Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged review
September 28, 2008 by Paul Maric
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged Road Test
Model tested: Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged
Recommended Retail Price: $136,000.
Options fitted: None fitted.
Styling, the noise, off-road ability, oh and the noise
Fuel consumption, no reverse camera
CarAdvice rating: 
(4.25)
- Review by Paul Maric
When a new baby enters the world, it’s showered with gifts and attention.
When Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport entered the world, the oldest of the sport’s siblings was showered with not only a tub-thumping V8, but also a supercharger.
Coupled to that supercharger was the meanest set of exhausts this side of Ferrari.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged.
Open the cabin door and you’ll find splashes of leather and woodgrain, our test vehicle had dark woodgrain, along with a beige interior, which made it stand out nicely from the crowd – pity about how quickly it was dirtied though!
Interior space is pretty good. You wouldn’t have any dramas fitting in a small family, while entertainment consists of LCD screens built into the driver and passenger seat headrests.
The great thing about these is that you can select individual programs to operate on each. One person can be watching TV, while the other watches a DVD or the device attached to the TV-in ports. Wireless headphones help deliver sound, while it can also be projected via the stellar Harman/Kardon sound system.
Unfortunately, heated seats don’t make it to the standard features list. On a top of the line model, this is a big disappointment!
Harman/Kardon is known for its brilliant sound systems and the Sport’s sound system is no exception. Sporting 13-speakers, the LOGIC7 sound system includes an active sub-woofer and an in-dash 6-stack CD-player.
Outside the cabin, the Supercharged reeks style with 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels, unique badges and twin tailpipes to set it aside from the rest of the range. The self-charging key is used to open the glass section of the boot, while the external button opens the entire section. It’s not a power lifted boot though which is a bummer.
The real gem of this SUV weapon lies under the bonnet and when the supercharged, 4.2-litre V8 is singing, you will know about – as will anyone else within earshot.
Spin the key over and it fires to life with an edgy burble at idle, waiting to be unleashed into the wild. Even the lightest throttle application promotes the possibilities. Give the throttle a hearty swab and the noise engulfs the cabin, regardless of the window position.
It sounds nothing like application of this engine in similar Jaguars, despite being near identical.
It’s such a ferocious and genuine sound. The supercharger whines at the lower end of the rev range, only to reach a crescendo with a V8-supercar like tear through the sound barrier.
It sounds tough as nuts and certainly isn’t characteristic of a run of the mill SUV! It works especially well at the traffic light GP where most contenders are sorted out at the drop of the right foot.
The supercharged V8 produces 287kW of power and 550Nm of torque. The power produced is hampered by the Sport’s porky 2.6-tonne weight though and the result is a somewhat leisurely 0-100km/h time of 7.6-seconds. The fuel consumption certainly wasn’t leisurely though – I averaged 17.4-litres/100km (slightly higher than the official combined figure of 15.9-litres/100km), it was hard to resist with that devilish engine note constantly lingering.
I was in two minds at this point. Sure, it was a wicked noise, but what purpose did it serve if all it could do was go fast in a straight line? Well, I had to head to our private test circuit to mull this one out.
The first thing you notice is the brilliant level of compliance. Tip the heavyweight into a bend and it responds with impressive levels of body control. The communication through the steering wheel is exceptional, it communicates well with the wheels and has enough feel to keep the average punter happy.
Leave the ZF Sachs six-speed automatic gearbox in Sport mode and it sorts out the upshifts and downshifts (in a very good manner may I add). Blips on the downshift and retention of gears allows the Range Rover Sport to shoot out of corners with relative ease (surprisingly so when you take the weight into account).
The only problems you encounter come when changing direction in a hurry or braking hard. Changing direction is not a task done light-heartedly. It needs to be progressive and uniform otherwise the hulking Sport will bite with some oversteer.
Braking also is best conducted with the steering in a straight line. Deviate from dead centre and the back end wiggles around in a grapple for grip.
Overall though, it’s pretty darn impressive for such a heavy machine. The standard Brembo braking package held up quite well. The brakes continuously bit with urge and contended quite well with the vehicle’s mass.
Although we didn’t get a chance to throw some mud around in the Sport, it uses the same 4WD components as its siblings (who we have tested extensively off-road).
What’s it worth then? If you want the supercharged Range Rover Sport in your driveway, be prepared to part with the best part of $136,000. It’s loaded with kit though and expect to see the following as standard fitment:
Automatic dual-zone climate control air-conditioning; perforated sports leather seats; cruise control; central locking; six-stack CD player; twin LCD screens in rear headrests; satellite navigation with unbuilt TV; AUX in; TV-in; 6-stack DVD player; eight-way power driver seat; six-way power passenger seat; front and rear parking sensors; reversing camera; adaptive bi-xenon headlights; heated steering wheel; power mirrors; folding mirrors; sun roof; heated external mirrors; auto dimming rear vision mirror and electric windows.
Standard safety features include: driver and front passenger airbags; driver and front passenger head airbags; driver and passenger side airbags; rear passenger head airbags; 4-channel ABS brakes; Brembo front brakes; perimetric alarm system with passive arming; active roll mitigation and dynamic stability control.
Right, so I’ve weighed up the pros and the cons and I still want one. There is no way I could ever get bored of the engine note. I also think that if you can afford the Sport Supercharged, there’s a good chance you won’t mind paying the fuel bill.
I really didn’t want to hand the keys back and I’d go so far as saying it’s the most fun I’ve had in a car this year! You just couldn’t wipe the grin from my face each and every time I gave the throttle a stab.
With that said, there’s really nothing bad that stood out about the car (aside from the fuel consumption). So technically, it is the perfect car and that’s where I’ll leave it.
CarAdvice overall rating:
How does it drive: 
How does it look:
How does it go:
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged Specifications
Engine: 4.2-litre, supercharged V8
Power: 287kW
Torque: 550Nm
Top speed: 225km/h
Safety: Electronic stability control- front air bags – side airbags – roll over protection – front seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters.
0-100km/h: 7.6-seconds
EuroNCAP rating: 4-stars
Turning circle: 11.6m
Fuel tank: 84.1-litres
Fuel consumption : 15.9 litres/100km (claimed); 17.4 litres/100km (on test)
Fuel type: 98RON petrol
Print it: 
The radio looks a little cheap and monotone for this level vehicle doesn’t it? I thought it’d have a touch screen the size of the dash or something flashy. Not sure who would actually have a USE for this vehicle though, it’s too expensive to get dirty that’s for sure, you might scratch it or something.
Hmm well with you ending on the note of “So technically, it is the perfect car” I thought I’d get a comment in before the peanut gallery gets rowdy, which they will, like they always do.
I’m with Austin, centre console is a POOR effort for this price. I maintain that the reliability of not only low but also high end Land Rovers is so terrible I can’t believe they are still making sales and have not been slugged with a class action suit. Friends’ friend had the sport, traded it for an Outback after 7 major component replacements (3 gearboxes). Never been happier.
Personally I think there is near ‘Top Gear’ level bias towards this company. Cayenne S has similar specs and will last longer than 50,000 kms. Why the hate?
Devil666:
Most armchair experts – like yourself – haven’t actually driven the cars we write about.
Would you mind elaborating – or maybe even offering evidence – to back up your claims of unreliability on this model?
I do agree regarding the LCD screen for the radio though. It is a little low-rent.
beautiful car. i too think the dash looks too busy with all those buttons set up in an illogical way. the plastics look a bit cheap too.
my money would still be on the X5 4.8i (black with 20inch wheel option) since i never go off road.
in the bad comments section you have said no reverse camera but further down you say it is standard fitment.
Still a nice car though mind you defianetly for more of a city run around rather than the bush. looks to low on the wheels and you might scratch it lol,
If anybody’s read my comments on Land Rovers before, you would know that I am a MASSIVE supporter of them and havnt had any problems with my 5 y.o. Range Rover Vogue or My Discovery 3, both of which have gone a very, very long way in the time Ive had them (ALOT more than 50,000 kms). It is quite true that Land Rovers were quite unreliable as little as 5 years ago, infact I am very lucky that my Range Rover decided to work flawlessly but they have really picked up their game now and you cant keep old stereotypes like those people who think Korean cars are still unreliable. Now, Devil666, what you were saying about your friends RRS – if its true (dont take offense but its a comments page and you cant always be sure) it was probably just a fluke. Im sure not every Toyota Corolla or Subaru Outback that comes out of the factory is trouble free for the owner. And at the end of the day, even if my Land Rovers hadnt been reliable, I wouldnt have traded my Range Rover for an X5 (although I do like X5s) and I wouldnt have changed my Discovery for a Land Cruiser and I dont think there are too many people that would change a RRS for an Outback.
Devil, most of the problems that have plagued Land Rover/Range Rover have been long fixed years ago – since the release of the new Discovery. Can’t comment on your friends’ friend, maybe just a lemon.
On topic though, the first thing I thought was how quickly the leather will get dirty and the dash looks a bit low-rent (mentioned by everyone here). They could have implemented the Sat-Nav with the radio better….provided it is the same system used in the Discovery.
the Toorak/Chelsea icon lives on but as you mention about the dirty interior, I can’t imagine in coming off too well to a bunch of kids brandishing crayons/biros/savoury shapes etc.
I don’t think I would cope!
Great car.
17.4 Liters?????? 98 RON Juice??????
Wowwww lets buy British Tank “Scorpion”
Great car though…only if they can improve the fuel consumption???????
As I sit in my office, looking out the window right now I see yet another Landrover on the back of a truck making its way into service.
Sometimes when I am really board I like to visit the service centre and listen to the customers tear strips off anyone who makes eye contact with them.
Landrover has more defects per 100 vehicles sold than any other product.
Quite an achievement really……
I have tried to twice copy and paste the links that prove an argument which totally counters the ‘perfect vehicle’ comment. That was very poor journalsim i have to say..
Instead just look at the definative UK ‘which car’ surveys for the past 5 years.. almost last in every way every time.
Please edit the reveiw immediatly. No member of any motors writers guild would say that…
The “which car” surveys for Landrover do not make great reading, however, if you actually look at what has been reported and what has occurred in the last few years it is not so easy to be dismissive. Yes, the first freelander was rubbish. Poorly built and highly unreliable with a JD Power rating of 98th out of 100 – beating only a Kia and the Suzuki Vitara. The new Freelander though has not found its way into these surveys and by all reports is a marked improvement over the old one. Likewise the Discovery which has now had the mk3 model out long enough to be in the surveys sits mid field only 0.1% behind the BMW 5 series and above a number of Kia’s and Hyundai. Furthermore, Landrover beat both Kia and Hyundai in the overall manufacturer rankings. Perfect – no. On the improve – definitely and great vehicles to get around in.
Mac Says:
Landrover beat both Kia and Hyundai in the overall manufacturer rankings.
Please check facts before typing.
First Hyundai – Kia is the same company, and they are in the top 10 with JD Power, just behind some of the Japanese cars.
JD Power League Ratings UK 2008
Manufacturers
16 th Landrover 79.5%
17 th Hyundai 79.2%
25 Kia 78%
My facts seem ok.
Check JD Power dependability ratings.
CA: would you please begin invoicing The Salesman for the advertisements he posts supporting his employer.
And for a definitive ending; Which of these would you like to be seen in – a Range Rover Sport Supercharged or Kia Sportage?
what is the life ?
answer.
1- god pray
2- care for who else
3- car but not any car just —->((RING RovEr))
Having had the chance to own one of these cars I can honestly say it was one of the most awesome pieces of automotive machinery ever. Can’t think of a car you’d stick in a corner at 200 km/h and the 10 mins later be driving off road tracks that defeated all the Toyotas that were there (some modded).
Did manage to kill it in 4ft of water on the next off road driving trip – but rest assured it got a lot further than anybody else did before meeting it’s end.
No reliability issues, and yes the radio was a bit crap, but not every car’s perfect.
For all you haters…..own one first before throwing stones from the greenhouse.