TAILGATE EVENT SUITE - EMILY BOOKER

The new Range Rover vehicle is surely one of the most technically advanced cars of all time. Most of its engineering was developed on powerful computers: intelligent technology for the ultimate luxury car.

But one of its cleverest new features was initially created by a small team of engineers, beginning with hinges and plywood purchased from the local hardware store. The Range Rover vehicle's Versatile Cargo space Floor is a masterpiece of logic and convenience and includes the innovative Tailgate Event Suite – the perfect vantage point for outdoor relaxation. Yet an early prototype looked more like a school project, than – as today – an ingenious feature on a versatile luxury car.

It was developed by Senior Program Leader Emily Booker and her small team, including graduates. The final outcome is a unique feature that helps keep items stowed in the Range Rover vehicle's trunk within easy reach, offers astonishing flexibility and is also perfect for storing wet and muddy gear (when adventure beckons).

Land Rover technology has always played a part in Emily’s life: “My granddad was a farmer. As kids we spent a lot of time on his farm, where he had an old Defender vehicle. I always thought it was most tremendous fun. Our family cars were always Discoverys. My parents had three children and we needed the space.”

Emily’s background is product design. She studied at Loughborough University. “I went to some Woman in Engineering events and thought a graduate scheme would be a good place to start. I met someone who was on the JLR graduate scheme. It never occurred to me that what I studied would help me work on developing cars.”

She joined JLR 10 years ago. “Most engineering graduates were male. There were certainly times when I was the only female in the room. I took that as a responsibility to speak – so that a female voice was being heard.”

Emily quickly became a team leader, and graduates started working for her. “As a female in engineering, I attracted female graduates. Over the last seven years, I’ve always had two-to-four graduates working for me and the male-female split has been close to 50-50. There has been a significant shift in the number of women in engineering, and in leadership positions.”

The female perspective was crucial in developing the Versatile Cargo space Floor. Smaller people found it hard to reach deep into the Range Rover vehicle's trunk. “My team was looking for new customer features for the new Range Rover vehicle. We started brainstorming and focused on the cargo space. We locked ourselves in a room for two full days, to distance ourselves from the day-to-day job. So often, this is where you get the best ideas.”

Emily and her team looked at how people used the Range Rover vehicle, and the problems. “The original idea was a partition close to the back of the cargo space, to help you access items in the trunk more easily. Then we thought – why not also flip the other way to make a tailgate backrest? At one stage we even thought we could turn it into a dog ramp. It was all about reducing customer pain points and enhancing the customer experience. 

“Most people don’t fill the cargo space. They have a work bag, a sports bag, a shopping bag or maybe an overnight bag. A flexible partition means they are held in place as well as being easier to access. For those who lead adventurous lives, the partition also allows you to separate muddy boots and wet sports gear from the rest of the luggage. It also has a wipe clean surface – better than putting them on carpet.’

When stowed, it is hidden and flush with the floor. Very slim when folded (just 14cm), it takes no space from the trunk and is still compatible with a full-size spare wheel. As a partition it is locked firmly in place. Adjustable straps and friction sliders can hold anything from a wine bottle to large shopping bags. A switch folds the partition. 

Pull a different tag and the same divider, on a dual mechanism, flips forward in the opposite direction– creating a backboard on the rear of the tailgate. When locked in position, it provides the backrest for the Tailgate Event Suite – utilizing the Range Rover vehicle's unusual split tailgate. Stowed luxury cushions give extra support and comfort.

“The prototype we created was really primitive, initially using foamboard. The next prototype used plywood and hinges picked up from the hardware store. It was rudimentary but gave us a physical model, which is important.” 

Simple woodwork and metal hinges were transformed into soft-touch finishes and a sophisticated folding mechanism. And another chapter was added to Range Rover vehicle’s historic and celebrated capability.