SMALLER RANGE ROVER BIG ON ELECTRIC POWER

All-new Range Rover Sport will come in plug-in form for NZ from launch

Electrified powertrains star in the new Range Rover Sport. Core six-cylinder engines open the line, but there will be Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) available straight away in New Zealand and a full Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) for 2024.

As with the previous model, much of the technology is derived from the full-size Range Rover; an all-new version of the largest luxury Land Rover has just been launched. Sport will be launched in Dynamic SE/HSE specifications, with Land Rover’s customary First Edition available through the first full year of production.

The forthcoming P510e (510ps, or 375kW) “extended range“PHEV looks like a highlight, blending the Ingenium six-cylinder petrol engine with a plug-in 38.2kWh battery pack to provide a claimed pure-electric range of up to 113km. In hybrid mode it can sprint to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. There’s also a P440e (324kW) PHEV on the way, with the same EV range and 0-100km/ h in 5.8sec. A D350 turbo diesel and both PHEVs are expected in NZ from November. A 390kW P530 V8 will follow, although the high-performance SVR model is still under wraps.

Inside, the Sport features Jaguar Land Rover’s new Pivi Pro infotainment system and 13.1in curved glass screen. The Meridian Signature Sound System works with Active Noise Cancellation. In normal driving, microphones and accelerometers inside each wheelarch constantly monitor the sounds passing into the vehicle, while digital processors calculate the level of noise-cancelling sound required to filter this from the cabin — much like a pair of high-end headphones. In sportier drive modes, the sound system allows in more engine noise.

Dynamic Air Suspension with switchable volume springs (a Range Rover first) is standard across the range. The new Stormer Handling Pack brings Dynamic Response Pro (using the 48-volt power system for anti-roll axle control), all-wheel steering, and Electronic Active Differential with Torque Vectoring by Braking; the pack will be standard on P510e and P530 models. Terrain Response 2 is standard, with Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control fitted to the Sport.