Land Rover is renowned for conquering new territory. And the limited-production Range Rover SV Carmel Edition, introduced late Thursday at Monterey Car Week, takes the brand to turf it has never touched: direct pricing competition with Rolls-Royce.
The 2022 Rolls-Royce Cullinan crossover starts at $348,000. The latest Range Rover stickers at $345,000 — roughly $75,000 more than a 2023 Range Rover with all the options boxes checked.
The Carmel Edition is a showcase for Range Rover's latest technology as well as its growing expertise in crafting ultraluxurious bespoke vehicles.
Land Rover officials introduced the vehicle in Monterey, Calif., at Range Rover House, a lodge the automaker rented and outfitted specifically for its customers to visit during the events surrounding the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car show.
"The Range Rover SV Carmel Edition pays homage to the beauty of the Carmel coast," Joe Eberhardt, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America, said as the vehicle was introduced. The exterior color, Satin Bronze, is exclusive to the Carmel Edition. The seats are Liberty Blue leather in front and Caraway Contrast in the rear, a medium brown. The interior features a full-length console running front to rear that contains an electrically operated table, electrically deployable cupholders, an integrated refrigerator and, from the Rolls-Royce playbook, Darlington Crystal glassware. Many of the controls, such as for the shifter and infotainment, are made of white ceramic.
Power comes from a 523-hp twin-turbo V-8 made for Land Rover by BMW. The new Range Rover is outfitted with four-wheel steering and an all-wheel-drive system tuned to save fuel when the front wheels don't need traction. At steady highway speeds, only the rear wheels drive the vehicle.
Land Rover says only 17 copies of the Carmel Edition will be made. And North America is the only market where it will be available. Customers who visited Range Rover House will get first dibs.
