T DRIVES wheels TEST DRIVES
Ferdia O’Dowd takes a spin in the new BMW6 Series convertible – on a wet day – and checks out the latest iteration of the Range Rover
when cornering. That said, the driver quickly feels at home and the car proved easy to place on the road, despite its long bonnet. Radar assisted parking is included in the standard equipment, while two extras well worth specifying are Active Cruise Control with a ‘Stop and Go’ func- tion and head-up display, which is probably the best of its type yet tested, incorporating not only speed read-out but a very clear pictogram of the next junc- tion from the sat-nav. Prices range from €108,580 for the 640i to
€133,890 for the 650i. The hard-top coupé version arrives in the autumn.
NEW RANGE ROVER Another new model sure to have opened cheque books in the good times is the latest iteration of the Range Rover. It is equipped with a new 4.4-litre V8 engine which develops 313bhp, but, more importantly 700Nm torque, all of which is fully available from 1500rpm. This makes the vehicle very effortless to drive at all times, despite its 2.8-tonne weight. Drive is to all four wheels through a new 8-speed ZF gearbox, which is imperceptible in its changes.
Better still is that its controlling software is set up to use the engine’s immense torque to push things along, rather than resort to multiple downchanges, thus kicking up engine revs. These downchanges are only performed when absolutely necessary, which helps greatly the feeling of luxury and relaxation, while having very little impact on overall perform- ance. Gears are now selected by a rotary control, facon Jaguar. To ensure efficient stopping of all that mass, Brembo disc brakes are fitted to all four wheels. The latest model is a real pleasure to drive and surprisingly easy to place on the road, thanks to a high driving position and its flat-sided build. The external mirrors are the widest points. Should you think about venturing off-road, the Range Rover, despite its true luxury, will take you through unimaginably rough terrain with contemptuous ease. Prices start from €105,100.
T DRIVES The 2011 Range Rover Summer 2011 Irish Director 61
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