Luxury in Pakistan: Range Rover
By Mehr Naik
Launched in 1948, British automotive stalwarts Land Rover are one of the longest lived four wheel drives in the world and are reputed to produce the worlds finest all terrain vehicles. The luxury automobile is favoured by the likes of Hollywood stars and musicians such as Charlize Theron, Kate Walsh, Pete Wentz, John Mayer and Katherine Heigl – locally, one has caught the likes of Asim Buksh and Shoaib Akhtar cruising the streets of Lahore in their luxury 4X4’S on occasion – in fact it is Asim who brings Land Rover in a big way to the country under the Premium Motors banner – they happen to have Jaguar in their portfolio as well and rumours of Bentley arriving this year are rife!
Before diving into technical specifics, one must acknowledge the business model of the company: This has a strong focus on global business growth and regionally speaking of our geographic area in particular, the Land Rover topped off a successful 60th Anniversary year by winning ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at the CAR Middle East Awards which was held in late 2008.
Today we are looking specifically at the dynamic sports tourer, The Range Rover Sport which is a full size sports utility vehicle, SUV as its popularly referred to, introduced under the aegis of Land Rover in 2005 – the automotive giants release a new model of the coveted car annually. The luxury SUV has it all: extensive leather, wood and metallic finishes that can be customized to the owner’s preference, extensive road safety measures including high tech electronic crash-preventions such as antilock disc brakes, electronic brake assistance, emergency fuel shut-off device, front seatbelt height adjusters and hill-descent control. It not just a stunning but a safe ride too, it would appear.
Talking technicals, the SUV’s 4.2 litre supercharged V8 390hp petrol engine delivers massive torque and effortless acceleration with six-speed automatic transmission with adaptive shift logic that adjusts itself to road conditions and your unique driving style. It also has a Sport’s Terrain Response System to boot which assures the driver will be up to nearly any off-road task which offer five different settings that adjust throttle response, gear changes, vehicle ride height in varying environments, ranging from pavement to sand. Land rover has participated in numerous rallies and has won the Macmillan 4×4 UK Challenge almost every year.
Heading inside the cabin, the interior baffles: genuine wood trim on the floor consoles, doors and instruments panel and genuine leather upholstery for seating. The Range Rover Sport also offers a versatile selection of superior entertainment with a hybrid digital/analogue TV alongside a sound assaulting Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system. The system boasts 550 watts of power, the 14 individual speakers produce a dramatic 3D effect from a 12-channel digitally controlled amplifier, six CDs can be stored and played as well as MP3 encoded CDs.
Other swanky features include a keyless entry via key fob, panic alarm, 3-Memory adjustments for driver side which include seats, steering wheel and exterior mirrors.
The Range Rover Sport offers the best in luxury and technological advancements in the world of automobiles. Try it out in Pakistan in places such as the deserts of Sindh, the fields of Punjab or the rocky regions of the north. The vehicle is for anyone and everyone who has the taste for exploration without trepidation.
With its “awesomestest” sexiest design, the BeoSound 5 is a must to have.
I helped bring in Lalique to the country recently and I admit it was one of our most successful projects, taking the luxury home décor market with surprise. Many of our clients still can’t believe that Lalique has opened up in Pakistan and that it will expand. With a diversity of pieces ranging from 12,900 to 22,000,000 rupees, the latest collections are launched in Pakistan at the same time as the rest of the world. With other big brands like Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren still to make an entry into the market, brands like Lalique, Mercedes and Bang & Olufsen have already established themselves rather well. Not to forget the watch brands such as Rolex and Omega amongst the few who for the past decade have been the number one gifts to receive! In fact, luxury Swiss watches brands have had their presence in Pakistan for quite a while and rather successfully.