The Range Rover's superb balance of ride and handling is the result of a highly refined and interconnected air suspension that allows softer spring rates for enhanced on-road comfort and an adjustable ride height over a range of some two inches. This system allows both serious off-roading and the courteous lowering of the ride height to make it easier for passengers to get in and out, a nice feature for shorter, older passengers and for social outings around town. An Access setting can be pre-selected so the body lowers to the desired height as the Range Rover rolls to a stop, avoiding having passengers wait while it "kneels."

The new Jaguar 4.4-liter V8 in the HSE is more powerful, less thirsty and quicker than the BMW engine it replaces. Horsepower has been increased by 23 to 305 horsepower at 5750 rpm. Torque remains at 325 pound-feet but it now peaks at 4100 rpm. It accelerates the HSE from 0 to 60 mph in just over 9 seconds, almost a full second quicker than last year's model. The HSE's top speed is electronically limited to 124 mph. The Jaguar engine is cleaner and gets better fuel efficiency with an EPA-estimated 14/18 mpg City/Highway.

The supercharged 4.2-liter V8, also from Jaguar, bumps the power still higher, at 400 horsepower some 35 percent above last year's V8, with torque up more than 25 percent, to 420 pound-feet. Even so, fuel economy improves to 13/18 mpg over the '05's 12/16, as does the 0 to 60 mph time, dropping almost to 7 seconds, with top speed governed at 130 mph. Oddly enough, the seat-of-the-pants gauge didn't register as much of a difference between the two engines as the numbers suggest. Maybe it's the Range Rover's heft, but when we drove off in the Supercharged after our time in the HSE, there just wasn't the neck-snapping surge off the line that we expected. Then again, maybe stately is more the Range Rover way.

Both V8s are mated to a the latest-generation, ZF six-speed automatic transmission featuring CommandShift, one of the more flexible manual override systems in the luxury market. In the Range Rover, CommandShift can operate in both the high and low ranges of the transfer case for use on or off road. It will upshift when in manual mode but not until engine redline, and in deference to off-roaders' occasional need for low, borderline-lugging engine speed, it delays downshifting until just before the engine's stall point. When in automatic Sport mode, the transmission employs slightly higher shift points and downshifts more readily. Even while just in Drive, we felt it drop down a gear halfway through corners looking for a sweeter spot in the engine's power curve.

Speaking of tracking through corners, the air suspension in the Supercharged model is somewhat tauter and more firmly calibrated than in the HSE, including a switch to solid stabilizer bars over the HSE's hollow, pipe-like bars. The Supercharged is no sports car, but it's sporty enough to invite comparisons to its Mercedes-Benz and BMW counterparts.

Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are backed by Emergency Brake Assist, which applies full braking force in a panic stop even if the driver mistakenly relaxes brake pedal pressure, and electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), which helps reduce stopping distances by balancing braking forces front to rear.

The Range Rover is also equipped with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), which helps drivers stay on their intended course by preventing a skid. This electronic stability control system helps maintain vehicle stability at the limits of tire adhesion via a combination of yaw rate sensors, the antilock brake system, and the traction control system. When required, the system applies the brakes at one or more wheels to correct excessive yaw. For example, if the rear tires lose grip in a corner, a situation called oversteer can occur that can ultimately lead to spinning off the road; the system senses this happening and applies the brake on the outside front wheel to rotate the vehicle back onto the desired path. The driver need only steer where he or she wants to go.

The Range Rover's off-road prowess continues to set the standard for the class. It easily slogs up steep, muddy tracks most drivers would never attempt. Even more impressive is its ability to creep down steep, muddy terrain or gravelly tracks that would leave lesser vehicles parked against a tree or teetering on the lip of a cliff, thanks in no small part to Hill Descent Control, a technology Land Rover pioneered that automatically balances engine and brake application to maintain a stable, controllable rate of descent. Its suspension articulation and impressive technology make navigating rugged terrain easy, smooth and comfortable with little of the head toss you get in most off-road vehicles. It's pretty clear that the Range Rover can go anywhere.

The Range Rover boasts the slowest low-range crawl speed in the industry: just 2.4 mph at 1000 rpm, good for traversing the world's worst terrain. Its gearing is the lowest in its class.

The transfer case can be switched between low and high range on the fly, at speeds up to 30 mph, eliminating the need to stop in the middle of a mud bog to change gearing. Additionally, advanced electronics provide for a dual-range throttle with on- and off-road calibrations. That makes for quicker throttle response on the road, while allowing precise throttle adjustments in extreme off-road situations.

Trails can be negotiated with more confidence thanks to an undercarriage protection system that includes a plastic skid shield and Kevlar engine protection. Off-road traction control allows drivers to tread lightly by minimizing wheel spin, and therefore trail damage, while off the beaten path.