- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
5.0SC, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
423kW, 700Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 12.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4XD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2018 Range Rover Sport SVR review
The take-off speed of a Supamarine Spitfire Mk XII thundering down a runway during World War II was said to be 85mph (140km/h) before it was able to take to the air and do battle with enemy fighters.
Today, on the stretch of tarmac that was once RAF Honily air force base and home to said Spitfires in 1941, there’s another piece of British heavy metal accelerating towards the end of the strip. But that 85mph mark is long gone and we're still firmly planted on terra firma.
With the big engine blaring and the supercharger pumping air into the eight combustion chambers, 150mph – that’s 240km/h - pops up on the digital speedometer before the driving instructor (co-pilot?) in the passenger seat advises this would be a good time to brake for the impending corner as sadly, take-off is not a desirable option.
The WWII airstrip is now a testing facility called Fen End owned by JLR and the vehicle is the latest Range Rover Sport SVR, the fastest Land Rover ever built. If Captain James Bigglesworth were still with us, you imagine this might be his kind of car.
Like its predecessor, this updated SVR is a pretty brutal piece of gear, though now even more so. Based on the mid-sized Rangie Sport but given a total performance overhaul by JLR’s SVO division, its supercharged 5.0-litre V8 has had power lifted by 18kW to 423kW which goes with a maximum 700Nm of torque.
That’s enough, Land Rover reckons, to propel the SVR to 100km/h from standstill in 4.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 280km/h but its performance comes from a little more than just brute force.
It’s also a little lighter than before thanks to a bonnet made from composite carbon fibre, and there’s also lightweight front seats said to save 30kg. Still, at 2310kg it’s a hefty unit as you’d probably expect from a full five-seat and AWD-equipped SUV.
Speaking of which, the SVR’s main enemies are still German with the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, BMW X5 M and Mercedes GLE 63 AMG chief among them although at $238,200 the Range Rover is the more expensive option.
That’s an increase of $5000 over its predecessor but on top of the engineering changes there’s an equipment upgrade in line with the rest of the Sport model range that is headlined by a new infotainment system with twin 10-inch touch screens, first introduced on the Velar.
The SVR also gets a refreshed look. Buyers can option a paint job that leaves the carbon fibre exposed on the bonnet (at $4300 extra) plus there are vents on the engine cover and a new bumper design to go with the already pimped appearance of a low ride height and huge 21-inch or optional 22-inch alloy wheels. Opt for more carbon fibre trim splattered over the bodywork, and you’re looking at a $14,690 option including the bonnet.
Fortunately, the SVR has more than enough visceral performance to back up the visual bling. Obviously enough, Australian buyers won’t be exploring that potential top speed but even with the engine idling there’s plenty of rumble from the exhaust and once underway it only gets louder.
Boot the throttle and there’s an unholy surge of acceleration as all four tyres bite and the eight-speed automatic starts to work up through the gears. It really is a vehicle that will blast forward from any speed in almost any situation and the addition of a driving position high above the road and that NASCAR blare of exhaust is a hilariously addictive, if somewhat antisocial, experience.
The SVO engineers have fiddled with the SVR’s already stiffer air-sprung suspension to improve pitching motions during acceleration and braking and while it feels taut, on the open road the ride is acceptably compliant at least with the drive selector in ‘comfort’ mode.
Switch it to ‘sport’ and things firm up to the point where the SVR feels a bit too bouncy, and the front end follows imperfections on the road surface but the driver can individualise those settings, softening the ride while leaving the steering, throttle response and an even louder exhaust note all firmly attenuated.
On-road handling is as good as most drivers will need with plenty of grip from those wide tyres and steering that has plenty of feedback and accuracy. It’s a strange thing that despite the weight-saving panels buyers can option a glass roof that adds weight just where it’s not needed and while on the test track that helped lead to some roll-oversteer (easily countered by the stability control), it’s not something you’d often get in normal driving conditions.
Those probably include the drudgery of city traffic, in which the supportive seats, plush leather and motion-operated sunroof – wave a hand near the rear-view mirror and it opens and closes – provide comfort and entertainment.
Given the official urban fuel consumption figure of 18.7 L/100km is even then probably quite optimistic, you’ll be spending a fair bit of time filling the 104 litre tank.
And yes, the Sport SVR will go off road as well with its full suite of Land Rover driver aids including suspension that can be raised, although caring for those expensive tyres and bodywork additions might be foremost on an owner’s mind.
However even if a bit of mud-plugging isn’t on the agenda (let alone scrambling for attack at high speeds), in the latest SVR offering for its mid-sized SUV, Range Rover has developed a kind of high-riding muscle car that, while expensive, is hugely fun to drive.
2018 Range Rover Sport SVR pricing and specifications
On sale: April 2018
Price: $238,200 plus on-road costs.
Engine: 5.0-litre V8, supercharged
Power: 423kW at 6500rpm
Torque: 700Nm at 2500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto, AWD
Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 4.5 sec.
Fuel use: 12.8 L/100km
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