Most new cars do well at launch but the shine can come off the paintwork with longer at the wheel. Earlier this year the Range Rover impressed - a towering achievement. Now came an opportunity to put it to the test: Spain and back in five days; 2,500 miles with everything from motorways to rural upland tracks in between.
If time is tight, the Dover-Calais crossing works well. P&O Ferries provides a regular high frequency service and you can usually drive on to the next available departure whether early or late. A Motorists’ Lounge is another asset at moderate extra cost.
The route took us to Paris where an hour or more was lost despite the best efforts of the intelligent sat-nav. (Even at the weekend give it a wide berth and head west for Rouen.) Limoges and Toulouse next and Andorra by-passed by going west towards Pau and turning south near St.Gaudens – the road is being rebuilt with a new tunnel at Vielha (now open). When finished it will be a good way to traverse the Pyrenees.
The route took us to Paris where an hour or more was lost despite the best efforts of the intelligent sat-nav. (Even at the weekend give it a wide berth and head west for Rouen.) Limoges and Toulouse next and Andorra by-passed by going west towards Pau and turning south near St.Gaudens – the road is being rebuilt with a new tunnel at Vielha (now open). When finished it will be a good way to traverse the Pyrenees.
Lleida, Lerida in Catalan, then across the Ebro river and the Algars into Aragon. Matarranya is a little-known, unspoilt area of Teruel region – part of La Franja and Catalan-speaking eastern Aragon. A traditional agricultural community, goatherds and their flocks are still to be seen, almond and olive cultivation remains important.
Despite huge infrastructure investment many minor roads in rural Spain have still to see a tarmac surface. Often too it’s a ford rather than a bridge. This is upland Spain overlooked by the Beceite mountain range – 4x4s are not ‘fashion items’ here.
The scenery is stunning and just as impressive on this the third visit in recent years. The place to stay is equally unique and memorable: La Torre del Visco. Three miles from the nearest (surfaced) road this 15th century manor house complete with fortified tower looks out over its own ‘secret valley’ of olive groves, birds of prey circle lazily in the summer sky and, apart from Nature itself, there is almost utter silence.
Piers Dutton and Jemma Markham, until 1993, spent 20 years in international publishing based in Madrid. Piers, who died, sadly, in May, came form a long line of Cumbrian farmers. Both he and Jemma were keen to return to the land and spent two years looking for the ideal property. They found it here almost derelict. It has taken many years to create the gardens and broader environs but the project continues.
Despite huge infrastructure investment many minor roads in rural Spain have still to see a tarmac surface. Often too it’s a ford rather than a bridge. This is upland Spain overlooked by the Beceite mountain range – 4x4s are not ‘fashion items’ here.
The scenery is stunning and just as impressive on this the third visit in recent years. The place to stay is equally unique and memorable: La Torre del Visco. Three miles from the nearest (surfaced) road this 15th century manor house complete with fortified tower looks out over its own ‘secret valley’ of olive groves, birds of prey circle lazily in the summer sky and, apart from Nature itself, there is almost utter silence.
Piers Dutton and Jemma Markham, until 1993, spent 20 years in international publishing based in Madrid. Piers, who died, sadly, in May, came form a long line of Cumbrian farmers. Both he and Jemma were keen to return to the land and spent two years looking for the ideal property. They found it here almost derelict. It has taken many years to create the gardens and broader environs but the project continues.
Half the 220 acres is woodland and the rest a working organic farm producing olives, forage and an extensive range of fruit and vegetables for the hotel and restaurant. Cuisine is basically Mediterranean but with some notable Aragonese dishes with ingredients, if not from the farm itself, sourced locally. Sheep and goats’ cheeses are renowned and La Torre makes its own organic olive oil offering the opportunity to sample the produce of different trees and various methods of pressing.
Torre del Visco (‘Mistletoe Tower’ in the local dialect) became a member of Relais & Chateau in 2000. It has 17 rooms (4 suites). Almost forgot – there is an extensive wine cellar (in the original mediaeval bodega): all Spanish but a ‘bias’ towards Aragonese and Catalan varieties some of which are little known but of rare quality.
It is quite something to drive 1200 miles and reach journey’s end feeling not the least bit tired or stressed. The latest Range Rover’s dynamic qualities on-road are clearly improved thanks to the lighter all-aluminium bodywork, adaptable permanent four wheel drive and supplementary air suspension. This is all topped off by remarkable chassis engineering. Another Jaguar feature inherited for Land Rover’s prestige product – adjustable length front seat squabs (electric, of course, like almost anything which moves inside the cabin) – makes a world of ‘long haul’ difference.
Torre del Visco (‘Mistletoe Tower’ in the local dialect) became a member of Relais & Chateau in 2000. It has 17 rooms (4 suites). Almost forgot – there is an extensive wine cellar (in the original mediaeval bodega): all Spanish but a ‘bias’ towards Aragonese and Catalan varieties some of which are little known but of rare quality.
It is quite something to drive 1200 miles and reach journey’s end feeling not the least bit tired or stressed. The latest Range Rover’s dynamic qualities on-road are clearly improved thanks to the lighter all-aluminium bodywork, adaptable permanent four wheel drive and supplementary air suspension. This is all topped off by remarkable chassis engineering. Another Jaguar feature inherited for Land Rover’s prestige product – adjustable length front seat squabs (electric, of course, like almost anything which moves inside the cabin) – makes a world of ‘long haul’ difference.
At this level manual gearboxes are a dim and distant memory now and we seem to have to live with an electric parking brake too these days. However, an eight speed auto ‘box is standard with a high and low ratio transfer system which, together with Land Rover’s patented Terrain Response set up brings both mechanical and electronic assets to bear on various scenarios: mud; snow; rocks; sand, etc. All revealed via the large touchscreen which is home to the sat-nav, audio and so forth.
No surprise in saying that the Range Rover took everything encountered in its stride – and in style. Its poise on or off-road is something to behold. And, of course, it’s a classic estate car too (not a jumped up hatch) the lower section of the tailgate folds down to provide useful seating. The new car is sufficiently lighter for a 3.0 litre V6 255hp TD to be offered but the model on test was the 4.4 SDV8 uprated to 339hp.
Claimed top speed is now 135mph and 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. But official mpg 32.5mpg is not bad and 26-28 (brim to brim) on test indicating that 30 day-to-day is there commendable in what is a 2.5 tonne machine with a real turn of speed. Not cheap, of course, at £78,095 (£71,295 – V6) but, taken all in all, this is probably the best luxury car in the world right now. It might not have a magic-carpet-smooth ride but it’s a lot less money than the other “Best Car in the world” contestants and if you do need to show off, there’s a 5.0 V8 supercharged petrol model with 505hp on tap…
By Huw Thomas
Further Info –
www.poferries.com
www.torredelvisco.com
www.matarranyaturismo.es
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales
No surprise in saying that the Range Rover took everything encountered in its stride – and in style. Its poise on or off-road is something to behold. And, of course, it’s a classic estate car too (not a jumped up hatch) the lower section of the tailgate folds down to provide useful seating. The new car is sufficiently lighter for a 3.0 litre V6 255hp TD to be offered but the model on test was the 4.4 SDV8 uprated to 339hp.
Claimed top speed is now 135mph and 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. But official mpg 32.5mpg is not bad and 26-28 (brim to brim) on test indicating that 30 day-to-day is there commendable in what is a 2.5 tonne machine with a real turn of speed. Not cheap, of course, at £78,095 (£71,295 – V6) but, taken all in all, this is probably the best luxury car in the world right now. It might not have a magic-carpet-smooth ride but it’s a lot less money than the other “Best Car in the world” contestants and if you do need to show off, there’s a 5.0 V8 supercharged petrol model with 505hp on tap…
By Huw Thomas
Further Info –
www.poferries.com
www.torredelvisco.com
www.matarranyaturismo.es
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales
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