Words: Rory FH Smith
On the surface, there’s a delightful irony to Range Rover’s latest creation. For 54 years, the marque’s name has been a byword for four-wheeled luxury, elegance and refinement, yet the new carbon-clad Sport SV prides itself on its supercar performance figures and stonkingly fast track laps. But, never judge a book by its cover – or a car by its carbon, in this case – because the new Range Rover SV miraculously manages to be both a comfortable cross-country cruiser and track-day weapon.
Picking up where the ballistic Range Rover SVR last left off, the SV takes on performance duties for the brand as the most dynamic Range Rover yet, despite ditching the ‘R’ from its badge in the process. Though the previous version was both brutal and blunt – howling, growling and spitting its way around town with its 575bhp supercharged 5.0-litre V8 – the new iteration has grown up considerably. Now equipped with BMW’s twin turbo 4.4-litre V8 (the same one from the mighty M5), the SV is a more refined, subtle and civilised car that sits rather comfortably alongside the rest of the Range Rover lineup.
In practice, that means 626bhp, a 0–62mph time of 3.8 seconds and a top-end speed of 180mph, not that you’d necessarily know it on first approach. Gone is the garish blue signature paintwork worn by the previous model and in comes a more muted colour palette, consisting of a sandy matte, glossy black or silver, as worn by the Edition One cars (which start from £171,460 without options).
The bodywork has been restyled with a few extra vents added, alongside a subtle carbon-fibre splitter that runs around the bottom, hinting at the car’s dynamic underpinnings. Save for the carbon-fibre-tipped quad exhausts at the back and the subtle ceramic SV badge, you’d be hard pushed to tell an SV apart from its regular Sport siblings at a passing glance.
What might give the game away, however, is the growl from the V8, the astonishing agility and the blistering quick performance. Even though the SV is as comfortable and civilised as any Sport when cruising down country lanes or pootling about town, what sets it apart is a large SV button sitting below the centre of the steering wheel. Once pressed, in steps its alter ego. The active exhaust springs into life with a reassuring burble while the Range Rover’s party piece – its trick hydraulic damper system, something Land Rover calls 6D Dynamics – gets to work, lowering the car by 15mm and ensuring the Sport SV stays level, no matter how hard you chuck it around.
Fellow fast SUVs take note – after putting the 2.5-tonne off-roader through its paces on Portugal’s F1-grade Portimão circuit, there’s nothing else that comes close to the effectiveness of the tech underpinning the SV’s remarkable suspension system. Oh, and it’s not too bad at the more typical Range Rover muddy stuff, too, should the occasion arise.
But, let’s face it, how many people will find themselves torturing their SV’s tyres around the same circuit Lewis Hamilton won on in 2021? Well, maybe a few, but for the vast majority of SV owners, the knowledge that their Sport can dispatch more than a few performance cars on a track day will be enough.
What might be more important is the SV’s interior fit and finish, which is much the same as the regular Sport, save for one nifty difference. If you hadn’t guessed already, Land Rover has gone big on tech for the new SV and installed something it calls Body And Soul Seats – or BASS – to help you feel the music as well as hear it. To do that, the marque got in touch with a Californian company called Subpac, who created four disk-like transducers that send pulse-like vibrations through the backrest of each front seat, in tune with the music.
It’s a novel thing to experience and something Range Rover says can even lower your heart rate when linked to one of the bespoke ‘wellness’ tracks it’s created with the help of nearby Coventry University. Like it or not, we can expect to see it lingering on the options list for other Range Rovers soon.
Like so many of life’s great things, there’s a hefty price tag associated with the Sport SV. The Edition One cars start at £171,460, but quickly rise if you spec the slightly bonkers, but lightweight, fully carbon wheels (£6,900) – just watch those kerbs – or the potent carbon-ceramic brakes (£7,000). With all that bolted on, the Sport SV comes dangerously close to the terrific Aston Martin DBX 707 – a snip over £190,000. That said, both options look like fantastic value for money against the Ferrari Purosangue, which weighs in well over £300,000.
Price aside, what Land Rover has created in the Range Rover Sport SV is rather special. Few fast SUVs are as complete and rounded, and its breadth of capability is remarkable. For those stepping straight out of its rowdy and raucous predecessor, it’s a seismic level up in terms of civility, at the cost of some of the hilarious bravado. All things considered, we might well be looking at the new king of super SUVs.
Does the Range Rover Sport SV make your dream garage? Check out the other British-made classics we're eyeing up...
Become a Gentleman’s Journal Member?
Like the Gentleman’s Journal? Why not join the Clubhouse, a special kind of private club where members receive offers and experiences from hand-picked, premium brands. You will also receive invites to exclusive events, the quarterly print magazine delivered directly to your door and your own membership card.
