Range Rover Sport SVR
We get a taste of the fastest Range Rover ever made
The Range Rover Sport is the sportier, cheaper than its 7-seater sibling of the flagship and has been a crucial cog in the Range Rover line-up. Although the company has refurbished the whole variant range and like in the Range Rover also added a PHEV variant, for the Sport we chose to drive the souped up SVR version.
Unlike the Range Rover, the mid-life facelift of the Sport and specially the SVR variant sees far greater changes on the outside. Striking new slimline pixel-laser LED lights sit on either side of a new grille but the Sport, like its much more expensive sibling, is also available with a range of lighting options. Add to this a new bumper and you have a totally fresh looking Range Rover Sport. For the SVR version, there is the carbonfibre bonnet with larger air-scoops and a liberal use of carbon-fibre. As a result, you get a mean looking machine, that may not look harmonious but does stand out as something special, or crazy, as the perception may be. In addition, at the rear there is an aggressive new spoiler, for aerodynamic, aesthetic and cleanliness purposes and three new alloy wheels complete the changed look.
The interiors wear a new look as well on the Sport with new colour themes for the cabin as well as materials and packages that were earlier available only in the Range Rover. New seats which are slimmer but more supportive have been introduced with up to 22-way adjustments.
The Range Rover Sport also gets the new advancements in convenience features seen on the big brother including the air purification system, the gesture controlled sunblind besides getting the same ambient lighting package.
The Touch Duo Pro Control system also makes its way into the Range Rover Sport as well and like on the Range Rover, totally transforms the interiors, making them look futuristic rather than conservative and contemporary.
With up to 11 connection points and up to 8 4G wifi connections, the Sport lags behind only the JLR flagship in terms of connectivity. In keeping with the active lifestyle of its customers, the SUV comes with an
FOR THE SVR VERSION, LIBERAL USE OF CARBON-FIBRE HAS BEEN MADE. AS A RESULT, YOU GET A MEAN LOOKING, LIGHTER MACHINE
activity key, which doubles up as a wristband.
Powered by the range topping 5-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine, the Sport SVR is now more powerful than before and packs in far greater punch as well, now delivering 575bhp, up by 25bhp from the earlier figure, and doing the sprint to 100kmph in 4.5 seconds, quite an accomplishment for the 2.3 ton behemoth.
Thumb the starter and the engine growls to life with a nice murmur that masks the theatrics that this engine is capable of delivering. We drove the RR Sport at the SVO division’s test track just off the Birmingham Airport that’s in line with the fi- nal approach to the landing strip. The noise of the aircraft overhead is drowned out by the roar of the 8-cylinders as the vehicle careens towards a top speed of 174mph or 280kmph. It is nicely balanced at top speeds and rides the bumps really well and
the brakes beautifully despite the size of the vehicle. Top speed comes quick and the acceleration is near brutal. But even more impressive than the acceleration is the braking that inspires confidence in the vehicle. For a tall vehicle, there is just a hint of dive under braking and the engineers have sorted out the damping to aid handling as well.
The full range of the Range Rover Sport is also available in India except the newly-launched PHEV and the engines available range from the 2, 3 and 4.4 diesels and the 2, 3 and 5-litre diesels, as well as the range topping SVR option.
TOP SPEED COMES QUICK
AND THE ACCELERATION
IS NEAR BRUTAL. BUT EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IS THE BRAKING