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By
EWAN KENNEDY
1 August 2005
Range Rover Sport is an all-new model, not simply a new variant of
the long-admired off-road British estate wagon. Indeed there are those
who feel that an all-new new name would have made more sense, because
some potential buyers are going to think this is simply the existing
Range Rover with a mildly different body and a bit more grunt.
Not only is the Range Rover Sport a completely
new model, it actually has more in common with the recently
introduced Land Rover Discovery 3 than it does with the current
Range Rover. That’s because it’s based on a shortened version
of the chassis used under the Disco 3. As such it has the immense
strength gained by using a full chassis underneath a monocoque
body.
Unfortunately, it also has the immense mass this
setup entails. Though the Range Rover Sport is smaller than the
standard Range Rover, at 2.4 tonnes it virtually shares the weight
of its larger brother.
Great advances in engine design let the Range
Rover Sport overcome most of the disadvantage this extra weight
could have created. At least in a straight line, in corners the
hefty Sport feels on the bulky side, though it hangs on
surprisingly well for what it is thanks to large tyres, good basic
design, and the backup of plenty of electronic aids. Steering is
particularly sharp and precise for a vehicle in this class and is
a real pleasure to sit behind.
Three engines are on offer. We have had a decent
test drive in only one of them at this stage, a 4.4-litre V8
borrowed from Jaguar, though with quite a few modifications to
suit the different needs of the 4WD Range Rover. With 220 kW and
425 Nm there's no shortage of urge, but for those of you who like
more than enough power, Range Rover can also offer a slightly
smaller version of the V8, at ‘only’ 4.2 litres, but with
extra performance pumped into it by way of a supercharger. That
boosts the Range Rover Sport’s output up to a very respectable
287 kW and 550 Newton metres.
For drivers more interested in economy, also on
the options list is a 2.7-litre turbo-diesel with a V6 layout.
With a handy torque peak of 440 Nm it actually splits the top
torque of the two petrol engines but is, naturally well down on
power, though the diesel peaks at a still respectable, 140 kW.
Styling of the Range Rover Sport is very
sporting inside and out. In photographs it tends to look very
similar to its more-luxurious brother, but in the metal it sits
significantly lower and has a more aggressive stance. The standout
features in the Sport are the rounded gills at the rear of the
front guards, the lower roof with an inbuilt spoiler trailing back
from the rear of it, and the much steeper slope of the rear
window. The overall effect is excellent.
Inside, the dash panel in the Sport comes
further back into the cabin and the centre stack pushes further
rearwards again. This gives the Range Rover Sport a very
purposeful look and feel, one that will be enjoyed by drivers who
like to get stuck into their driving life rather than simply
waiting for it to come to them.
It’s certainly not only a sports machine. Like
all Range Rovers before it, the new Sport is crammed with luxury
fittings and many of the latest driver and passenger entertainment
features.
The Range Rover Sport is a genuine addition to
the range, not simply a new variant of the existing Range Rover.
As such it deserves to be taken very seriously by makers of other
sporting 4WDs. Land Rover feels that it’s main competitors will
be BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne.
Prices start at $85,000 for the 2.7-litre diesel
TdV6. The 4.4-litre V8 will cost $101,000 and the 4.2-litre
supercharged V8 comes in at $136,500. Normal on-road costs have to
be added to these prices.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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