What is the Range Rover L322?
The Range Rover L322 is the third generation of the Range Rover, the flagship
luxury 4x4 from British maker Land Rover. It was built at the Solihull plant in England
from 2002 to 2012, with roughly 293,494 examples produced. It replaced the
P38A and was itself replaced by the L405 in 2013.
QUICK ANSWERThe L322 (2002-2012) is the third-generation Range Rover: the first with a monocoque body and full air suspension. Built across BMW, Jaguar and late eras.
Summary: The L322 brought the Range Rover firmly into full luxury-SUV territory while keeping serious off-road ability, designed under BMW, built under Ford and Tata.
The L322 marked a big step upmarket. It was the first Range Rover with a monocoque?monocoque: A unibody structure where the body shell itself carries the loads, instead of bolting a body onto a separate ladder chassis. Stiffer, quieter, lighter.
(unibody) shell instead of a separate ladder chassis, and the first with
independent air suspension on all four wheels. That combination kept its famous
off-road ability while making it far more comfortable and car-like on the road.
Why the L322 is unusual
The L322 was designed under BMW but built under Ford. BMW began the project (codename
"L30") and intended to share parts with the BMW 7 Series. But BMW sold Land Rover to Ford in
2000, just before production started. As a result the car's engines and electronics changed
several times over its life: which is why, with an L322, the model year and "era"
matter more than usual. A 2003 car and a 2011 car are very different machines underneath.
Key facts at a glance
RANGE ROVER L322, QUICK FACTS
| Manufacturer | Land Rover (under BMW → Ford → Tata/JLR) |
| Generation | Third (Mk III) |
| Codename | L322 (developed as "L30") |
| Built | 2002-2012, Solihull, England (volume prod. from Dec 2001) |
| Produced | approx. 293,494 units |
| Body | 5-door SUV, monocoque (a Range Rover first) |
| Drive | Permanent 4WD, two-speed transfer case, low range |
| Gearboxes | Automatic only (ZF 5/6/8-speed, GM 5-speed) |
| Suspension | 4-wheel independent, cross-linked air, height adjustable |
| Engines | 177-375 kW; petrol V8 & turbodiesel (I6 & V8) |
| 0-100 km/h | ~13.6 s (Td6) to ~6.2 s (5.0 S/C) |
| Ride heights | access / 172 mm standard / 227 mm off-road |
| Length × width × height | ~4,735 × 1,910 × 1,887 mm |
| Kerb weight | ~2.4-2.8 tonnes |
| Towing | up to 3,500 kg |
| Predecessor / Successor | P38A / L405 |
| Sweet spot | 2007-2009 4.4 V8 (Jaguar) |
The three eras
The single most useful thing to understand about the L322:
| Years | Name | What defines it |
|---|
| 2002-2005 | BMW years | BMW 4.4 V8 / 3.0 Td6 engines, BMW-style electronics, 5-speed GM auto |
| 2006-2009 | Jaguar era | Jaguar V8s, 3.6 TDV8?TDV8: Land Rover's twin-turbo diesel V8 (3.6, later 4.4), the 'AJD-V8' / 'Lion' engine, prized for huge torque. diesel, Terrain Response?Terrain Response: Land Rover's rotary off-road system: one dial reconfigures throttle, gearbox, ride height, ABS and diffs to suit grass, mud, sand, rock or normal driving., new infotainment |
| 2010-2012 | Late models | 5.0 V8s, LED lights, virtual dials, 4.4 TDV8 (230 kW) |
» Read the full history of each era
Place in the Range Rover family
| Generation | Codename | Years |
|---|
| First (Classic) | , | 1970-1996 |
| Second | P38A | 1994-2001 |
| Third (this car) | L322 | 2002-2012 |
| Fourth | L405 | 2013-2022 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Range Rover L322?
The L322 is the third-generation Range Rover, built from 2002 to 2012. It was the first Range Rover
with a monocoque body and all-round air suspension, developed under BMW but built under Ford.
What years was the L322 made?
From 2002 to 2012, after which the L405 replaced it. There were three distinct eras: BMW engines
(2002-2005), Jaguar petrol engines (2006-2009) and the late facelift cars (2010-2012).
Why does the L322 era matter so much?
Because the engines and electronics changed several times. A 2003 BMW-engined car is quite
different from a 2011 facelift car, so the year strongly affects what you are buying and how it
drives. See the history.
Is the L322 a real off-roader?
Yes. Despite its luxury, it has permanent four-wheel drive, low range and air suspension for ride
height, giving genuine off-road ability that road-biased rivals could not match.
What replaced the L322?
The fourth-generation Range Rover, codenamed L405, launched in 2013 with an aluminium body. The
L322 remains popular used for its blend of presence, comfort and capability at a low price.
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