Range Rover Sport SVR 2016 Review

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The Range Rover Sport is a Middle Eastern favorite, offering luxury, performance and prestige, all in equal amounts.  While the mid-size SUV has built its fan following over the years, it has had to fend for itself against the likes of the BMW X5 M, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, Mercedes AMG GLE 63, and the Porsche Cayenne – no mean feat. Part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, the SVR is no regular Range Rover Sport; it’s the best one yet.

Key Features:
Engine	5.0L Supercharged/ V8
Transmission	8-speed Automatic
Power	550 Hp / 680 Nm
Top Speed	260 km/h
Price	AED 677,000

 

Exterior

Engineered using Land Rover’s all-aluminum monocoque body shell, the SVR is impressive, and when finished in a striking Phoenix Orange hue, even more so. The muscular stance, is a byproduct of its aggressive styling and connotes the brutal power hidden underneath.

Rocking a set of 22-inch SVR wheels, an aggressive set of bumpers, prominent hood vents and an operatic set of quad tailpipes, the performance SUV is a downright head turner. Retaining its elegance, however, it’s a case of understated performance – the best kind there is.

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Interior

Continuing its differentiation spree into the cabin, the SVR welcomes color-coordinated panes across the dashboard and door panels, that although seem an aftermarket fitment at first, heighten the overall experience behind the wheel. Sharing its DNA with other models in the group’s line-up, the SVR is home to number of recognizable buttons, switches, and knobs, with our favorite being the Adaptive Exhaust activator located along the center console.

Covered in Ebony SVR Patterned Oxford perforated leather, the sports seats with de-bossed insignia are not only supportive, but add an extra dose of flamboyance to the cabin. With seating for five and a whopping 784 liters of boot space to accompany, the SVR is the most practical in comparison to its German rivals, the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne, offering 650 liters and 670 liters respectively.

Safety & Features

Filled to the brim with technology that spans comfort, safety, and convenience features, the Range Rover Sport SVR’s feature list is an extensive one. Equipped with several safety features including a perpendicular park assist, reverse traffic detection with blind spot monitoring, Closing Vehicle Sensing, Adaptive Cruise Control, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC) to name a few, its 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating is well deserved.

For the technophiles and audio junkies, the Brit performance SUV is fitted with Bluetooth telephony, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a phenomenal 23-speaker 1,700 Watts Meridian sound system that can replicate the most thriving of nightclubs in the city.

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Drive

Best described as an engineering marvel, the Range Rover Sport SVR is good for 550 horsepower and 680 Nm of torque – figures that far surpass those of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT and BMW X5 M. However, the SVR is more than a number cruncher, it’s a weapon incubated to demolish race tracks.

Powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine, power delivery is instantaneous and allows for a 0 – 100 km/h sprint to be dispatched in 4.7 seconds. With a top speed of 260 km/h, the SVR challenges the laws of physics to handle in a way that only a sports coupe could.

With minimal amounts of body roll, the 2.5-ton SUV’s Dynamic Program Torque Vectoring and Speed Proportional Electric Power Assisted Steering, allow for precise handling and immense amounts of grip. 380mm ventilated brake discs at the front, 365mm ventilated discs at the rear, and 20-inch Brembo brake calipers, are all that’s needed to bring the gargantuan SUV to a grinding halt.

Adaptive Dynamics, which monitors the SVR’s movements up to 500 times a second, alters damping forces in response to changes in road-surfaces and allows for faster, flatter cornering. Coupled with an addictive exhaust note and a great set of paddle shifters, the SVR begs to be driven…hard!

Verdict

Donning a price tag of AED 677,000, the Range Rover Sport SVR is far from affordable, for most of us at least. In the performance SUV realm, however, it possesses the grandeur and presence that its rivals clearly lack, and when backed by the sort of performance it offers, its price tag begins to seem justified.

Pros:

Bound to attract a lot of attention from passersby

Handles like a performance coupe that is half its size

Brutal exhaust note

Cons:

Heated steering is unnecessary in the Middle East

Editor’s Pick:

Control your Land Rover with the new InControl App

Jaguar Land Rover SVO benefit from dedicated Technical Center

Also See:

Jaguar F Type 2016 Review

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 2016 Review