4. March 2024
For over five decades, the British have preached that a Range Rover is at home on any terrain—and now they’re adding another dimension to this promise. After establishing itself in rough terrain and on boulevards, the refined Lord now aims to conquer the racetrack.
As the new Range Rover Sport SV begins deliveries these days, it’s touted as nothing less than the most dynamic Range Rover of all time, enthuses Chief Engineer Nick Collins. And naturally, it’s also the most powerful.
Oh, and of course, it sits right at the top of the price list. While you can get a Range Rover Sport with a modest 250 horsepower diesel engine for around 100,000 euros, Land Rover demands at least 210,000 euros for the SV. And for those ordering the essential extras, the price can quickly exceed by another 25 percent.
But this seems to hardly bother the esteemed clientele: Not without reason, all 2000 units of the ‘Edition One’ have been sold out before its market launch this spring, and Land Rover is now considering the size and timing of the next batch.
Seine Spitzenstellung innerhalb der Modellpalette verdankt er einer Organspende aus München: Denn auch bei der “Special Vehicles Operation”, der britischen Antwort auf AMG & Co, regieren neuerdings ein wenig die Vernunft und das Gewissen. Statt auf ihren ach so emotionalen, aber hoffnungslos unkorrekten Fünfliter-Kompressor setzen die Scharfmacher nun auf einen V8 aus dem BMW-Regal, der nur noch 4,4 Liter Hubraum hat, statt des Kompressors auf zwei Turbos setzt und sich mit 15 Prozent weniger Sprit bescheidet – selbst wenn schon im Datenblatt noch immer 12,5 Liter und auf dem Bordcomputer schnell auch mal das Doppelte stehen.
Range Rover Sport SV with 635 PS
What the engine may lack in passion and especially in sound pressure, it compensates with sheer power: Where the old V8 topped out at 575 horsepower and even the conventional Range Rover Sport with plug-in hybrid couldn’t muster more than 550 horsepower, the new model boasts 635 horsepower on the spec sheet. The torque curve peaks at 750 Nm, and with launch control engaged during kick-down, it can surge another 50 Nm.
No wonder the Range Rover Sport SV sheds each of its many kilograms as if they were mere specks of dust on its striking matte finish, the moment a shadow falls on its wide throttle pedal. What are 2485 kilograms when faced with such bear-like power? That’s why it takes just 3.8 seconds for the digital instruments to flash past 100 km/h. And for those who boldly keep the throttle pinned thereafter, they can defy the inertia of mass all the way up to 290 km/h.
Thus, the Range Rover Sport SV competes in the league of cars like the Lamborghini Urus Performante with 666 horsepower or the Aston Martin DBX with 707 horsepower—yet it maintains more style despite its few carbon accents. Most importantly, it offers a much broader range of capabilities.
Unlike its competitors, Sir Range is not just a powerhouse for the left lane or a showpiece for the city. The British take the name as a commitment and aim to uphold it in every way. True to its Range Rover heritage, the SV ventures into the wilderness and bravely tackles mud and obstacles..
