From “House of Cards” creator Beau Willimon and starring two-time Academy Award winner Sean Penn, “The First” is a near-future drama about a crew of astronauts attempting to become the first humans on Mars. The series features a custom-built, futurised Range Rover Sport that will be driven by visionary aerospace magnate Laz Ingram, played by Natascha McElhone.
The vehicle, a collaboration between Land Rover Design, Westward Productions and Hulu, is based on the Range Rover Sport model, with additional futurised features, some of which were added in post-production.
Note that this vehicle is not available for sale as it was built as a creative prop for Hulu.
These features include fully autonomous driving capabilities, an exterior Smart Light Bar that acts as a 360 degree sensor that enhances the occupant experience by communicating with other vehicles and reading the road surfaces, and an optional steering wheel that can retract into the dashboard.
In the Hulu show, the exterior proportions and styling created an aerodynamic version of the current Range Rover Sport. The wraparound Privacy Glass can change reflectivity from a virtually opaque mirrored surface to a traditionally transparent window in seconds, allowing the owner/actors to take control of the interior feel and function of the vehicle, whether choosing a relaxed and intimate living room feel, or taking control of the driving.
The vehicle featured coach doors and an intelligent interior that can change shape, density and form to act as a passive safety system.
In the series, the Range Rover Sport of the future is also fully electric and has a variable suspension system, allowing the vehicle to change its performance characteristics based on the desired ride of its owner.
Land Rover and Hulu developed three integrated custom videos including a 30-second co-branded promo, a 4-minute featurette on the “Journey into ‘The First,’” and an “Engineering the Future” behind-the-scenes featurette detailing the build out of the make-believe Range Rover vehicle.
