Intro |
Looks |
Practicality / Spec |
Engine / Performance |
Driving / NVH |
Verdict |
Outside:
Visually, it looks awesome. It’s not blighted with nasty chrome features that grossed out the Range Rovers of recent past, and its testament to the standard RRS when the changes made for the SVR are all pretty subtle.
As it seems to be common theme nowadays, gloss black screams ‘performance’, so there’s black front grilles, side vents, bonnet vents and badging. They’re probably what give the SVR the extra 40hp on top of the standard Supercharged model 😉 .
The SVR sits 8mm lower than standard and, even though that’s not much considering the suspension travel on a RRS, the SVR manages to carry a good stance.
Up front, the foglights have gone; screw fog lights – especially for when a stone hits them at 100mph+! They’ve gone and made way for something more useful: a set of air intakes to cool the larger intercoolers nestling behind them.
Around the side, when you open the biiig, heavy doors front and rear, an SV badge is revealed on the B – pillar.
And at the back, there are those huge Quad-tail pipes surrounding the diffuser, a new spoiler, and an SVR badge in place of the standard Land Rover oval.
We’re sat on the standard-fit 21-inch wheels wearing typical Mud & Snow tyres. 80% of customers though, are believed to go for the huge 22-inch wheels wrapped with Continental performance tyres. They’re so big that Land Rover have to attach the additional spats onto the wheel arches to cover up the 295-section tyres properly! They really do fill the wheelarches properly, but personally, I’m not so keen on the spats as they do look like they’re literally stuck on. You’d be hard pressed to spot the difference in wheel designs anyway.
Still, even though the SVR has become more flamboyant and flash than normal, I’d still rather spend the cash on this and feel less self-conscious than if I’d gone for an Overfinch model. Don’t get me wrong, I love Overfinch, but there’s an entirely different reason for buying their design-focused parts!
And that’s the best aspect of the SVR; even with all these features the car doesn’t look as bulbous or as exaggerated as say, a BMW X5. The X5 has got some pretty pronounced body moulding fitted to it – which you see on the front of the new Focus RS too – and all that edging around the grilles look just that bit too brittle. Its like they could snap off in pieces, like you would a hollow easter egg.
Inside:
The SVR’s cabin is mostly the same in here, but the standard RRS was a good starting point in the first place. We’ve got the optional black roof lining fitted so it’s immediately darker despite the panoramic glass roof, and we have the carbon fibre trim instead of the standard ‘textured aluminium’ on the dash and doors.
The main difference though will be staring at you in the form of the sculpted sports seats. It is a bit odd seeing them in place of the usual heavily stitched armchairs, but they don’t look any less inviting.
Yes, those holes in the seat-backs aren’t for harnesses unlike in a Bowler and they might be a bit naff for some (flat-bottomed steering wheels are worse in my mind), but seeing it in a Range Rover Sport is at least a bizarre novelty.
If you don’t get to ride shotgun though, don’t worry – there’s also a set of those seats in the back, still with their own SVR logo. Those back there will notice the bench has been sculpted for two passengers though, so the middle seat really is the bitch seat this time!
Personal word of warning though – I’d be avoiding the red interior option as the whole cabin soon resembles a Man-Utd themed bedroom for kids… or WRU…or whatever red-based sports teams are around!
Spec: SVR Engine: 5.0 V8 Supercharged Petrol, 542bhp (@ 6000 - 6500rpm, 502lb ft (@ 2500 – 5500rpm) Transmission: 8 Speed Auto Mpg: Official: 21.7mpg Achieved: 13mpg Performance: 0-62mph: 4.7 Secs, 162mph Colour: Estoril Blue Pictures captioned with * were sourced for reference only from AutoTrader
First World Motoring 
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