I saw the '13 RR on the road the other day and it is a striking vehicle. Is it still a RR? Yes... BUT, does it retain the "classic" look of all the original LR's for the past decades? No. I have only two major gripes. First, the height isn't there. It's quite low compared to the past. I guess that is because people complained that they'd have to "climb" in at ride height. Poor babies... Isn't it nice to climb in and feel commanding? Wasn't that one of the most important signatures of a RR? That commanding stance? I sure think so, and I find it sad that, that is gone. The ride height and low roof line make it look like any other SUV. No longer will you be in a line a traffic and see that English "top hat" of a RR ahead, sticking up above the others. The previous, outgoing RR was recognizable at any distance, that's no longer the case. That was part of that classic look. Wasn't that part of their brand signature, much like the famous and unmistakable Coca Cola scribe?
Second, the deletion of the piped leather seats is a huge blunder. That was truly part of that English coachwork signature that differentiated the RR from all other SUVs/Trucks and cars as well as put the RR upmarket from the RRS and LR4. Why they decided to delete this is beyond my brand and marketing experience... it's a major blunder. You now have a 100K RR with an interior that looks like it's been lifted out of their downmarket line. Huge mistake.
I'm sure through their marketing research they found that their new and future customers found the piping to be "old man" or "old world" but that was part of the allure! There is only so much future world you can shove down someone's throat and LR's focus on making their entire line based on the Evoque is going to **** a large percentage of their longtime brand loyal customers: You know... the customers in the 40-to-60-range who have the careers and means to purchase them and grew up long before the annoying hipster iPhone generation. We like old-school you ding-dongs. It gives us something to hold on to.
But of course China is exempt since RR heritage isn't really there for comparison from a historical consumer market share. And isn't that where LR refocused their lens? Yes, of course it is. BMW did this with the new gen 3-and-5-series and their US sales for January are down 30%. Why? Because their core line was re-designed for the Asian market and now they're paying the price for it. They got aggressive to compete in Asia and have alienated their long-term loyal customers that have been part of their brands for the past 30-plus-years in the US. Mercedes on the other hand let their brand heritage drive their design philosophy and their US sales have hit a record in the US, as well as ROW. Guess their old formula still works. How novel.
I saw a rendering of the new 2014 RRS and it is a sad sight. It's a bigger brother Evoque. Why? The Evoque works in its class and intended, younger iPhone market target, but streaming the entire line of LR's to emulate the Evoque as a proxy is a major mistake. That concept car look only goes so far before traditional and contemporary consumers get fatigue, especially that the Apple iPhone generation today, who find that appealing now, won't be in the purchase market for a RRS or RR for about another 20-years, leaving the RR and RRS folks who are in the sweet spot now scratching their heads with these "the future is now" designs, completely alienated them from the brand that's resonated with them for the past 30-plus-years. Remember, the customers who can really afford your product aren't dead yet.
Coca Cola created "new Coke" because they thought it would appeal to the times and it almost put them out of business. It wasn't until they course corrected and brought back classic Coke that they saved their brand. Don't forget your classic roots Land Rover, don't forget your scribe.
