Range Rover SV Coupé debuts at Geneva
FIFTY YEARS after Land Rover carved out the luxury SUV sector with the Range Rover it is now defining another new genre filling a gap in the market that nobody knew existed. Nicknamed the SV Coupé, the limited-edition two-door Range Rover was unveiled for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. Created by Land Rover Design and Special Vehicle Operations, no more than 999 will be hand-assembled to the buyer’s own taste at the SVO Technical Centre in Warwickshire. And the price tag? A mere £240,000 – that’s three times the full-size Range Rover’s entry point.
So what do you get for your money? Well, it obviously takes a reasonable amount of engineering to turn a five-door SUV into a three-door, but you also get a choice of colourways (inside and out), unique side vent and grille designs and a 23-inch wheel option. The luxury and craftsmanship extends to the cabin too, with diamond quilted semi-aniline leather and contrast stitching, personalised head-rest embroidery, door-handle and tread-plate engraving, and a choice of wood veneers. Lest we forget the 1700 watt, 23-speaker, Meridian 3D Signature sound system!
Powered by a 550 bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 it is also the fastestever Range Rover, hitting 0 to 60 mph in just five seconds with a top speed of 165 mph. The suspension is tuned to provide a more driver-focused edge than the standard Rangy, too, with a lower ride height of by 8 mm while the adaptively damped air suspension drops by a further 15 mm at speeds over 65 mph.
This news comes off the back of the Range Rover Velar been named among the top three finalists for the World Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year titles. The winner will be revealed at the New York International Auto Show on March 28.
There’s just no stopping the Range Rover, it seems.