2013 Range Rover Photoz

2013 Range Rover
2013 Range Rover

The British royal family's favorite SUV loses serious weight in search of higher mpg and lower emissions. The new-generation Range Rover also promises extra interior space despite a more-rakish but still-stately appearance.

What We Know About the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover

As most any vehicle engineer can tell you, weight is the enemy of performance, fuel economy, and planet-warming emissions, not to mention handling agility and stopping ability. That's why automakers all over are busy adding "lightness" to a variety of products, even where exterior dimensions are little changed.

Consider the redesigned 2013 Land Rover Range Rover, expected to launch in autumn 2012. According to Britain's Autocar magazine and other sources, the fourth iteration of this posh SUV is set to lose an eye-popping 1,000 pounds versus the vintage-2003 design it replaces, this despite fractional gains in length and wheelbase that promise more rear-seat legroom per owner requests. Powertrains and other under-skin components should remain broadly the same, but will doubtless be tweaked for further mpg gains. Styling, too, will be familiar except for a much lower roof line a la today's Range Rover Sport, though headroom allegedly won't be compromised. The Sport itself is being redesigned for 2014 as essentially a 7-passenger version of the new 5-passenger Rangie, meaning it might become less of a "sport."