Range Rover L322
Range Rover L322 (2001-2012)
The 3rd Generation Range Rover, the L322 Range Rover was designed – from the get-go – to be a new leaf. Shortly after their acquisition of the Rover Company, BMW determined that the early P38 Range Rover wouldn’t have a long shelf life. Primarily, this short life was due to the P38’s dated appearance in comparison – especially in comparison to the Land Rover Discovery. At the same time, this ‘new leaf’ approach was no doubt inspired by the (at the time) quickly approaching millennium.
Inception Of The L322 Range Rover
The birth of the L322 Range Rover coincided with BMW’s take over of the Rover Company from British Aerospace. While 1999 Model Year updates were planned for the P38A, following the completion of the takeover it was understood that the P38 was too dated – the end result of a design language from 30 years previously. The decision was made that an all-new Range Rover should be created – this new Range Rover would be the L322.
Due to this collaboration between Range Rover and BMW engineers, BMW features quite heavily in the design. For example, the initial design work of the L322 was done at BMWs FIZ engineering centre in Munich, Germany.
As well as this, several of the new land rover’s parts were taken not from older Range Rover models but from BMW. For example, the entertainment system in the L322 was pretty much the same as the one featured in the BMW E39 5 Series. This new Range Rover was also designed to accommodate BMW’s M62 V8 engines.
Design, Composition & Engineering
Like vehicles in the Land Rover Discovery series, the L322 has a monocoque construction. It also featured four-wheel independent air suspension which allowed drivers to adjust variable right height, ideal for off-road performance.
Original trim levels for the Range Rover L322 named SE, HSE and Vogue, similar to its predecessor the P38A. In the course of its production run, this iteration of the Range Rover also had various limited and special edition trims added – including Vogue SE, Autobiography and Westminster.
Other Features of the L322 Range Rover
Other features of the new third generation Range Rover included air conditioning, telescopic leather wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, six-disc CD changer, navigation system with voice activation and outside temperature indicator – to name a few.
Optional extras could also be added to the L322 for a more luxury experience. This included 14-way power heated/cooled front seats, DVD player and premium leather upholstery.
Evolution of the Range Rover L322
Much like its predecessor the Range Rover L322 enjoyed a number of improvements and modifications during its eleven year production run.
In 2005 a major update saw the production of a base model that utilised the same engine used in the Discovery 3, as well as the addition of a premium model which used the supercharged Jaguar 4.2 L V8 engine.
Further Upgrades to the L322 Range Rover
The 2006 Range Rover was also given an upgrade to its infotainment system. This upgrade saw the addition of a touch screen, on and off-road navigation, telephone, rear camera, and more. A fully integrated DVD rear seat entertainment system was also offered as an optional extra. This system is remarkably like that seen in the later Land Rover Discovery Series and the Range Rover Sport.
Under the surface, the L322 gained the same Terrain Response system seen in the Range Rover Sport, and the handbrake was changed to electronic. Updates to the HVAC system also made the vehicle much quieter, as well as an acoustic laminated windscreen.
Finally, in 2007, the BMW M57 diesel engine was replaced with the TDV8 engine from Ford and Land over. The vehicle also received an upgrade in relation to its brakes and suspension for smoother performance and handling.
Moving Away From BMW’s Design Language
This year also saw the Range Rover was treated to a number of mechanical and interior upgrades. Interestingly, there was a notable departure from the BMW influenced design, particularly in the external C pillar of this model. This C Pillar was changed to look like that of the Range Rover Sport. As well as this the seats were designed in the image of the Range Rover Sport, with heated elements added as standard.
Other changes to the interior included replacement cup holders with sliding covers and the ignition switch was moved next to the steering wheel.
Final Years of the L322 Range Rover
In the penultimate year of production, 2019, the L322 Range Rover was treated to some external upgrades. This included a new exterior grille, bumpers, and LED lights. A multi-camera vision system was also installed to allow for 360 visibility and, under the hood, a 5.0 V8 was added.
Inside, the Range Rover saw some small changes to the interior with switchgear redesigned and/or re-positioned. A 12-inch TFT LCD virtual instrument panel also replaced the previous ‘cluster’ design. This saw the inclusion of virtual gauges in replacement of analogue ones, which could be customised and change to display pertinent information such as navigation and map info when required.
In its final year of production, the Range Rover received yet more styling changes, as well as the introduction of new optional extra packages. Again, the engine received a sizable upgrade with the new model receiving a 4.4 L TDV8 diesel engine with eight speed automatic transmission. Premium interiors were also the order of the day, with leather and wood colours available.
Range Rover L322 Limited Editions
A number of limited-edition Range Rovers came to market during this production run.
They include:
- 20th Anniversary Edition (40 cars)
- 35th Anniversary Edition (35 cars)
- Armoured Range Rover (by Land Rover Special Vehicles)
- Autobiography Ultimate Edition (50 cars)
Range Rover Parts and Accessories From John Craddock
John Craddock carries a wide range of Land Rover parts – including parts for the L322 Range Rover from 2002 until 2009 and 2009 until 2012. For more information on our range of parts and accessories, as well as all other enquiries, get in touch with John Craddock today.
