Range Rover. For the last mile a saloon cannot do.
Gravel drives, farm tracks, wet grass at a shoot, a mountain road in February. The journeys where ground clearance and four driven wheels stop being a detail. Ask us about availability for your dates.
At a glance
What it carries
- PassengersUp to 4Four passengers with a chauffeur in the current five seat car. Long wheelbase versions are also built with a third row, which takes up to six.
- LuggageA great dealThe long wheelbase five seat car offers around 800 litres behind the rear seats. A seven seat car with every row in use leaves room for soft bags only.
- BodyFull size SUVAir suspension, four wheel drive, a high seating position and a tailgate that opens in two parts. The current car is the fifth generation.
- AvailabilityOn requestNot among the cars we own and run daily in London and Manchester. Tell us the dates and the roads and we will confirm what can be arranged.
Why it exists on this list
Some addresses are not on tarmac
An S-Class will take you to almost any door in Britain, and for almost every journey it is the better car. Then there is the other kind of day. A shoot in November where the last half mile is a rutted track and the field is soaked. A house in the Cotswolds at the end of a long gravel drive. A film unit base on a farm. A wedding at an estate where the car park is a meadow. A saloon does not fail on these journeys so much as arrive badly, and getting stuck in front of your hosts is a memorable way to begin a weekend.
The Range Rover is also the car for a winter in the mountains, where the road above the valley is steep, wet and often salted and the alternative is a transfer that takes twice as long. And it is a genuinely comfortable long distance car: quiet, with air suspension that settles on a motorway and a commanding view that many passengers simply prefer.
Good for
When to choose it
- Country estates, shoot days and equestrian events, where the last stretch is not a road
- Luggage that is heavy, wet or awkward: gun slips, shoot boots, dog crates, camera cases, ski bags
- Ski transfers between an alpine airport and a resort, where snow chains or winter tyres are a legal requirement rather than a precaution
- Families who want a high seat, a big boot and easy access for children and older passengers
- Location and production work, where the unit base is a field and the day runs long
- Anyone who dislikes stepping down into a low saloon
Winter and the mountains
What the law actually requires
Alpine transfers have rules that catch people out. In France, from 1 November to 31 March, vehicles in the communes designated under the mountain law must either carry four winter tyres marked 3PMSF, or carry chains or textile snow socks for at least two wheels. The zones are signposted at the roadside and cover parts of the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, the Jura, the Vosges and Corsica. Switzerland, Italy and Austria each set their own requirements and dates.
This is the operator's problem, not yours. Outside London and Manchester our cars are arranged through operators we know and work with, and for a winter transfer we confirm the vehicle is equipped for the country and the date before anything is agreed. A chauffeur who drives the Tarentaise or the Valais every winter is worth more than any specification: he knows which road is closed, how long the Saturday changeover queue really takes, and where to stop.
Skis and boards are worth mentioning when you book. Most go inside a Range Rover without difficulty, but a full party's equipment may want a roof box or a second vehicle, and both need arranging in advance rather than at the airport.
Which vehicle?
Range Rover, S-Class or V-Class
| Range Rover | S-Class | V-Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Estates, shoots, mountains, poor surfaces | Working journeys, airports, evenings | Groups, families, heavy luggage |
| Passengers | Up to 4, or 6 in a seven seat car | Up to 3 | Up to 7 |
| Luggage | Large, and easy to load wet or dirty items | 2 large cases plus hand luggage | A case for every passenger |
| Off tarmac | Designed for it | Not suitable | Not suitable |
| Availability | On request | Owned and run by us in London and Manchester | Owned and run by us in London and Manchester |
For more than six passengers, or for a party with skis and luggage together, two vehicles is usually the honest answer. See group and delegation travel.
Where you would use it
The days it earns its place
Request a quote
Tell us where the road ends
The destination, the date, how many of you and what you are bringing. If it is a winter transfer in the Alps, tell us the resort and the airport and we will confirm the vehicle and its winter equipment.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About the Range Rover
Do you own Range Rovers?
The cars we own and run in London and Manchester are the S-Class and the V-Class. A Range Rover is arranged on request, and outside those two cities through operators we know.
Can it take us to a shoot?
Yes, and it is the right vehicle for one. Tell us whether there are dogs, how many guns and whether the chauffeur is waiting on the estate for the day.
Will our skis fit inside?
Usually, for a family. For a full party with boots and boards, we add a roof box or a second vehicle. Say what you are bringing when you book.
Is it as comfortable as an S-Class on the motorway?
Very nearly, and some passengers prefer the higher seat. The S-Class is still the quieter car for working in.
Can you arrange one in the Alps for a week?
Yes, with a chauffeur who drives that valley through the season, arranged through an operator we know. Tell us the resort and the dates.