As the competition in the luxury SUV sector hits an all-time high, Jaguar Land Rover has found a truly unique way of making the Range Rover rise above its rivals while writing itself into the record books, again.
It was the world's first luxury SUV, the first car to win the Paris Dakar Rally and the first off-roader to get either traction control or ABS. And now thanks to an incredible publicity stunt designed to mark 45 years of the original luxury SUV but without making a splash, a Range Rover has become the first car ever to drive over a bridge constructed solely from paper.
The structure, which spans five meters and stands 3.4 meters at its highest point, was put together in the city of Suzhou, China, without a single bolt or application of glue.
Created by British artist Steve Messam, the paper bridge took three days to complete. "Paper structures capable of supporting people have been built before but nothing on this scale has ever been attempted. It's pushing engineering boundaries," said Messam of the feat.
Just like the loop-the-loop the new F-Pace completed on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the latest stunt from Jaguar Land Rover, staged ahead of the official opening of the Guangzhou Motor Show in China, is also a world first and was only possible because of the Range Rover's off-road abilities.
"Range Rover's advanced lightweight body and peerless all-terrain capability were crucial factors in making this unique drive possible," said Nick Rogers, Director Group Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover.
When the original Range Rover launched in 1970 it created the luxury SUV segment. And until very recently it was a market the brand absolutely dominated. However, as demand for cars that marry creature comforts with off-road capabilities continues to grow, so does the competition. China is becoming Range Rover's most important market but its clients can now choose a Volvo XC90, Mercedes GLS, a Bentley Bentayga or, from 2017 a Rolls-Royce Cullinan instead.
All of which is why the company chose the Guangzhou motor show rather than the LA Auto show, which also gets underway this week, to highlight that while other companies can match it for luxury, the Range Rover is still peerless when it comes to heading off road.
