What's the news?

Five weeks before the 2013 Range Rover makes its world debut at the Paris Motor Show Land Rover has released the first images and a few choice technical details. The iconic luxury SUV has shed weight, added technology and has a lot more space for rear passengers.

Exterior

Spy shots of the new Range Rover have been circulating for some time now, but they didn't quite convey how Land Rover's new flagship would look. It's not as Evoque-inspired as expected, and though it retains most of the hallmark design cues of the brand, it is much smoother in appearance. It also has real presence thanks to large alloy wheels, the (slimmer) 'floating roof' style, an upright design feature in the front doors, distinctive venting in the bluff front bumper and detailed, jewel-like lights front and rear. External dimensions have not yet been released, but to our eyes it looks lower and longer than before.

Interior

A single straight-on shot of the Range Rover's new interior is available at the time of writing and it carries on the design theme of the Evoque's cabin. There's a sense of solidity to the style and little in the way of gimmickry. The rotary gear selector is carried over from the current model, as is the touch-screen system (presumably with dual-view capability), but every other switch and surface looks new. Land Rover promises the best in leather and veneer.

Rear seat occupants benefit from a considerable increase of 118mm in legroom, which is made all the more luxurious if the buyer ticks the two-seat option - Land Rover calls it 'Executive Class' seating.

Mechanicals

Although Land Rover is holding back full details for the Range Rover's debut in Paris, it did let slip a few titbits. The engine line-up we could have guessed, with TDV6 and TDV8 diesels plus a supercharged petrol V8. Expect all to be partnered with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Helping those perform even better than before is a significant weight reduction. The Range Rover now employs an aluminium monocoque structure with weight savings of up to 420kg quoted (over the previous model). Air suspension is used once more. Along with that the Range Rover debuts Land Rover's next generation of Terrain Response - one that automatically alters the vehicle settings to suit the conditions - on- or off-road.

Anything else?

Following its debut at the Paris Motor Show on September 27, the Range Rover order book will be opened, and the first cars will be registered in 2013. It's expected that a Range Rover Sport version will surface in the middle of next year.