Originally imported to the U.S. by the Land Rover division of England’s state-owned Rover group, Range Rover invented the luxury SUV market — in 1970. By the time it made its 1987 U.S. appearance, it had already earned a well-deserved, worldwide reputation for ruggedness — despite a modified 60s-era Buick V8 and typical British quality issues. It was also spendy for the time — about $30,000, which in addition to its legendary off-road prowess, added to its cachet.

Land Rover was acquired by Ford in 2000 from BMW, which bought the Rover group in 1994. BMW sunk $1.3 billion into upgrading the Range Rover before spinning off Land Rover to Ford — smartly keeping the legendary MINI brand it also got in the Rover deal. Ford got the new Range Rover with BMW agreeing to supply its 282-horsepower V8s as part of the package. Land Rover rounded out what became Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, which also includes Volvo, Jaguar, and Aston Martin.

Like after acquiring Jaguar, Job One at Ford became upgrading dependability and quality. Job Two was replacing the BMW engine with the more powerful Jaguar V8.

Jaguar is one of only a few brands not offering an SUV. I was in Washington D.C. several years ago for the introduction of Jaguar’s S-Type-R. While on a dinner cruise aboard the presidential yacht, Sequoia, Simon Sproule, head of Jaguar PR at the time (now with Nissan in Japan), stated in his refined British accent, “We are always being asked when Jag-u-ah (how the British pronounce it) is going to come out with an SUV. We already have one. It’s called the Range Rovah.”

Walkaround: Range Rover underwent a major redesign in 2003, when the third-generation version debuted, but still exemplifies the boxy, high-riding SUV. It became the first Range Rover with unibody construction, fully independent air suspension and a modern V8. 2006 brought another upgrade, including a new grille, front bumper, headlights and taillights, 19-inch wheels, and revised side vents. Like Jaguar’s R-version vehicles, the supercharged Range Rover is delineated by a mesh-design grille. Also included are different fender vents, huge 20-inch alloy wheels, black-on-silver badging and a “supercharged” logo on the tailgate.

Interior: Both the standard and supercharged versions are loaded with comfort, convenience and safety equipment, including standard leather seating, a 3-zone, CFC-free automatic climate control system, power front seats, power tilt-telescoping steering wheel, glass sunroof, premium LOGIC7 AM/FM/6-disc CD surround sound system with 14 speakers and steering wheel mounted controls, rearview camera and eight airbags.

The optional GPS navigation system provides both on and off-road guidance, while nav systems in some premium vehicles are confusing enough on-road. Other options include heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, and a rear twin-screen DVD system. The supercharged version is offered with premium leather, black lacquered wood and stainless steel pedals.

Interior noise has been significantly reduced, although the interior is basically unchanged. Instrumentation is black-faced with white lettering, illuminated in green, and easily readable.

The decent sized cargo area can be enlarged by easily moving the 60-40 split-folding rear seats forward.

Under The Hood: There are two Jaguar powerplants offered: The base 4.4-liter 305-horsepower V8, which powered our test vehicle, and the top-line supercharged 4.2-liter 400-horsepower V8, which delivers exceptional torque.

Both are modified to deliver more torque at lower engine speeds for more responsive U.S. driving. They also feature additional protection from dust, water and rocks for severe off-road conditions.

The engines are mated to a new ZF 6-speed automatic transmission utilizing a center differential for improved off-road capabilities and on-road handling. There’s also a low-range for extreme off-roading.

The Range Rover is heavy — 5,474 to 5,637 pounds. However, the Jag V8s deliver strong acceleration, with the standard V8 doing the 0-60 drill in 8.3 seconds and 7.1 for the supercharged powerplant.

Behind The Wheel: Handling is excellent for such a heavy, high-centered vehicle. The steering is geared well — not too quick for off-road driving or too slow on-road. The ride is smooth, even on rough pavement — and quiet. The weight is obvious during quick maneuvers like sudden lane changes, but much of it is positioned to provide a low center of gravity for better handling.

Powerful anti-lock brakes are controlled by a nice linear action pedal for smooth stops. The supercharged version offers high-performance Brembo front brakes and a revised suspension for smooth cornering and terrific high-speed road performance.

Also enhancing handling are new anti-roll bars, a sophisticated 4-wheel-drive system, electronic stability and traction control systems and an improved adjustable-height air suspension.

There’s also a Hill Descent Control system for serious off-roading. I had the opportunity to attend the famous Land Rover Driving School several years ago, getting to experience Hill Descent Control up close and very personally by taking the vehicle down a 30-degree, incline in eight inches of soupy mud — in a straight line without ever touching the brakes.

The Range Rover is no gas mileage champ at 14/city and 18/highway with the base V8, and 13 and 18 for the supercharged version. Premium fuel is required but the nearly 28-gallon tank allows a respectable cruising range.

Whines: About the worst things to whine about are the odometer being hard to read in sunlight and small inside door handles.

Bottom Line: The Range Rover is a spectacular, totally capable, all-around SUV. Ford’s research shows Range Rover buyers have the highest annual median income ($300,000) of any premium SUV brand, so the $85,350 sticker (as tested) shouldn’t scare them — especially since more than 50 percent are repeat buyers. If price wasn’t a consideration, I’d personally own a Range Rover in a New York minute.