Range Rover has officially taken the wraps off their latest performance SUV, the Range Rover Sport SVR, at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Range Rover did give us a glimpse of the Sport SVR in concept form earlier in concept form at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but this is the first time the production version is out in the open. Slated to take on the Porsche Cayenne and the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, the British have left no stone unturned to make sure that not only does the Sport SVR challenge them but also dominate. The first model from Jaguar Land Rover’s new Special Vehicle Operations division-equivalent to the Mercedes AMG and BMW’s M Division- we expected the Range Rover Sport to pack quite the punch with its on-road capabilities while maintaining the traditional off-road dominance and that is exactly what has happened. So lets dive straight in and see what makes the Range Rover Sport SVR a truly modern performance oriented SUV.
PRICE:
As on date the Range Rover Sport SVR is tentatively priced around £93,450 in the UK, so that roughly comes in at Rs. 95 Lakh.
Features & Specifications of the SPORT SVR:
Exteriors:
Talking about styling, the Range Rover Sport SVR gets a more aggressive look. Up front, the high-performance SUV’s front fascia features trapezoidal-shaped air intakes, a dark finish for the badging and grille insert, and revised hood vents. The deeper front bumper has been redesigned to lessen wind noise and improve aerodynamics and increase front-end grip. The bumper’s lower section is removable for off-road driving. New front fenders feature an SVR-specific vent, while new side moldings add a mean look.
At the back, the third-brake light is incorporated into an aerodynamically functional roof-mounted spoiler, while a new rear bumper features a gloss black diffuser and quad exhaust tips. Range Rover Sport SVR badging is prominently displayed. Other trim, including the headlight casings, are finished in black.
Interiors:
The unique styling carries on inside with leather sports seats with increased lateral support and 16-way power adjustment. The rear seats are similar to the front seat design, giving the Range Rover Sport SVR the feel of a four-seat SUV, while retaining the rear middle seat for occasional use. The rear seats also feature a recline function. Seating surfaces are finished in Oxford leather with ribbed, quilted centers. For the interior, besides Ebony Black, color combinations include;
- Ebony Black and Cirrus White
- Ebony Black and Pimento Red
- Ebony Black and Tan
Ebony Black is used for top stitching, while the piping features a reflective finish. Aluminum interior trim is standard, while carbon-fiber trim for the dashboard, center console, steering wheel bezel, and door panels is available.
Engine & Transmission:
This is where you see the stamp left by the Special Vehicles Operation the most. Power for the Range Rover Sport SVR comes from a 550-hp, 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 engine mated to an eight-speed ZF transmission, the same drivetrain as the 2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe R. But in the Sport SVR the power is delivered to all four wheels unlike the Jaguar F-Type Coupe R. With 550 hp and 681 Nm of torque, the Range Rover Sport SVR makes 40 hp and 56 Nm more than the standard supercharged V8.
The engine also features a Dynamic mode that sharpens throttle response and gear shift time reduces by up to 50 percent. Transmission shifting is based on several inputs including acceleration, braking, lateral cornering, kickdown requests, and road gradient. Other transmission features include;
- Paddle shifters
- Throttle blip during high-speed downshifts
- Corner Recognition to hold the gear while cornering
Land Rover claims the Range Rover Sport can reach 100 KMPH in just 4.5 seconds, while top speed is governed at 261 KMPH. Fuel efficiency is expected to be at about 7 KMPL.
Other Features:
This is going to be a long segment given how well-endowed the Sport SVR is in this segment. Starting with the basics the Range Rover Sport SVR features permanent four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case with a low-range and a 50/50 front-to-rear torque split.
On-road traction is improved thanks to a recalibrated Dynamic Active Rear Locking Differential that locks earlier and even more so for the best possible traction. The recalibrated torque vectoring system and Dynamic Stability Control module work together to reduce understeer via the braking system to distribute engine torque to each wheel.
The Range Rover Sport SVR rides on an aluminum-intensive independent suspension featuring a revised airbag piston and magnetorheological dampers. Adaptive Dynamics monitor the suspension at least 500 times a second! The rear suspension subframe bushings are stiffened by 20 percent. Despite the performance focused suspension, Land Rover says the Range Rover Sport SVR hasn’t lost any of its off-road capability. The air suspension can be lowered 2 inches for loading/unloading or raised 9.3 inches for off-roading. Land Rover says the new active exhaust doesn’t diminish the vehicle’s 33.5-inch wading capability.
The Range Rover Sport SVR features six Terrain Response settings:
- General
- Dynamic
- Grass/Gravel/Snow
- Mud/Ruts
- Sand
- Rock Craw
- Auto
Land Rover also retuned the electric power steering for a sportier drive. In place of anti-roll bars, the Range Rover Sport SVR uses a two-channel Active Roll Control (ARC) system works with the air springs and Active Dynamics to control body roll.
The Range Rover Sport SVR rides on unique 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-season 275/45 R21 tires. A 22-inch wheel package is available in Europe.
We sign off with this video and the wish that the Range Rover Sport SVR comes to India soon.
How do you like the Sport SVR ? Share with us through the comment section below.
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