If you've forked out $250,000 to hop inside the Virgin Galactic spaceship, you're eligible to buy this luxury SUV.
Land Rover is taking the concept of special editions to new heights by unveiling a limited-run Range Rover targeting a very specific segment of the market. It’s called the “Astronaut Edition” and can only be bought by those who have signed on the dotted line to become members of the Virgin Galactic Future Astronaut community. That means roughly 700 people can hop behind the wheel of the luxury SUV, having spent a $250,000 to claim a seat inside the spaceship.
Speaking of which, the Range Rover Astronaut Edition has a “crafted piece” taken straight from the front landing skid of the spaceship used during the Virgin Spaceship Unity’s first space flight at the end of last year. The piece in question has been repurposed to create two discs in the area on the center console where the cup holders are located.
Not impressed yet? Land Rover explains that after returning to Earth from the space flight, an owner will be able to take out that part and replace it with a section of the wooden skid used during the customer’s own spaceflight. In addition, the piece will be personalized with whatever the owner wants to write related to the whole experience of going into space.
There are other special touches inside pointing towards the space journey, such as a “DNA of Flight” graphic on the front console drawer made out of carbon fiber. Land Rover has applied this motif on the leather-wrapped rear armrest as well, while the door handles manufactured from solid aluminum metal have been engraved with Virgin Galactic’s Future Astronaut community constellation pattern. The same design is also noticeable above the glove box and on the front headrests.
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Stepping outside of the vehicle, the Zero Gravity Blue paint was specifically developed for the Range Rover Astronaut Edition and was inspired by a night sky’s depth and intensity. Another neat feature is the model-exclusive design of the puddle lamp illumination as it’s showing the silhouette of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. Rounding off the tweaks is the “Astronaut Edition” badge place at the back and on the sides of the SUV.
Those eligible to buy the Range Rover Astronaut Edition will get to pick from either the P400e plug-in hybrid model or the supercharged P525. The former has an electrified 2.0-liter gasoline engine with a combined output of 398 horsepower whereas the latter uses a 5.0-liter V8 with 518 hp on tap.
Pricing hasn’t been disclosed, but if you can afford to pay a quarter of a million dollars to go into space, you can probably afford to get this Astronaut Edition.
Source: Land Rover
'RANGE ROVER REACHES NEW HEIGHTS WITH ASTRONAUT EDITION BUILT TO CELEBRATE PARTNERSHIP WITH VIRGIN GALACTIC
Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations has launched a special edition Range Rover which will be available exclusively to Future Astronauts signed up to fly to space with Virgin Galactic.
- Exclusive Range Rover Astronaut Edition produced by Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations is only available to members of the Virgin Galactic Future Astronaut community
- Exterior elements include unique Zero Gravity Blue paint inspired by the beautiful effects of the night sky, plus a bespoke Virgin Galactic puddle lamp design
- One-off interior design includes custom cup holder crafted from the spaceship’s front landing skid, ‘DNA of Flight’ logo graphic veneer and aluminium door handles with the Future Astronaut community constellation design
- Land Rover has been working with Virgin Galactic since 2014 as its exclusive automotive partner
The Astronaut Edition features distinctive exterior and interior design elements celebrating this once in a lifetime experience and Virgin Galactic’s unique community of Future Astronauts. It marks another important milestone in the ongoing partnership between Land Rover and Virgin Galactic, which has been an authentic collaboration since the start.
A unique Zero Gravity Blue paint finish inspired by the depth and intensity of the night sky demonstrates Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations’ state-of-the-art technologies and exceptional attention to detail. A bespoke puddle lamp illumination design features the silhouette of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo while unique Astronaut Edition badging features on the tailgate and side profile finishers.
Inside, the Astronaut Edition features a crafted piece of the spaceship’s front landing skid that flew on Virgin Spaceship Unity’s first space flight in December 2018. Part of that skid, which provides the spaceship with a highly effective, lightweight braking mechanism, has been re-purposed to form two discs within the cup holders. One of these references a quote which Richard Branson often makes to his fellow Future Astronauts - ‘See you up there’ -and the other features the details of the space flight. Once a Future Astronaut has flown to space, and becomes an astronaut, this will be swapped out with part of the wooden skid from that customer’s own spaceflight, personally inscribed with the specific details of a life changing experience.
Further bespoke features include a ‘DNA of Flight’ graphic on the carbon fibre front console drawer lid and this motif is also debossed onto the leather rear armrest. Solid aluminium metal door handles are engraved with Virgin Galactic’s own Future Astronaut community constellation pattern which represents a global community connected by a love of space. This design also features on the rear of the front headrests and metal letterbox panel design above the glovebox. Additional personalisation options include stitching the Future Astronaut’s initials onto the headrests.
Land Rover vehicles have been part of daily life for the Virgin Galactic team since the launch of the partnership in 2014. The Astronaut Edition Range Rover is the next step on this journey and the chance for the Future Astronaut Community to celebrate our two brands’ shared values of pioneering spirit and true sense of adventure. This vehicle really will take them Above and Beyond.
Land Rover joined Virgin Galactic on its journey to space in 2014 and from the start, the collaboration has been underpinned by iconic design, engineering excellence and desire to push the boundaries of travel for the next generation. The Astronaut Edition has been crafted with that in mind, a meaningful and lasting embodiment of a shared vision. We could not be more excited to be able to offer this unique vehicle to our wonderful, global community of pioneering Future Astronaut customers.
The Astronaut Edition is based on the luxurious Range Rover Autobiography, where comfort and refinement meet peerless all-terrain capability. In line with both brands’ commitment to a sustainable future, the Astronaut Edition is available with Land Rover’s P400e plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain, which delivers a combined 404PS, EV range of 42km and CO2 emissions of 72g/km - subject to market availability. A high-performance 5.0-litre V8 P525 supercharged petrol is also offered.