Unveiled at the New York Auto Show and just now hitting the streets, the 2014 Range Rover Sport completes a chapter of the Range Rover family’s evolution. We saw a new design language introduced with the…
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When a brand can embrace its heritage and simultaneously reinvent a product to improve both performance and luxury, we’re impressed. In the case of Land Rover’s 2013 Range Rover, we’re blown away. Anyone can appreciate the on-road luxury of this vehicle, but sadly few might really push its off-road…
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Land Rover celebrates 25 years in the U.S. by showing city-dwellers the true purpose of SUVs
Leading up to the New York International Auto Show Land Rover celebrated 25 years in the U.S. by staging an “Urban Jungle” in a parking lot beneath the High Line in Manhattan. Decorated with buried taxis and vintage Rovers, the course features hills, holes, mud and ruts that show off how well the current vehicle line-up can tackle extreme terrain.
We visited the site this morning with a Nikon D4 in hand and decided to test out the camera’s new time lapse feature. The simple set-up and instant playback made the entire process a pleasure.
Bespoke detailing, matte paint jobs and cute cabriolets from across the industry
This year’s International Auto Show in Geneva brought about design innovations and curious concepts hitting all different market segments. From customizable supercars to cute cabriolets, the following themes prevailed at the show.
Customers shopping for the latest supercar have more options than ever on factory paint and interiors. But for the truly discerning and unique individual, more and more companies are offering a genuinely bespoke design service where customers can take part in every step of the process. Much like getting a suit made, this time intensive approach requires picking from an extensive selection of some of the most beautiful materials in the world.
Ferrari unveiled its personalization service, called Ferrari Tailor-Made, which actually draws its roots from the custom coachbuiding that occurred in Maranello in the 1950s. The lucky few that qualify will be teamed with an expert Ferrari designer who will guide them through each step of the process, much like a tailor might explain the various options for tuxedo lapels.
Aston Martin also debuted their version of this deep customization program in Geneva. Called “Q” (you’ll forgive them the 007 references), the service offers to elevate customization beyond paint and leather selection, giving a customer the ability to alter the external and internal styling of the cars themselves. Since almost every car in Aston’s lineup is based on a common underpinning, the ability to manufacture a one-off masterpiece to a customer’s specification is within reach.
A predominant theme at the show came centered on the use of non-traditional paint finishes on new models. Once seen only in rap videos and aftermarket customization, matte and satin paint have hit the mainstream. From Aston Martin and Audi down to Hyundai, nearly every major manufacturer had a model on display done up in a dull finish. Of particular note were the Mercedes Benz SL63 AMG (having its world premiere at Geneva), the new Ferrari F12berlinetta in a stunning satin aluminum, and the Aston Martin Virage in a dark blue satin with yellow accents. Of course these finishes tend to work better in the showroom than in day-to-day practicality, but this was a show after all.
Last year at Geneva was the year of the hybrid, but with GM stalling production of the Volt due to slow sales, Tesla dealing with customer backlash from a technical issue gone viral, and general tepid interest across the industry in hybrids and electric cars, automakers were less enthusiastic this year. While the penchant for gas-free vehicles may have cooled in the general market, fuel efficiency is here to stay. Manufacturers from Mercedes to Ferrari were quick to point out their gas efficiency improvements and plans for even leaner engines to come, whether they be hybrid, diesel or just evolved gas technologies.
Geneva debuted several new convertible models, ranging from accessible to the “if you have to ask” variety. The first one to note is the VW GTI Cabriolet, a topless version of Volkswagen’s excellent compact car, slated only for the European market. Other droptops include the Mercedes-Benz AMG SL63, a 1200 horsepower Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, and the one-off, completely insane Lamborghini Aventador J, which does away with a windshield as well.
The most unexpected topless rendition was the Range Rover Evoque, introduced as a concept to gauge customer interest. A convertible SUV may seem like a gamble—especially after the unfortunate Nissan Murano still fresh in memory—but luckily the Evoque maintains the character that makes it appealing as a coupe. The addition of a roll-bar on a production version would go a long way to balancing out the rugged looks with the top down.
We took a drive with the founder of a new retail concept store based in NYC
Sponsored content:
In this video we meet Rachel Shechtman, founder of the new retail concept shop, Story. Sponsored by the Range Rover Evoque, we take a ride with Rachel around Manhattan and hear about how she turned her passion for shopping in to a new venture.
Looking back at the photographs that captured some of our greatest experiences this year
Since 2003 Cool Hunting has been about finding and sharing stories of creativity and innovation from a broad range of categories. Looking back on our photos from the year I feel very fortunate that we have had so many incredible experiences. What follows is a photographic year-in-review, highlighting some of my favorite shots.
January 2011, Burlington, VT. Finally got to meet and interview the man who created an industry, Jake Burton. More Burton
January 2011, New York, NY. Sat down with the hailed portrait photographer, Albert Watson, and even got to take his portrait. Albert Watson for The Macallan
February 2011, Iznik, Turkey. Learned the centuries-old secret of Turkey’s Iznik ceramics. Cool Hunting Video Presents: Iznik Tiles
February 2011, Long Beach, CA. Saw the unveiling of JR’s Inside Out Project at TED and got to use his oversized photo booth. Inside Out
March 2011, Near Reykjavic, Iceland. Made friends with this Icelandic horse. Nature-Inspired Accessories
May 2011, New York, NY. Witnessed Olek’s brilliant crocheted bodysuits at the Festival of Ideas in NYC.
May 2011, Santa Fe, NM. Moved by Colette Hosmer’s ancient modern Japanese sculpture.
June 2011, Los Angeles, CA. Created the Gap’s Fall ad campaign focused around their denim design studio in downtown LA. The Pico Creative Loft
June 2011, Halewood, England. Visited the assembly line for the Range Rover Evoque to learn how design gets built. Cool Hunting Video Presents: Making the Evoque
June 2011, New York, NY. Met Scott Morrison and took our denim lust to all new levels.3×1
June 2011, Crewe, England. Learned the truly bespoke nature of creating a Bentley motorcar. Cool Hunting Video Presents: Bentley
July 2011, France. Followed the journey of the Grey Goose wheat all over France to learn how their vodka is made.
July 2011, Maranello, Italy. Ferrari’s V8 assembly line is as impressive as the cars it creates. Ferrari Campus Visit
August 2011, Pebble Beach, CA. Witnessed the epitome of passion and dedication among the car owners presenting their vehicles at the Concours D’Elegance. Vintage Automobiles at Pebble Beach 2011
August 2011, Salinas, CA. Watched vintage Jaguar X-Types race on the Laguna Seca Speedway. Vintage Automobiles at Pebble Beach 2011
August 2011, Flushing, NY. Joined Olympus for a photo safari at the US Open and got to take pictures from all the best spots in the stadium. Olympus E-P3
September 2011, Los Angeles, CA. Attended the unveiling of the most anticipated shoe in history, the Nike Mag. Nike Mag
September 2011, Romeo, MI. Spent a day on Aston Martin’s Performance Driving Course pushing a Rapide and Vantage V12 to their limits. Aston Martin Performance Driving Course
November 2011, Le Marche, Italy. Harvested and pressed olives to make oil with Nudo during a full immersion of the region’s community and culture. Le Marche
November 2011, Mexico City, Mexico. When celebrated architect Luis Barragán designed a house for you he spec’d everything, including the pots.
November 2011, Paris, France. Met and interviewed the fashion industry icon, Karl Lagerfeld. CH Capsule Video: Printemps Holiday Windows by Karl Lagerfeld
November 2011, Carlsbad, CA. Discovered the truest form of luxury travel on the road and in the air with Mercedes Benz. Four Innovations in the 2012 Mercedes Benz SL
December 2011, Miami Beach, FL. Bathed in copious amounts of art during Art Basel and the surrounding fairs. Art + Design in Miami: Tricks On The Eye
December 2011, Mutianyu, China. Jeralyn Gerber, co-founder of FathomAway.com, gets in the noodle pulling groove at The Schoolhouse, near China’s Great Wall.
December 2011, Hong Kong. Discovered Hong Kong’s Fungus Workshop, a small classroom and atelier that offers leather-working classes and sells items that people have made there.
December 2011, Hong Kong. This cured meat vendor in the Wan Chai market, Hong Kong was very friendly and happy to speak about her products.
From city to country the new little Range Rover delivers on its promise
Having followed the story of the Range Rover Evoque from its unveil in Paris a year ago to the design and manufacturing facilities in the UK this past summer, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of one to call my own for a little while. Finally, two weeks ago, that chapter of my role as a City Shaper began. While I rightfully had high expectations for this new little Rover, I’m pleased to report that after two weeks of driving those expectations have been exceeded. From the streets of NYC to the snow-covered dirt roads of Vermont, the Evoque delivers on its promise of peak performance, simple luxury, high technology and greater sustainability.
Beyond the overall great impression, it’s the more subtle details of this fully loaded black-on-black “Dynamic” trim 5-door that have been keeping a smile on my face:
While the MagneRide suspension is impressive in all on- and off-road driving modes, setting it to Dynamic mode and switching the transmission to Sport shifting turns the otherwise polite car in to a taut little terrier.
Believe it or not, the interior of the Evoque feels quite a bit more spacious than the Range Rover Sport I was previously driving.
The 825-Watt, 17-speaker Meridian sound system is simply the best in-car hi-fi I’ve ever heard.
While using a standard iPod USB cable to connect to the sound system is convenient, pairing an iPhone over Bluetooth goes beyond standard calling to include streaming music playback that sounds just as good as the plugged-in version. Presumably this works with other smartphones as well.
The dome and map lights are touch-sensitive.
The rear window is a bit short but fortunately it only takes two taps on the touch screen to choose the rear view camera to fill the entire 8-inch display.
The rear wiper is neatly tucked under the spoiler so it’s nicely out of view when not in use. Even better, when the window-wash button is pressed the wiper and sprayer execute a short sequence of sprays and wipes that get the job done without extra drips.
Puddle lights shining from underneath the side mirrors provide a welcomed nighttime convenience, but the subtle addition of an Evoque logo in the spotlight lends an appropriately Batman-like feel.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
