Land Rover Range Rover vs Mercedes-Benz S-Class [2014-2018]

We have just driven the long-wheelbase Autobiography variant of the new Range Rover with the 3-litre V6 diesel and here’s how it fared.

Easy out of the pitlane on to the start-finish straight, wide entry to the first corner, straight line the uphill left hander, brake early and commit to the hairpin right on the crest even before seeing it. On a good day this will mean you hit 200kmph mark on the back straight of Buddh International Circuit before the half way mark. This was a good day, but the needle was taking an awfully lot of time 180… 190… two-third of the distance covered and we were fast approaching the braking point. The magic figure seemed achievable, delay hitting the brakes by few metres and we will make it, the only problem was physics. We were in a 4.5 tonne solid metal block hurling downhill and inertia was even more annoying than as a topic in school books. While my German companion seemed unfazed, Rohan had already shifted twice in his back seat before inadvertently uttering , ‘Dude, just keep us safe!’. And just as I stamped the pedal from 200kmph, Markus Rubenbauer turned with a disarming smile, “Relax, you are in an S-Guard!”

Our first detailed look at the next-generation Range Rover