THE first iteration of the Range Rover Sport did not sit comfortably with all fans of Land Rover’s marquee brand. Although suitably flashy and capable off- and on-road, it wasn’t a sportier version of the iconic Range Rover model but a purposefully styled and luxuriously appointed development of the Land Rover Discovery 3,
replete with a steel semi-monocoque and chassis-frame platform. However, the recent launch of the Evoque boutique compact SUV has done much to establish Range Rover as a nameplate as opposed to a model and, as a result of the new Sport version’s underpinnings, the pretender is now perilously close to the throne.
This newcomer’s aluminium full-monocoque platform – engineered in parallel with the Range Rover’s – is said to be 39% lighter than that of its predecessor and, even though this Sport SC V8 still tipped our scales at a brawny 2 452 kg, the testers agreed that the newcomer felt appreciably more wieldy and surefooted than its predecessor, but more about that later.
The Sport is 149 mm shorter and 55 mm lower than the Range Rover, but it’s the test unit’s exterior packaging, replete with a trim option that replaces the silver finish of the grille, foglamp trims and bumper valances on the standard vehicle with a black finish, that makes the loudest statement. Although not all testers were won over by the finer detailing – the slim headlamp and miniature taillamp clusters that were inspired by those of the Evoque aren’t arguably as effective on the blockier Sport – the overall look is imposing and exudes sportiness, power, status and, moreover, expensive taste.
The appointments and finishes of the Sport’s cabin certainly mirror the exterior’s sense of occasion, but whereas its predecessor felt comparatively snug inside, especially in terms of headroom and rear legroom, the newcomer feels airier (helped by the effect of the panoramic sunroof) and the longer wheelbase affords more space in the rear, although it’s still not commodious. Still, there is something pleasingly tactile about the (impractically light) leather trim, brushed aluminium accents, chunky switchgear and LED reading lights operated by the slightest of touches.
Although the (dual-screen) touchscreen interface is not smartphone-fast in its responses and looks a tad too derivative of those on other Jaguar/Land Rover products, it combines smartly with the crisp display of the LCD instrument cluster and offers a variety of options, from a host of interior lighting colours, the Terrain Response settings, axle articulation and wade-depth data (if specified) and no fewer than three sound-encoding options for the potent 19-speaker Meridian surround-sound system. Whereas the front seats are 14-way electrically adjustable and can offer heating as well as cooling functions, the rear passengers sit somewhat upright but have a separate climate controller, a heated bench as well as an entertainment system with a single remote control, auxiliary inputs, two screens integrated in the headrests and a pair of cordless headphones. An electric tailgate (an omission on the previous-generation vehicle), soft-closing doors, a surround-camera system with front and rear PDC and adaptive cruise control are some of the other highlights.
Given the lofty sound fidelity of the audio system and the raft of creature comforts at passengers’ disposal, it would be understandable that gentle cruises to the tunes of your favourite music would be the order of the day. However, there is something utterly compelling about the bare-chested baritone of the 375 kW supercharged 5,0-litre V8 motor, which is smartly synced with a slick eight-speed transmission.
By virtue of its Dynamic Response active lean control, Active Rear Locking Differential and Torque Vectoring by Braking systems, the flagship Range Rover offers prodigious grip when cornering at speed. The electronic power steering gives the tiller a satisfying weight and more than one tester remarked that the surfeit of grip was contrasted by the body’s compulsion to lean, albeit never drastically. The dynamic behaviour of the active air suspension also drew praise; given its 21-inch footwear and the performance-bent of the model, the Sport rides compliantly, with only deep pockmarks upsetting the ride momentarily.
With such performance on tap (the test unit dispatched the zero-to-100 km/h sprint in under five seconds – three tenths faster than Range Rover estimates), it was a relief that the red-callipered Brembos stopped the V8 SC so smartly.
And while we believe lead-footed owners might struggle to attain CAR’s fuel index of 16,56 litres/100 km, our fuel route return of 14,10 litres suggests a measured driving style can contain the Sport’s thirst.
Test Summary
Without wishing to damn the Range Rover Sport with feint praise, some of CAR’s testers remarked that the product’s reinvention has raised questions about the justification for its more expensive Range Rover sibling, which used to be in a different class (in a metaphorical sense) to the former.
Although a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 may represent the “bargain” thunder SUV at its list price, the Range Rover Sport, at least in V8 HSE Dynamic guise, now has the packaging and refinement to make potential buyers question why they’d need to spend in excess of R1,3 million to acquire an exclusive four-wheel-drive performance machine such as a Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, M-fettled BMW X5, a top-flight Porsche Cayenne and, given the lavish appointments of the SCV8 HSE Dynamic, a normal Range Rover. Its showy, new-money image might not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s a pretender no more.