Tridansh Pandey talks about his passion for Range Rover, one of the great archetypes of the automotive world
Range Rover – and by extension, its rugged Land Rover offshoot – is one of the grand archetypes of the automotive world — 4x4 royalty, if you will.
Enthusiasts who are still able to appreciate the emotional appeal of automobiles in the premium to luxury segments — as opposed to the empirical element of most four-wheeled A-to-B appliances today — will recognise that such cult automotive icons are the ones to have defined entire genres.
In this case, Range Rover practically created and defined the luxury 4x4 segment.
These grand archetypes are the yardstick by which any new contender in the respective segments is compared, because many pretenders can copy the shape and specs but not the spirit. After all, beyond the hard facts and specifications that are so easily mimicked are soft statistics, which generate an aura that is developed only over many decades.
Some brands think the solution to this is to launch one new model after another. If you are a volume brand pandering to the mindset and attention span of the techie, sure. However, the group of discerning enthusiasts continues to regard brands like Range Rover, which operates in the upper reaches of the automotive segment, as aspirational and emotional.
The brand’s pedigree and provenance are significant too, because this select group demands a certain degree of longevity and continuity beyond easy disposability. By that same token, there is an element of legacy to the 39-year-old Tridansh Pandey’s passion for Range Rovers, which can be traced to his father, who remains a devout fan of the brand to this day — an infectious enthusiasm that has spread to the extended family.
Evoque, (full-sized) Range Rovers, Defender, Discovery, Range Rover Sport and even a pair of Freelanders have enjoyed coveted spots in their apartment building, which serves as a multi-generation home garage from as far back as 15 years ago.
“Why not try something else?” Tridansh muses. “We’ve considered it, but the truth is that when we go around test-driving other brands, nothing comes quite as close. My dad will say that Range Rover has spoiled us.”
The current tally? His father drives a current Range Rover; his brother has an earlier-generation Range Rover (a MY2014); his sister drives a Defender; and Tridansh drives his plug-in hybrid Range Rover Sport 3.0P P440e to/from his facility across the border daily.
This writer first met Tridansh and his missus a couple of years ago during an intense three-day, 1,700km overland expedition organised by Wearnes-Starchase Mongolia in a fleet of Land Rover Defenders across the Gobi Desert (pictured above and below / photo supplied by Wearnes-Starchase Mongolia).
Few experiences are as epic and elemental as enjoying the Defender in its natural environment as we traversed the vast expanse of the Gobi. However, a shared camaraderie between like-minded enthusiasts comes close.
In fact, there is kinship between the Land Rover / Range Rover brands and his family company, JTS Group, which operates in a similarly rough-and-tough industry, transforming industrial and agricultural byproducts into reusable resources.
Tridansh explains, “Our aim is to provide cost-effective and sustainable solutions for the green energy and environmental product industries. With the work we do, we hope to help sustain the natural rovering habitats of Land Rover / Range Rover for future generations to discover and enjoy.”
He credits his father with getting him interested in the Land Rover/Range Rover marque. “If he hadn’t introduced me to the brand, I would probably have sought a friend’s advice and ended up with some other common European car brand,” Tridansh wryly tells us. “I appreciate the Range Rover’s driving experience, smoothness, spaciousness, safety levels, road presence and naturally, the brand’s heritage.”
He adds: “However, I was a little hesitant in buying a Range Rover for myself with some support from my dad, because I felt it's something you need to earn, especially since my dad built himself up to buy his first over a decade ago. I wanted to do it on my own, but then I thought, ‘It's not a competition.’ Besides, I'm working for the family company anyway, so why not?”
Now, as far as cars are concerned, we’ve come to realise that the best sort of endorsement that money cannot buy is that of an owner’s. In fact, Tridansh is such an ardent supporter of the brand that he doesn’t hesitate to recommend it to friends. “We do tell our friends that it's a great car brand to own. Even when we travel for overseas drive trips, we always recommend renting a Land Rover or a Range Rover,” he says.
In fact, it isn’t uncommon for non-owners to harbour certain misconceptions about the Range Rover brand relating to costs of ownership, especially compared to the usual Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo and Lexus suspects. However, Tridansh reckons you get what you pay for with any Land Rover or Range Rover.
He explains, “In this same price point, we are getting a proper pioneering 4x4 thoroughbred that boasts a rich off-road pedigree, yet possesses all the luxury accoutrements and comfort comparable with the other brands in the segment.”
The introspection one would exercise before tackling unknown off-road terrain is mirrored in the brand’s approach to adopting new technology — rather than slavishly jumping on the bandwagon — and Tridansh feels this is in keeping with Range Rover’s character.
“Given an average of about 50–70km a day, my Range Rover Sport PHEV (or plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle for short) has served me well and certainly offers owners like me the best of both worlds. I’ve driven 52,000km on just 1,300 litres of fuel (or 2.5 litres/100km), which is a perfect fit for someone like me in the environment business,” he tells us.
What about full-electric Range Rovers? “Given limited resources and the time taken to develop infrastructure, having a step-by-step evolution from MHEV to PHEV to BEV is a sustainable approach that allows good resource distribution and gives users the best of all worlds,” he says.
Tridansh continues: “I believe that this approach gives time for EV technology to evolve – for instance, seeing the development of cheaper and more environmentally sustainable batteries (lithium-based to sodium-based), as well as allowing for the establishment of more charging stations. I’m definitely looking forward to the future of Range Rover.”
