Land Rover is a brand held in high regard across the world, which holds true for even the most remote parts of the globe where only a vehicle of its tremendous capabilities can traverse. As one of the manufacturers to have pioneered four-wheel drive vehicles, Land Rover has developed a reputation for building the most thoroughly engineered SUVs in the world.
The original Range Rover, introduced in 1970, was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle to use coil springs and four-wheel disc brakes – making it the first to refine the on-road dynamics of this type of vehicle. The Range Rover Sport, introduced in 2005, quickly became the car of choice on the high street. The question is – does it live up to its promise? And what better time than now to get a real sense of just how capable the Range Rover fleet being inherited by Tata Motors really is.
Since its reputation precedes it, there’s a lot expected of this car even before you get into the drivers seat. Give it some thought, though, and you do begin to question the point of a Range Rover Sport. After all, isn’t that an oxymoron? How could an SUV of almost 3 tonnes possibly be sporty? Well, I’m about to find out…
From the outside
The styling of the Range Rover Sport demonstrates the effectiveness of a clean cut design. This isn’t a design with concave surfaces that you have to grow to love. It’s straightforward and handsome with several design cues taken from the traditional Range Rover – including its square jaw and wraparound bonnet. It has a muscular, squat stance, and looks very purposeful sitting on massive 20 inch wheels. The Sport also provides some clues – such as vents in the front fenders, dual exhausts, and huge Brembo front brakes – hinting that it’s something very special indeed.
From the inside
The design philosophy of the exterior is carried forward inside the vehicle. The layout of the instrument cluster and center console is simple and straightforward with the important functions falling easily and intuitively to hand. The seating position and cabin ergonomics are fantastic, allowing you to find a comfortable driving position almost immediately – the electrically controlled seats and steering column assist in making you feel right at home. The driving position gives you a good view of the horizon extending beyond the Range’s square bonnet. A rear view camera when you’re reversing would be a useful feature though. The quality of materials, however, are second to none.
Mounted at the top of the center console is a screen that houses some vital features such as a touch screen GPS navigation system and information regarding the four-wheel drive system. Located between the electronic parking brake and center arm rest are a cluster of buttons and a small silver dial that provide some clue to the off-road abilities of the Range.The silver dial allows you to choose between five different settings on Land Rover’s award winning ‘Terrain Response System,’ ranging from General, which is for everyday use, to Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand, and Rock Crawl. These settings regulate the torque curve of the engine, sensitivity of the throttle, ride height, and active center & rear locking differentials. This works in conjunction with an array of acronyms – such as ABS, EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution), Cornering Brake Control, DSC (All-Terrain Dynamic Stability Control) and EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) – all of which refer to important technologies that serve to provide maximum traction over a range of different surfaces.
The buttons around this dial allow you to manually choose the ride height, activate low range, and select Hill Descent Control. The screen on the center console, and a read out on the instrument cluster, tells you which driving mode is activated, which differential is locked, and the amount of suspension travel for each individual wheel – courtesy of the independent front and rear suspension. If all this seems like overkill, you need only take the Range Rover Sport off-road to get a sense of just how useful these features really are. This myriad of technology also provides some indication of how much know-how Tata Motors will be able to access resulting from this acquisition.
On the road
Propulsion for the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is provided by a mammoth 4.2 litre supercharged (as the name suggests) V8 that produces 390 horsepower. The power and sound generated by this extremely smooth and high revving V8 is addictive. Press the accelerator pedal with any sort of intent and this beast of an SUV shoots forward like a sports car – the V8 roar making it sound more like a muscle car. Slot the gear level in manual mode and use the entire rev range of this magnificent powerplant, from its tremendous torque at low revs to its explosive power high in the rev range – it makes for an experience in itself, made richer still by the extremely smooth and quick gear changes achieved by its six-speed automatic transmission. Did I mention that it was addictive?Despite the girth of the Range Rover, and the size of its tires, the steering is extremely light and full of feel. Throw the car into a bend and it defies the laws of physics by staying absolutely flat – it invites you to do it over and over again as opposed to almost falling over and scaring you silly, as most SUVs tend to do. Such balanced behavior doesn’t seem logical somehow. Certain clues are provided, however, by the fact that it has extensive use of aluminum in the engine block, transmission case, and body panels – all of which reduces weight up front. Nevertheless, the Range Rover Sport does understeer a little, which is understandable, but nowhere near as much as you’d expect. Another clue is provided by the fact that it has hydraulic motors that adjust the anti roll bar stiffness. Off-road, the anti roll bars decouple electronically to allow the wheels as much travel as possible. Furthermore, it has an Integrated Body Frame (IBF) chassis that provides the best of both worlds – the strength of a ladder frame chassis, allowing it true off-road capability, as well as the rigidity of a monocoque, giving it good on-road manners.
Verdict
Driving this car on tight and twisting mountain roads is truly a revelation – it feels light and agile as opposed to big and lumbering. If the fact that a true off-road vehicle can be this good on-road sounds too good to be true, Land Rover proves that it isn’t. The only deterrent, however, is the V8’s unquenchable thirst for liquefied fossil fuel – a very expensive commodity in today’s date. At 14 miles to a gallon or 6 kilometers to a litre, frequent stops at the pump are enough to deter even the most ardent prospective owners. Land Rover is in the process of developing more efficient powertrains, and is also considering adding technologies such as start-stop systems to reduce emissions and increase fuel economy. But these systems can’t come soon enough, and in the short term sales are bound to suffer.
At the end of the day though, the Range Rover Sport is a paradox – it’s amazing off-road, but more surprisingly, astounding on-road as well. It really is all things to all people.
Range Rover August 13th 2009
February 3rd, 2010 at 2:28 am
You blog entry most definitely was one of the high parts of my Saturday. I was on Google searching for something totally unrelated when the title caught my attention. I’m glad I took the time to read your article! Feel free to comment on my blog at Singorama Review!
May 6th, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Hey I think this is great! I found it on GoogleI think i will come back to this one day.
June 4th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Really informative article post.Much thanks again. Will read on…
June 4th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Nothing better than getting what you want from a post, kudos to you for this.
June 12th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
I really liked your blog, it is in my bookmarks. Thank you for good job !
July 13th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Nice being visiting your website again, it’s been months for me. Nicely this piece of writing that i’ve been waited for so extended. I require this content to complete my assignment inside college, and it’s same theme with your write-up. Many thanks, fantastic share.
July 20th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Great stuff here.
July 24th, 2010 at 7:59 am
Thanks very good for report, I follow your blog:-)
July 29th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Excelente material.
July 29th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
Good job on the site.
July 30th, 2010 at 3:18 am
This can be an incredible article, but I was wondering how do I suscribe for the RSS feed?