????路虎車主通常都非富即貴，他們中的絕大多數人最多只是開著路虎越野車到去馬球賽場的停車場，而絕不會真正地去越野，他們只是買了一堆永遠也用不上的機械性能。許多人都是全款購車，因此租賃的利率也相當低。對于這些闊佬來說，燃油經濟性不是問題：路虎攬勝運動版每加侖汽油只能行駛14英里。

????2011年，路虎攬勝極光的上市拉開了路虎品牌復興的序幕，而攬勝極光也是塔塔接手路虎之后推出的首款新車。極光傾斜的車頂導致后車窗面積減小。這樣的設計雖然犧牲了實用性，但卻大大提升了造型的時尚性。路虎將攬勝極光定位成風格時尚的都市緊湊級SUV，廣告拍攝地點也由展示越野性能的野外改成了時代廣場。攬勝極光全新的定位也受到了消費者的歡迎和追捧，上市一年后的銷量便達到了80,000臺。

????接下來亮相的便是路虎旗下的全新旗艦車型——攬勝。這是自2002年以來，路虎攬勝首度改款，也是攬勝自1970年問世以來的第四代車型。實踐證明，慢工出細活：得益于鋁制材料的大量運用，重達3噸的全新一代路虎攬勝成功“瘦身”900磅。雖然新款路虎攬勝借鑒了攬勝極光的某些設計語言，但卻依舊保持著家族的傳統造型以及蚌式車頂。“人們花10萬美元就是為了買一輛看起來與眾不同的車型，而全新款路虎攬勝看起來的確是更為獨特，”卡德維爾說道。“在滾滾車流中更加顯眼。”全新的設計也吸引了新生代明星，包括克里斯蒂娜?安吉萊拉、杰西卡?辛普森以及盧達克里斯等。

????今年8月，隨著路虎攬勝運動版的上市，路虎最終交出了漂亮的三連勝。新款路虎攬勝運動版體積更小，重量更輕，設計風格也與前兩代車型截然不同，還憑借著出色的動力性能一舉成為路虎旗下最暢銷的車型。測試人員在賽道測試中發現，路虎攬勝的性能甚至超過了比它輕1,800磅的福特野馬GT車型。

????雖然路虎品牌已經實現復興，但它長期積累的品質問題卻導致路虎老款車型在J.D. Power的新車可靠性排行榜上墊底。路虎高層堅稱其質量正在逐步改善，同時指出，在J.D. Power最新發布的新車購買后90天質量投訴調查報告中，路虎的排名已經從第28位上升至第21位，僅次于寶馬和沃爾沃。這項調查發布較早，尚未包含全新一代路虎攬勝和攬勝運動款，因此，路虎的實際排名還可能會進一步上升。

????鑒于大眾的時尚口味不停在變化，路虎也必須要徹底解決質量可靠性和燃油經濟性問題，以為未來可持續的增長打下基礎。而目前，路虎卻在往相反的方向前行。這家公司剛剛在比佛利山莊舉辦了一場奢華炫目的活動，推出了加長軸距的路虎攬勝黑標限量版，新款車型有著更為寬敞的后排腿部空間以及更加豐富的舒適性配置，售價185,000美元起。這恐怕是《唐頓莊園》劇中格雷厄姆伯爵和克勞利家族在鼎盛時期才能消費得起的奢侈品。（財富中文網）

????譯者：唐昕昕

????Land Rover buyers are unusually well-heeled. For the vast majority who never take their vehicles farther off-road than the parking paddock at a polo match, they are buying far more mechanical capability than they will ever need. Many pay cash, and lease rates are exceptionally low. And for deep wallets, mileage is not an issue: The Range Rover Sport gets just 14 miles per gallon.

????The Land Rover revival began with the launch of the Evoque in 2011, the first new model produced under Tata's ownership. With its tapered roof shrinking the side window glass, the Evoque's design sacrificed some utility but more than made up for it in style. Rather than taking the compact SUV on safari to demonstrate its off-road capabilities, Land Rover positioned it as a hip, urban vehicle and photographed it in Times Square. The new association resonated, and 80,000 Evoques were sold worldwide during its first year of production.

????Next came the redesigned flagship Range Rover, the first makeover since 2002 and only the fourth since it was introduced in 1970. The time was well-spent: Engineers knocked off as much as 900 pounds from its three-ton weight by making it largely from aluminum. Some of the design details from the Evoque were carried over, but the new Range retained the familiar upright stance and clamshell roof of its forbears. "People looking to spend $100,000 want a distinctive vehicle, and the new Range Rover looks more distinct than ever," says Caldwell. "It is easy to spot in a crowd." The redesign attracted a new generation of celebrities, including Christine Aguilara, Jessica Simpson, and Ludacris.

????Land Rover completed a trifecta in August with the launch of the Range Rover Sport (above). Smaller and lighter than its namesake, it split the design difference between its two predecessors and went on to become the brand's bestseller because of its blistering performance. On a drag strip, testers found that it could outperform a Ford Mustang GT that weighs 1,800 pounds less.

????The Land Rover renaissance has come despite a legacy of quality problems that has left its older models at the bottom of the J.D. Power reliability ratings for three-year-old vehicles. Land Rover executives insist that quality is improving and point to the latest Power survey of complaints after 90 days of ownership, in which it climbed from 28th to 21st , close behind BMW and Volvo The survey came too soon to include results from the new Range Rover and Sport, so Land Rover's ratings should continue to climb.

????Given the fickleness of fashion, Land Rover will have to permanently put to rest its issues with reliability and fuel economy in order to build a solid foundation for future growth. Just now, it is headed in a different direction. The company recently staged a lavish Beverly Hills event at which it introduced the Long-Wheelbase (LWB) Autobiography Black edition Range Rover with more rear-seat legroom and elaborate comfort controls. Its base price: $185,000. It is a creation the Earl of Grantham and the rest of the Crawley family might have enjoyed in their salad days.