Performance SUVs are increasingly popular these days, with sports car brands like Lotus, Ferrari and Lamborghini all keen to get in on the action and make some extra profits.
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These sporty SUVs also come in all sizes. The latest Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) product is the Range Rover Sport SV 2024continue where the SVR left off.
We’ve seen what the Range Rover Sport SV looks like, but our passengers sat in one of the final development cars that took place before the covers were pulled back, so it’s still wearing camouflage. brilliant in these photos.
Unlike some growing mules, this is an almost production-ready car, with an interior that mirrors the interior of the show car we saw earlier that day. It’s an elegant cabin, with plenty of detail to distinguish it from smaller models in the Range Rover Sport lineup.
The new SV-style steering wheel comes with transparent gearshift paddles that are illuminated from the inside, with red plus and minus symbols. The curved touchscreen offers SV-specific menus and there are new sport seats. They look good, even from the rear passenger’s perspective, thanks to the stylish carbon fiber backplate.
Inside the seats – in addition to the usual heating and safety features – is an optional acoustic vibration pack that uses specific vibrations associated with music playback to give the driver and front passenger a comfortable experience. more immersive entertainment experience.
They go beyond the feeling of sitting on a booming bass drum (we’re told it’s a bit more scientific) and according to experts, the frequencies can also be used to ease human fatigue. drive. We don’t quite believe that’s what we need in life.
Behind the wheel is Ross Resttell, who is ultimately responsible for how the Range Rover Sport SV operates. He is the vehicle dynamics manager for JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO). When we arrived at the expansive demonstration area at the company’s headquarters at Gaydon in the UK, Resttell explained how this car has been in development for almost five years.
That included six months in a driving simulator entirely focused on adjusting the car’s rolling center, while his colleagues completed thousands of laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany to hone their skills. improve the processing ability of SV.
SV’s primary goal is to maintain the day-to-day usability of a Range Rover while maximizing its performance potential.
It must meet the ambitious goals set by the SVO team, including rolling only 2.5 degrees in 1G of horizontal acceleration. However, it is still rated to have a towing capacity of 3500kg and has the usual off-road mode if your mood changes.
Apart from the camouflage, it also has a strong appearance, with a custom front bumper design to optimize aerodynamics as well as provide a stable amount of air to the engine and brakes.
The latter uses large eight-piston brake calipers at the front with a plus-pattern that Brembo has developed for the JLR. They are available with a choice of iron or carbon ceramic propellers and fill the void behind the massive 23-inch carbon fiber wheels, developed by Australian company Carbon Revolution, nothing more and nothing less.
Aside from their stunning looks, they also reduce weight by 35.6kg compared to similarly sized cast-alloy wheels. That reduction in turning mass affects handling and steering, something the chassis team carefully considered during development.
A key part of that chassis setup is the ‘6D Dynamics’ system, which ditches the traditional mechanical anti-roll bars in favor of a dual-circuit hydraulic design that operates at 53 bar to control roll and roll. vehicle height.
In its comfort setting, the ride was still as luxurious as the SV’s expected price point, and as we drove down the high-speed stretch to simulate highway driving, it was clear that this was the case. car in which you can happily spend hours driving between cities.
Through the quick turns of the circuit, there is an appropriate amount of body roll for the speed; You know you’re in for something sportier than the standard version, but it doesn’t seem to compromise comfort.
Everything changes when you start to switch between driving modes and switch to Sport mode for enhanced handling and damping as well as increased engine noise.
This flagship model uses a BMW-sourced engine V8 4.4 liter twin turbocharger to replace the old turbocharged JLR V8 engine. The good news is that it generates even more power than before and still sounds like thunder. Turn on the power at any speed and the nose rises a degree or two as it descends as long as you keep your right toe still.
The large area of the 285-section tires at the front and the 305-section at the rear means great traction in corners and a 10mm reduction in ride height that helps lower the center of gravity.
SV mode was selected when we made a temporary stop on a 1.6 km straight stretch of road. This mode dials everything; The suspension is reduced by 15mm and the hydraulics are up to maximum performance. Enter starter mode and the motor temporarily summons an additional 36kW and increases torque output 800Nm.
Acceleration from a stationary starting point is phenomenal considering the size and 2560kg weight. Our heads are glued to the backs of slim, snug chairs. There is no need to shake the donkey seat at this time.
The SUV shoots a slingshot forward. There is no detectable movement from the nose, unlike its predecessor which is now squatting in the back. This shifts forward in an almost uncanny way.
The refresh rate of a digital device’s display is just enough to keep up with it as it ramps up. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 3.8 seconds and it won’t be long before we get over the 200 km/h barrier without any hesitation from the powertrain.
The linearity of the acceleration also affects the steering, which has been changed from the standard model’s 17.5:1 ratio to 13.6:1, made possible using the steering rear. Only the smallest input is needed to change lanes at high speeds.
SV was even more impressed when we went into the tighter and more technical sections around the vast testing facility.
Deliberately damaged and fatigued runways are designed to reproduce every possible real-world scenario, and this is where the 6D suspension comes into play.
Quick, sweeping turns demonstrate grip as the sound of the V8 reverberates throughout the cabin. Even from the passenger seat, one got a sense of how firmly and stably the front axle was positioned as we navigated a change of direction – you couldn’t hear the tires protesting even a bit.
Quickly switching back to the comfort setting increased the altitude for the ride as we plunged down a bumpy road like a low-flying plane. It’s a fitting description when we temporarily get a bit of air when jumping, although it doesn’t bother the Range Rover Sport SV in the slightest.
Down a road behind, Resttell admits the previous Range Rover Sport SVR will struggle to keep up with this new generation.
That’s partly due to the extra power from the engine, but it’s largely due to the way the 6D Dynamics suspension gives it the ability to harness that extra performance.
CarExpert tests Range Rover Sport SV
From a technical point of view, it’s amazing how a car of this size can be made to work.
Very few people are capable of pushing the car to these limits, but it highlights the SV’s ability and the extent to which the new suspension changes and unleashes performance potential.
It comes with a hefty price tag, and with the first year of production already sold out, it will remain an exclusive for a lucky few.
Few vehicles can offer as much functionality as the Range Rover Sport SV; from towing trailers to the daily racetrack to riding on small roads, there seems to be little impediment to its progress.
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