What's all this about?

This is the new Range Rover Sport, which follows on from last year’s launch of the all-new, full-sized Range Rover. Underpinned by a new platform, the new Range Rover Sport features an external redesign, as well as upgraded tech and, thanks to the new underpinnings, the opportunity for a range of powertrains. Mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines feature lower down the range, while there’s also a big V8 petrol engine and a pair of plug-in hybrids. Come 2024, there will also be a battery-electric version.

What's with the dam?

A publicity stunt, but a good one, paying homage to an old Land Rover ad from 1986 in which a Defender was seen winching itself up a dam in Wales. This time the setting is one of the spillways of the Káranjúkar dam in Iceland, with the Range Rover Sport (considerably more luxurious than the old Defender) driving up the ramp of the dam against a torrent of water in the hands of stunt-driver Jessica Hawkins.

So it'll tackle the rough stuff then?

Undoubtedly. There’s an “intelligent” all-wheel-drive system that anticipates when and where traction will be needed. The latest version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system also helps in that regard, selecting the most appropriate all-wheel drive and air suspension settings for the given off-road situation. Adaptive Off-Road Cruise Control means that the driver can select the desired setting and leave everything except the steering up to the vehicle itself as the systems will select an appropriate speed for the terrain. While the new Range Rover Sport might have more off-roading nous than the vast majority of other SUVs though, the emphasis isn’t on mud-plugging, but rather on on-road performance and luxury.

How does it fare in that department?

We won't know until we get chance to drive it, but it looks promising. The new vehicle architecture makes the new Sport 35% stiffer than before and the new Integrated Chassis Control system works combining the air suspension and anti-roll systems with other features such as all-wheel steering and the electronic active differential to ensure that the new car stays planted and wieldy during cornering.

And what about the luxury?

There’s lots of it, including more legroom for rear-seat passengers as a result of the new platform. Some of the headline options include 22-way adjustable, heated and ventilated electric memory front seats with massage function and winged headrests and a 29-speaker sound system. There’s Active Noise Cancellation which either filters out wind and road noise or emphasises the sound of engine (particularly appealing in the V8 model). All models feature a 13.1-inch curved infotainment touchscreen mounted in the centre of the dash as well as a 13.7-inch driver’s instrument cluster.

What's powering the Range Rover Sport?

Anything you like, really. There are 3.0-litre six-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines, plus There’s the new P510e Electric Hybrid model too, a plug-in hybrid system that combines a 38.2kWh battery, 150kW electric motor and 3.0-litre petrol engine to produce a total of 510hp. It will also have an electric-only range of up to 70 miles, which Land Rover claims will allow most owners to complete most of their journeys on battery power alone. As well as the P510e, there’s another plug-in hybrid too, the P440e which, as its name suggests, develops 440hp. If you’re not interested in any of that, there’s the big twin-turbo V8 developing 530hp which can propel the Sport from 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds. The angel to the V8’s devil, however, will be a pure-electric version of the Range Rover Sport arriving in 2024.

David Mullen - 10 May 2022