After the Range Rover, Land Rover is sending the next SUV into its third generation: In the case of the Range Rover Sport, it is the third.
A little over 50 years ago, Land Rover combined two seemingly incompatible elements and introduced a whole new category of off-road vehicle with the Range Rover. Up until the 1970s, only the rugged off-roaders (later called Defenders) were on the road, used as tractor replacements when needed, and the only luxuries were padded seats and heating. Then came the Range Rover and combined comfort, luxury and off-road capability. 17 years ago, the creative people in Gaydon, UK, brought additional dynamism to the segment with the Range Rover Sport, and customers were enthusiastic. To date, they have more than a million copies. Now the third generation of the “sportsman” is being launched, and this series, too, promises spokesman Christian Löer, “has Land Rover DNA”. The first models will be delivered towards the end of the summer. The properties are packaged in a muscular design that is intended to make the dynamic properties clear even when standing still. Short overhangs at the front and rear, coupled with a generously dimensioned wheelbase and a roof line that slopes towards the rear, seem to say to the observer: “I’m not here to play.” , explains exterior designer Jez Waterman. “At the same time, we wanted to retain the character of a Range Rover.” The front end is dominated by three horizontal elements, and a line running from the front to the rear brings additional momentum. Thanks to the extending door handles, the smooth silhouette is not disturbed. Finally, at the rear, the shoulder line ends in an integrated spoiler. The detailed work paid off. The Range Rover Sport achieves a drag coefficient of 0.29.In the interior, customers are greeted by high-quality materials chosen with sustainability in mind. Of course, fine leather is still on the equipment list, but “vegan” materials made from recycled PET bottles are also used. “Our technical materials achieve qualities like classic leather. When selecting the materials, we paid particular attention to sustainability,” explains Siobhan Hughes, who is responsible for selecting the materials. The modern materials also allow “hidden speakers” that can show their acoustic properties behind the door panels. The seats can be adjusted according to the individual wishes of the customer and the instruments, including the 13-inch central monitor, are clearly arranged. This also applies to the remaining switches and controls.Rear wheels steer stronglyThe standard equipment includes the newly developed dynamic air suspension, which is equipped for the first time with an adjustable volume and can prepare itself for the road characteristics by means of the connection to the navigation system. The adaptive chassis Dynamics 2 checks the ground 500 times per second and thus provides impulses for the optimal setting of the dampers. When driving at high speed, the all-wheel steering, torque vectoring by braking and the electronic active locking differential support the driver when cornering. The rear wheels can achieve a steering angle of up to 7.3 degrees. The “Stormer” handling package is also available on request. The power transmission is handled by the eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF including intelligent all-wheel drive iAWD, which constantly analyzes how much traction is required where and adjusts the systems accordingly. When going off-road, the further development of the “Terrain Response 2” system is used, with which the vehicle can be adapted to the different surfaces, including driving over rocks. New is adaptive cruise control for off-road driving, making its debut on the Range Rover Sport.While few customers will venture into really tough terrain, it’s reassuring to know that the Range Rover Sport can handle 45-degree inclines.V8 remains in the program Even an athlete has to bow to the new times and that is why a plug-in hybrid drive is now used in the Range Rover Sport, which, together with a six-cylinder, delivers 510 hp and should enable an electric range of 88 kilometers. In a weaker variant, 440 hp are available. At the top of the model range is the 4.4-liter V8, which is currently extremely popular with customers, which delivers 530 hp and accelerates the sport from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. The range of engines is rounded off by mildly hybridized six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. In two years, a fully electric Range Rover Sport will also be launched. In Austria, the price list for the new Range Rover Sport starts at 101,042 euros on the petrol side for the weaker plug-in hybrid Range Rover Sport P440e S, and at 109,099 on the diesel side Euro for the D250 SE.Walther Wuttke, cen
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