Range Rover produces a Leather Bound Autobiography

Range Rover's new Vogue Autobiography is a classy, leather filled, four wheel drive brimming with all the features you would expect in this level of vehicle including creature comforts and sophisticated technology to negate the bone jarring sensations any rough tracks can throw up.
We'd intended putting the Vogue through its paces in our favourite part of South Gippsland – the Strzelecki Ranges and the Grand Ridge Road just 125kms South East of Melbourne but with bushfires threatening around the State that weekend we chose the safe option - we took the Vogue and friends away for the weekend and tested it out on freeway and highway with some brief forays down some small scrubby tracks near the ocean beaches along the Mornington Peninsula.
Road going on the peninsula freeway was a breeze – brilliant visibility, great sound system and genuinely large comfortable leather seats eased us into the trip. Land Rover boast of their "Command driving position" and while it does put you in control, with a view surpassed only by that from a Kenworth, it takes a while to get used to the fact the Vogue is not going to fall over under heavy cornering. The multiple roundabouts on this route were in fact handled with aplomb. It was soon easy to forget we were toting some 3 tonnes of metal (and leather) around the road, as the Vogue does it all so effortlessly.
Our back seat passengers were able to play around with wireless headsets, TV screens and their own climate control - as good as any you'd find in an international business class seat. Cup holders, arm rests ample storage for books and personal belongings were available front and back.
Rear boot space at 994 litres was huge enough for eskies, luggage for 4 people and ample space for our retired (but large) Greyhound. When we spread his travelling rug out he was safely stored for the journey, in his own compartment and still with room to stand and turn around easily.
There are four RR Vogues. Three using the 3.6 litre twin turbo V8 diesel and one using the 4.2 litre supercharged V8 petrol engine.
The diesels start with the 'basic' TDV8 for $153,400*.  The TDV8 Luxury will set you back $177,700*. The additional $24,300 buys you:

• 20" wheels
• Auto-dimming exterior mirrors
• Adaptive Bi-Xenon headlights
• Acoustic and "Climate" glass for windscreen and front side windows
• Venture Cam – a (weird) remote video camera which can be mounted in, under or outside the vehicle for viewing (no recording) on the 7" touch screen
• Different leather treatment
• Cooling as well as heating in the front seats, plus heated rear seats
• Heated steering wheel
• 10way adjustment for both front seats (up from 8 driver & 6 passenger)
• An upgraded Harmon Kardon® audio system
• Rear seat, twin screen DVD entertainment system
• Not to mention a ski bag!

Find another $15,900 and your $193,600* will buy you the TDV8 Autobiography with the addition of what are essentially only cosmetic and badging changes.  The supercharged petrol V8 is only available in the "Autobiography" configuration and costs a hefty $19,100 more at $212,700*. Apart from the engine the only other difference is the inclusion of an electronic rear differential (a $1,590 option on all other models).  Our TDV8 Autobiography test car was optioned up with:

• Metallic paint $1,800
• Electronic rear differential $1,590
• 4 Zone air conditioning $3,390

This $6,780 of options topped us out at a whopping $200,380*.  While equipment levels vary across the range, Range Rover is to be complimented for not making any of its extensive list of safety features optional.  These standard safety features include:

• 4 ventilated disc brakes with 4 channel all terrain ABS, Electronic Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
• Dynamic Stability Control, Active Roll Mitigation, Electronic Traction Control and Hill Descent Control
• Front Airbags for driver and passenger, with Side Airbags for all seat rows

The Vogue's Terrain Response™ system like the rest of the Land Rover range has 5 settings, adjusted manually by the driver, via a dial on the centre console.  The settings are:

• General
• Grass, Gravel or Snow
• Mud and Ruts
• Sand
• Rock Crawling

The system is always on and even in the default 'General' position adjusts engine, transmission, traction control and suspension for changing conditions.
When driving on gravel there's nothing more disconcerting than the feeling of understeer as you head into a corner just a few km/h faster than you should have. The simple solution of course is to slow down, but in Vogue's case all you need to do is dial in 'Grass, Gravel or Snow' and the problem is solved – the Vogue just hangs on sure footedly.
The 3.6 litre twin turbo diesel V8 produces 200kW@4krpm and a useful 640Nm of torque @ 2k rpm. Fuel consumption should average 11.1L/100km - ranging from 14.5L/100km (urban) to 9.2L/100km (extra urban). The 4.2 litre supercharged petrol V8 pumps out an impressive 291kW @ 5.75krpm with 560Nm of torque @ 3.5krpm. This extra 91 kWs pumps fuel consumption to a scary 18L/100km (22.4 urban and 12.2 extra urban).
The Vogue Autobiography is an impressively engineered vehicle but this Autobiography is no cheap paperback – it's a limited edition, leather bound, hardback. The big question of course, is whether it's worth all those dollars. We have difficulty justifying the $16k, for what are essentially cosmetic changes, over the Vogue Luxury. The even bigger question is whether one can justify the extra $70-80k (or more) over the price of a Land Rover Discovery 3 or a Range Rover Sport. Both these vehicles are equipped with Land Rover's Terrain Response™ system and the same high level of safety features but lack the extreme level of luxury found in the Vogue. Of course, we suspect the majority of Vogues will never have an off-road experience, and will spend their lives as inner city school buses with the occasional run on a gravel driveway to some country estate.

Vehicle provided by Land Rover Australia
Tested February 2009

* plus on-road costs