THE DRIVER’S PERSPECTIVE

WHILE THE Three Peaks Challenge might be a physical endurance for the climbers it represents a challenge of a different kind for the support driver. I encountered pretty much every type of UK driving environment imaginable, from twisty Scottish Highland roads through to narrow Lakeland single-track passes with long motorway jaunts in between.

While driving through this I also had to try and keep the team comfortable, safe and on time. Throw the Great British weather into the 24-hour mix and you will have faced every conceivable combination attempt to derail your efforts.

The range-topping Range Rover Svautobiography TDV8 didn’t even murmur, taking all conditions in its classy stride. It proved to be the ultimate driver’s companion during the quest. There’s no denying the SVA is big; in fact it’s huge. Those extra inches in the wheelbase to accommodate the legroom of the individual executive seating in the rear, turn it into a rival for the limousine, but once behind the wheel you don’t feel the bulk.

The SVA feels exceptionally nimble and is surprisingly easy to thread through even the narrowest of Lakeland lanes. When the going gets really tight the surround view cameras ensure that the car can be placed confidently without risking even the slightest blemish to its expensive paintwork – useful when blitzing through a Mcdonald’s drive-through.

Making quick progress is key to the success of the Three Peaks Challenge and the SVA didn’t disappoint here either. The TDV8 engine has bags of power, allowing for the easy dispatch of slow moving holiday traffic.

All this was done without drama or disturbance to the passengers, thanks to the Range Rover’s extremely smooth power delivery.

To enable full concentration on the road ahead, the SVA has a few tricks up its sleeve, from the head-up display showing your speed, the current speed limit and turn-byturn directions to the auto headlights and wipers, the driver even gets a few moments to take in the spectacular scenery on route. So when the going gets tough and the inevitable set of road works or accident slow progress, the adaptive cruise control makes it a pleasure to be stuck in traffic.

The passengers have enough onboard entertainment options to keep them occupied, too, via the 10 inch screens in the rear. Even after a long driving stretch any aches are quickly eradicated with a quick blast from the heated and cooled massage seats; though, like me, they prefer the real deal.

The SVA was the ultimate vehicle to deliver the challengers safely and effortlessly to all three peaks and I am sure that without it the challenge would have been decidedly more difficult to achieve; and I for one appreciated the fully reclined executive seating to catch a few winks between legs. We certainly completed the challenge in style.