Introduction
The Range Rover Sport SVR is the company’s quickest SUV ever. It is manufactured by the brand’s Special Vehicle Operations. This division is responsible for most of the company’s latest sport offerings. The SVR was first launched in 2015, now the SUV has been facelifted to keep it up-to-date. The update can be seen under the hood as well, with a bump of 25hp, the motor now produces 575hp. This powertrain also manages to take the SVR from 0-100kph in an impressive 4.5 seconds.
On the outside
The revised styling on the SUV comes with newer and brighter colours that separate it from rest of the line-up. The car can also be optioned with a carbon fibre exterior pack that adds carbon bits to many of exterior panels. This includes the bumper, grille, vents and tailgate. If that wasn’t enough, the large hood features carbon as well.
Other design changes include a revised bumper with larger ducts; these ducts guide air to cool the large brakes. This new model features a rear bumper as well along with four large exhaust tips. The car also uses a new grille and LED headlamps which are slightly slimmer than the older model. This new model also has a distinguishable front owing to the new DRLs.
The SVR can be had with either 21 or 22 inch rims in two colours. The 22 inch blacked-out wheels we got a taste of looked rather nice.
On the inside
When you get in the SVR, the first thing that you notice is the Touch Pro Duo infotainment unit that is taken from the Velar. This is a well-sorted twin-screen unit that has a high resolution display. Furthermore, this display is so intuitive that one can considering opting for the facelifted model just for this reason alone.
Another nice touch is the sporty front seats. These use lightweight components that lower the weight by a claimed 30kg. These seats don’t lose out on comfort or support though, they work really well during tight bends. Slimmer individuals in the front increase the already-sufficient legroom considerably. Further enhancing the roomy nature of the cabin is the low window line and high-positioned seats.
The seats are high-quality and leather feels amazing, moreover, the two-tone scheme makes it look a lot more luxurious. The SUV has a few other nice bits too, like the SVR badging on the headrests and tread plates. This car also comes with drilled aluminium pedals.
How does it drive?
We drove the new SUV on a variety of terrains, namely a windy section, an off-road section and even an air field. One you begin driving it, you instantly realise how the SUV hides its height and weight thanks to the dynamic way it handles. The car also has a well-balanced and accurate steering that is paired to a balanced chassis. It is so good that you can attack corners at speeds much higher than you normally would in a car of this size.
The car handles impressively but, this comes at the price of a slightly firm ride. The Indian-spec variant isn’t expected to get such low tyres, instead slightly higher profile tyres shod on 21 inch wheels. What really brings a smile to your face is the supercharged V8 engine. It comes to life with a nice burble and stays that way while it idles. However, once you step on the throttle, the burble turns into a loud roar. There is also an option to keep the exhaust in the sporty mode where once can get all kinds of pops and crackles when letting off throttle.
The car had impressive acceleration, so impressive that we didn’t have a hard time believing the manufacturer’s 280kph top speed claim. Not only that but the huge torque spread makes the car a wild to drive in the real-world. However, when pushing hard into the corners, you do sense the car’s high centre of gravity. Nonetheless, it feels amazingly dynamic.
To see how well it behaved off-road, we took the SVR to a small route the manufacturer had set up. This off-road route faced a lot of rain which made it extremely slushy. However, the SVR didn’t fail to impress even though it was riding on low-profile road tyres. The Terrain Response system worked well and the four-wheel-drive system provided maximum traction at the same time.
Should I buy one?
The tall body of the SVR, means that this SUV cannot handle as dynamically as Porsche’s Cayenne. However, this car isn’t meant to set the fastest times but instead be extremely capable in many ways. This Range Rover can keep up with supercars and also take on off-road terrains. The SUV doesn’t feel out of place in the city as well. With an estimated price of around Rs 2 crore (ex-showroom), the SVR is on the expensive end but no other SUV offers so much.
