2008 Range Rover Sport review (TDV8)
December 15, 2007 by Anthony Crawford
The styling is purposeful and aggressive. Especially with the optional 20-inch alloys and fat 275/40 low profile Continental 4X4 SportContact tyres, which provide truckloads of grip.
While I like the interior treatment in the Sport, it’s not as luxurious as the Range Rover, but it’s a couple of steps up from that which you find in the Discovery 3. More ‘real’ metal and wood trim throughout the cabin and a superb bespoke metal/leather shifter similar to that in the Range Rover.
The features list comprehensive enough but special mention must go to the brilliant Harmon Kardon sound system and the sports leather seats, which are supremely comfortable. Oh, and if you happen to drop the remote key fob in the water, don’t panic, its water proof up to a metre or two!
There are a few cars and SUVs these days which have air conditioning ducts in the centre console bin or glovebox, so you can keep a couple of coke cans chilled. The Sport goes one better, and provides a console fridge, albeit on the small side.
Interior load space is as you would expect – large. Fold the split fold rear seats down and you end up with a van like capacity.
I suppose the one negative in this area, in the lack of a seven-seat option. Other than that, I can find few if any flaws.
“An enormously satisfying drive with outstanding fuel economy, the Range Rover Sport TDV8 deserves high praise”
2008MY Range Rover Sport TDV8
Engine: 3.6 litre 32-valve twin turbo diesel V8
Power: 200kW (272bhp) @ 4000rpm
Torque: 640Nm (472lb-ft) @ 2000rpm
0-100km: 9.2 secs, 0-60mph: 8.6 secs
Top Speed: 209 km/h (130mph)
Transmission: ZF 6-speed auto with manual shift capability
Four-wheel drive system: full-time four wheel drive with standard locking centre diff and Terrain Response
Fuel tank capacity: 84.1 litres
Fuel economy combined: 11.1 L/100km
Emissions: 294g/km
Turning circle: 11.48
Height: 1812 mm
Length: 4788 mm
Weight: 2675kg
Width/including mirrors: 1928/2177 mm
Max ground clearance: 227 mm
Wade depth: 700 mm
Max load volume: 2103 litres
Safety: Driver and front passenger airbags – head and side, full size driver and front passenger side, rear outboard passenger head, electronic park brake, Electronic Brake Assist, ABS –four channel, Dynamic Stability Control, Active roll mitigation, Dynamic Response.
Warranty: 3 years/100,000km
awesome!
Amazing!
Good read & excellent pics AC.
All that mind blowing torque twist from 1500rpm!!
Do you think 0-100 time would be a tad quicker if all the ‘heavy’ options were dismissed!!
I normally detest wood trim but it actually looks really effective and ‘unfake’
Yes please! Only SUV I really like.
20′ alloys, sweeeet
Hope Land Rover will continue to make cars like this under new ownership.
Nice review,
I love this car, its such a good looking beast, they need to make a smaller one, like those concept pics going around. That i’ll buy
looks good but still probably wouldnt buy one on reliability grounds…
Nice, but no cigar….shame is FUGLY AS!
Thats the diesel v8 ford should put in a territory :) Ahh even if they make it a massive optional cost or just make it available as a FPV version, that would be cool.
Even if they had to detune the torque output – it would up the Territory’s sales by tenfold and then some. I suspect Europe would even pick it up as it would be incredibly economical.
Don’t stop with the Territory! – Orion with the diesel v8 (1000kg less mass than the Rangie) could potentially become an instant performance icon that is affordable to run.
Great review & good pics Tony. Awesome performance from such a big beasty!
I have driven one of these and it was sensational!
It certainly has presence on the road.
Relaibility is miles ahead than a few years ago. Land Rover have definately turned the corner since Disco 3 was released.
Excellent review and spot on. Have been lucky enough to have recently purchased a 08 tdv8 3 weeks ago and must admit that it is the best vehicle i have ever driven (usually i am happy to be a passenger – not any more).On the fly torque is incredible and truly does put you back in your seat. Luxury interior and awesome ride from air suspension add to a fantastic package. The only downside is that some of the options should be standard on a vehicle of this price and status (satnav & should be standard – as it is in some $50k cars). I must admit that it is nice to be overwhelmed that something is far better than what you expected it to be rather than the other way round in this day of overhype. Was also looking at an X5 but the magnificient road presence and prestige of the sport made the X5 seem very bland indeed. Looks awesome on 22’s and lowered air suspension.
Hello! Does Land Rover australia Sell Left-hand drive RRSs?
Joe – what do you mean. There are no RRSs pictured in the review of the RRS TDV8?
To Safety – 16th December…..
Don’t worry about the reliability, I’m on my second RR Sport and had no warranty claims. I travelled 67,000 km in 11 months in the td V6 and the total maintenance cost was 5 services at an average of $165 each.
Now had the tdv8 for 7 months and in 30,000km paid for 2 services, slighly more because it holds something like 9 litres of oil.
It’s like i’ve died and gone to heaven!
Just back from a full day test drive on and off road and will be ordering asap.I have had 10 4×4’s mostly Landcruisers. This car sets the benchmark, for excelling in on and off road and add to that economy…….in a word magnificent…………
Yes, This is really what it shoul be– a Range. Ranging from the firat generation Land Rovers to the New edited Range Rover. No wonder, the Royal Family of the Great Britain never let go of the LR Corporation
I recently had an opportunity to drive my Girl’s RR Sport which was a birthday gift from her step dad– she never let anyone, I mean anyone drive it. Well to my suprise, she willingly permitted me to drive her to the movies. That Range was all I wanted– not even my girl.
\”Warranty: 3 years/100km\”!
100km? You\’ve got be kidding me. One day of driving, I\’d have driven it out of warranty.
You don\’t need to be Mathematician to copy the number right, so I doubt how serously hard effort had been taken to produce this review fairly and in any depth.
Weirluo, don’t be fool all your life mate. A simple typo buddy. If you don’t like the reviews then don’t bother coming back. Fine by us
I agree with Anthony all the way! Weirluo, you dont have to all get angry all over one typo Anthony did. We’re humans, everybody makes mistakes.
cheers Duck, I thought it was a bit rich to be honest. I worked on that review for a week and consider it fairly comprehensive and a very fair appraisal of the vehicle.
It’s still nowhere near as good as the X5 in terms of looks, performance and handling, but its off-road ability and legendary marque should help in its success.
Oh, well it didnt give him the right to go off like that.
Fred, the Range Rover Sport is far more distinctive than the X5 and has way more cachet than the Beema. I’m not so sure about the handling comment mate. In the UK, I was pushing into bends at well over 130km/h and the Sport was rock solid composed. I honestly don’t think there is much in it, and that is extraordinary, when you consider the ground clearance and off road ability of the LR.
Give me a Sport any day of the week and yes, I admit the X5 does like the tarmac although we haven’t driven one for a year or two
Anthony, You were not writting an email, this is like a formal publication. Don\’t try to find urself excuses with your own errors. I agree you have done a good job in praising the car you love but a typo is one example where you show the true color, that is you are very biased with the car and didn\’t do a fair comparison. serious research/after written check is missing.
I still like the article, but doubt if you are fair without personal preference. Caradvice is not Anthony\’s Love Affair!
I love Range Rover too. In fact, I will perhaps buy one too in the near future, that’s why I was reading.
But be fair please, and accept your own mistake.
By the way, \”0-100km: 9.2 secs\”, are you kidding me? You call this is a high on road performance car? Have you ever driven a performance car? Perhaps NOT.
and apologize as my wording seemed over-reacting when I read them again!
When can we see the RR VS X5? Exciting!
An interesting report. I liked the comments from Jim about his TDV6. My wife has had a RR Classic for the last 13 years/235,000 km from new and the only drama has been 1 engine management computer (2002) and a fuel pump (2007). Everything else is original.
We tested the Disco3 TDV6 last year and got 8.9l/100km over 700km, including the Grand Ridge Road. On a 42C Friday stop-start on the Tulla freeway the aircon was freezing our tits off. And for those of you who know the appalling Shands Road gravel near Red Hill it just sailed over the corrigations. Awesome!
Anyway, style won over utility so she takes delivery of a Sport TDV6 this month. On a short test drive it handled like a sports car. Can’t wait to take it for an extended trip.
hi Guys, i recently purchased my new RR Sport TDv8, i love it , looks great in black with the 20″, loaded it up with all the options, bit pricey but worth it…
Having considered an X5 before purchasing a Sport TDv8 i can honestly say that i agree with anthony that the Sport has a far more distinctive appearance and way more street cred than the X5. I can say this because style has always been a vital ingredient in all my car purchases. The X5 IMO looks like a station wagon on wheels. But each to their own.
The car is a real head turner. The amount of people that have commented positively on the car is incredible. I don’t think i would have recieved a fraction of the response if i owned an X5.
The fact that it goes & handles incredibly well for a vehicle of such weight and size is testament to how good the car really is. To do long trips i could not think of a better car to do it in as the torque is always on tap. Fast,luxurous ride, comfortable and quiet & feels rock solid on the highway.
By the way even having a little bit of fun on the highway i can still manage roughly 9ltr/100kms.
i agree with all Oras is saying…
I just test drove a TDv6 and TDv8 today and I must say that having driven both the V8 is in another league to the V6. If you can stretch the extra $ I would strongly recommend it. Ditch some of the overpriced options. Great car and a lot more prestige than an X5. I’m sure there are more X5’s on the road than Ford Territory’s.
having bought a tdv8 6 months ago its great also have a freelander td4 both great to drive but the sport is ausome
may wife found and bought a hst and I was a bite worried about fuel consumption with the great proformance, but 4 of us just come back from sking 2500 miles and averaged 29.8mpg brilliant.