MORE THAN JUST SIX APPEAL

This Range Rover Sport might, more or less, look like any other on the road today and that’s because, well, it is. The significant difference is hidden away beneath its long bonnet, where the firm’s new 3.0-litre straight six petrol engine lurks.

The technology that this engine showcases will play a significant role in the future of the firm as it finds its way into many of the manufacturer’s models.

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that by 2020 every model in its range will either include electrification of some kind or be a full-fat electric vehicle. We’ve already seen what the company can do at one end of the scale with the excellent iPace, now it’s time to see how the mild hybrid system in the HST measures up.

The adoption of a straight-six is, say engineers, simply because the in-line configuration is inherently smoother than a Vee and Jaguar was fitting its cars with the former long before V8s became the norm.

More significantly, however, is the inclusion of a 48v electrically-powered supercharger – plus a more conventional turbo – and its mild hybrid system, which also uses a 48-volt battery.

Together these elements help the 3.0-litre engine generate an impressive 395bhp and 550Nm of twisting force but, says Land

Rover, what really defines the engine in the HST is its smoothness, allied to its much improved efficiency and economy.

A fuel economy figure of 30.5mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of 213g/km might not appear all that impressive, but when you take into consideration that the HST weighs about two-and-a-half tonnes and of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 140mph, those numbers are significantly more impressive.

It’s all clever stuff under the bonnet, with the electric supercharger plugging the gap where you would usually be waiting for the turbo to spin up to speed, effectively eliminating turbo lag. The hybrid system also recharges the battery under braking or when you lift off.

It handles remarkably well for a tall, heavy car with a high centre of gravity. Body roll is kept in check and there is lots of grip to exploit helped, of course, by the permanent four-wheel-drive transmission. What is particularly impressive is the way the car seems to shrink around you, it’s poise and agility masking its size and mass with considerable success.

The fit and finish in the cabin is immaculate.

The HST is equipped with the Touch Pro Duo system that debuted on the Velar.

If there is one area that the

HST disappoints, and it’s just a minor point, it’s the engine note, particularly at the top end of the register. It isn’t that it ever sounds stressed, nor coarse, it’s quite the opposite. It’s always muted, just a little too restrained. You can, rightly, argue that in a luxury limo that’s precisely what you what but I enjoy an appropriately musical backing track to accompany my motoring.

The HST is more than just another model in the Range Rover, it’s a glimpse into the future of the company and, based on the car reviewed here, it should be a bright one. The HST is smooth, fast and reasonably economical all wrapped up in a typically luxurious and comfortable – as well as capable – package.