Safety

Inside the 1997 Range Rover is a host of special systems fully dedicated to protecting the vehicle's occupants. In fact, Range Rover and Discovery were the first vehicles of their type equipped with both driver and front passenger airbag Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS). This airbag SRS was designed to deploy only when the system detects a frontal impact considerably more severe than the bumping and jarring of off-road travel.

In addition, the front and rear seats have rugged integral frames with an "anti-submarining" feature engineered to keep occupants from sliding forward in an accident. The front three-point seatbelts attach to the seat frames for proper lap positioning. And both front and rear outboard belts use height-adjustable upper mounts for a correct and comfortable fit. Please remember that the seatbelts in the Range Rover constitute the primary protection system for passengers in collisions. The airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) is a supplement to the seatbelts. Although airbags provide additional protection, airbags alone are not sufficient. Always wear your seatbelts.

Range Rover

 

L and Rover vehicles were the first sport-utilities in the world to feature dual airbags. And that level of safety engineering can be found throughout the 1997 Range Rover. A robust boxed frame, side-impact beams and rigid body-cage construction endow Range Rover with a solid foundation for impact protection. And active safety engineering is prominent in every Range Rover.

 
Range Rover's interior components and materials were specifically selected and developed to be flame retardant. In fact, every aspect of the interior has been chosen and tested to ensure it meets the primary directive of protecting the occupants. The rear doors are equipped with child locks and the rear power windows can also be locked by the driver.

Even Range Rover's electrical system plays an important role in passenger protection.
Should a serious impact occur, an inertia switch will unlock all the doors, cut power to the fuel pump and turn on the vehicle's hazard warning lights.

To absorb the energy of minor collisions, special replaceable "crush cans" between the front bumper and the frame help protect the frame from damage, reducing repair costs. In a more severe frontal collision, the front of the chassis will deform progressively to help contain the main forces of the impact, while minimizing intrusion into the passenger cabin. Range Rover's exceptionally strong boxed-steel ladder frame, welded steel inner body-cage and side-impact beams located inside all four doors give the vehicle impressive structural rigidity and help restrict deformation of the passenger compartment.

But Range Rover's safety systems go beyond this robust construction. Electrically heated front and rear windshields and exterior mirrors aid driver visibility, while advanced active safety features can help you avoid an accident in the first place. The electronic air-spring suspension provides confidence-inspiring handling. Sophisticated all-terrain anti-lock disc brakes - with four channels of operation rather than the usual three - help maintain directional control, especially when braking on slippery surfaces. The front rotors are even reverse-ventilated for advanced brake cooling.

Of course, Range Rover's most sophisticated and acclaimed safety feature is its unique four-wheel-drive system. Whereas many simpler systems work only part-time, Range Rover's system is permanently engaged, ready to provide four-wheel-drive security at all times, on all surfaces. In combination with the center differential, a viscous coupling unit is fitted in the transfer case to distribute power to the axle with the most grip. On-road, this unit offers greater confidence and sure-footed handling in slippery conditions.

Off-road, it enhances Range Rover's already extraordinary mobility. In addition, electronic traction control constantly monitors and reacts to rear-wheel slippage to assist in acceleration on slippery or unpredictable surfaces.