2013 Range Rover: The Biggest Loser

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Three-digit weight loss is the automotive game du jour, and the benefits of spunkier performance and thriftier fuel economy are but a few of the upsides sought when engineers shed ballast in redesigned rides. After all, every 220 pounds of weight loss translate to an approximately 2 percent improvement in mpgs, and everybody loves a sprightlier ride.

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Land Rover's nearly three-ton Range Rover was a prime candidate for slimming down when it faced a fourth-gen redesign, and no weld went unturned in the effort of lightening the hefty Landie. By replacing the hulking chassis with an aluminum structure incorporating 270 pressings, 9 extrusions, 4 tubular braces, and 34 cavity baffles, 397 pounds of fat were jetissoned, contributing to a total weight loss of a staggering 700 or so pounds-- the biggest slim-down we've seen in recent memory. Its carryover powerplants are able to hurtle the hulking SUV to 60 mph in as quickly as 5.1 seconds, nearly a full second faster than its predecessor.

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While the newest Range Rover enjoys a deceptively compact footprint-- the tall sport 'ute is only 2.9 inches longer than an Audi A6-- the benefits of what Land Rover calls a "virtuous circle of weight reduction" are more than dynamic; they're mighty handy, especially since the corporate average fuel economy requirement of 54.5 mpgs by 2025 looms large.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/2013-range-rover-the-biggest-loser?src=rss

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