1995: US Introduction of P38 Range Rover Model

Introduction
Powertrain
Chassis & Suspension
Exterior
Interior
Special Editions
Other

Photo: Tony Johnson's 1995 4.0SE with factory brush guard.

Introduction: The 1995 US Debut of the New Model

The 1995 Range Rover P38 4.0 SE Model was introduced in the U.S. in March of 1995 and six months later the (1996 model year) Range Rover 4.6 HSE was introduced.
Base Price (4.0SE) $54,625 (Kelley Blue Book)
Weight 4,960 lbs

Powertrain:

4.0L (3950cc/241 cubic inches) 190 hp @ 4750 rpm 236 lb-ft torque @ 3000 rpm 90-degree Overhead Valve (OHV) V8 aluminum alloy heads and aluminum alloy block with dry steel cylinder liners (3.7" bore x 2.8" stroke) 9.34:1 compression ratio.  Five main bearings (bigger than in the 3.9L), hydraulic lifters and multiport electronic fuel injection.  BMW Turbo Diesel engines were installed in the new Range Rover P38 in Europe and other markets, but Land Rover North America (LRNA) did not import any diesel engine Range Rover P38s to the U.S.  4 speed ZF4HP22-E automatic (the same transmission was used by many 1990’s BMWs, Mercedes’, and Volvos) with fluid lockup torque converter and overdrive 4th gear. (1st 2.48:1, 2nd 1.48:1, 3rd 1.00:1, 4th .728:1, R 2.086:1)  Like diesel engines Range Rovers with manual transmissions have never been imported to North America by LRNA.  The transmission had a unique H-gate shifter that incorporated both the transmission and transfer case shifting in to a single lever.  2-speed Borg-Warner 44-62 transfer case providing permanent four-wheel drive with auto locking viscous center differential. lock (High 1.216:1 Low 3.271:1) Parking brake was built in to the transfer case. The fuel tank held 24.6 gallons.

Photo: New dash layout on Tony Johnson's 1995 4.0SE, showing the single-lever "H" gate transmission and transfer case shifter, and the forward sloping center dash section that reviewers noted gave an immediate feeling of command for off-road situations.
 
Chassis and Suspension:
Box-section ladder-type frame (with 2.5mm to 4.0mm steel vs. the 2.0mm steel frame used on the Range Rover Classic).  All NAS models have a bolt on Class III towing receiver (vs. the welded on receiver that was on all NAS Range Rover Classics).  Air springs were on all four corners of all Range Rover P38s.  The axels were completely redesigned for the new Range Rover P38.  Moving the differential to the opposite side of the axle forced long time Land Rover owners to remember that the low point of the vehicle had moved when driving off road.  The rear differential had a heavy 4-pin diff carrier (vs. two pin in the previous RR) to handle the extra strain of the electronic traction control (the front differential got the 4-pin diff in 1999 when Land Rover added traction control to the front axle).  Beam axles with semi floating hubs located by radius arms and a panhard rod in front, composite radius arms and a panhard rod in the rear, axle ratio 3.54:1 (the same ratio as the Range Rover Classic, despite totally different differential).  The new Range Rover also has the same 108.1 inch wheelbase as the Classic LWB model (the SWB Classic has a 100 inch wheelbase). Hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers were on all four corners. Power assisted ZF recirculating ball (15.2:1 ratio) 3.2 turns lock to lock.  Four-wheel power disk brakes with four piston calipers in front and two piston calipers in the rear with pad wear sensors on the front right and rear left inboard brake pads.  All U.S. spec Range Rovers came with five spoke alloy wheels standard and 255/65R 16 tires.  Car & Driver reported that the new Range Rover had a .73-g grip limit on the skidpad.

Exterior:

All U.S. models had a one piece molded plastic bumper cover with a front spoiler and integrated driving lights.  All NAS models had a small black lip at the bottom of the spoiler that was not on every model in other markets.  The headlights were halogen with power wash sprayers built in to the headlight windshield wipers and for the first time in the North American market the lights had replaceable bulbs.  All had a washer and wiper on the rear window that was hidden when not in use. Heated left and right outside power mirrors with a selectable auto dip reverse feature (The mirrors can dip when reverse is selected).   The drag coefficient of the new model was 0.38 vs. 0.45 for the Range Rover Classic, and .28 for the new Audi A4).  Colors: Alpine White, Ardennes Green, Pearl Metallic, Aspen Silver Metallic, Avalon Pearl Metallic, Beluga Black ($300 Extra), Biarritz Blue, Pearl Metallic, British Racing Green Metallic, Cornish Cream, Epsom Green Metallic, Plymouth Blue Pearl Metallic, Roman Bronze Metallic

The only option in 1995 was the Beluga Black paint for $300.

Exterior Accessories offered by the dealers (in the 1995 Range Rover 4.0 SE Vehicle Gear Catalog) included: Wrap-Around Brush Bar, Center-Grill Brush Bar, Front and Rear Lamp Guards, Running Boards, Black Plastic Wheel Arch Moldings, Mud Flaps, Roof Carrying System, Trailer Hitch Mounted Sports Rack Bike Carrier, Trailer Towing Kit, Auxiliary Lights, Car Cover, Engine Block Heater, Tire Pump, Locking Wheel Nuts and Winter Wiper Blades.

 
Interior:
Available Interior Colors: (Please write in if you know!!)

All had air conditioning; power windows 60/40 split folding rear seats, folding rear parcel shelf/loadspace cover, cruise control, central locking on all four doors and the fuel door, child locks on the rear doors.  Gear shifter and parking brake handle was rubber.  The stereo was made by Phillips.  The front seats had three vertical seams on the seat backs and bottoms and the piping was the same color as the seats.

Interior Accessories offered by the dealers (from the 1995 Range Rover 4.0 SE Vehicle Gear Catalog) included Floor Mats (carpet and rubber), Waterproof Seat Covers, Load Retention System (cargo nets), Plastic Loadspace protector, Loadspace anti-slip Mat. Locking Shotgun Box, Dog Guard (the dog guard with built in shotgun rack was not available for the RR P38), Tool Kit, Locking Security Case, , Sheepskin Seat Covers.  A factory wood kit was available with extra pieces of wood around the window switches, rear ashtray door HVAC and Radio.  A leather covered shifter and parking brake handle was also available as an optional interior dress up item.  The optional leather covered shifter and parking brake handles were a slightly different design than the leather covered handles that became standard on later model P38s.

Photo: Rear seating in Tony Johnson's 1995 4.0SE, showing the more spacious and comfortable layout for passengers compared to the Classic models. Even the center rear seat is comfortable.
 
1995 Model Year Range Rover Special Editions:
4.0 SE: Only one model of Range Rover P38 was offered in 1995 the first year it was sold in North America (in Europe the 4.6HSE was available along with the BMW Diesel model in the 1995 Model Year).

Other:

The new Range Rover P38 was sold side by side with the 25 year old SWB Range Rover Classic in January 1995 (most of the ’95 Range Rover LWBs were sold in 1994 and very few were left when the new Range Rover was introduced), but despite the almost $10,000 extra cost the new Range Rover dramatically outsold the “Classic” and Land Rover decided to retire the Classic on it’s 25^th birthday (the last Range Rover Classic rolled off the line in early 1996).  LRNA opened (or converted existing dealers) to the first “Land Rover Centres” in the U.S. in 1995, by the end of the year 30 were in operation.  Land Rover had a record year in 1995 and sold over 100,000 vehicles worldwide for the first time in a single year.  Land Rover North America (LRNA) also had a record year selling 21,631 vehicles, a 64% increase over 1994 the previous all time high of 13,178 sales.