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Range Rover
Review: Every time I drive a Land Rover I'm left with the same
impression: This is what it's like to drive a real SUV. The Land Rover
engineers managed to cram a 5.0-liter, 510 horsepower supercharged V8
engine under the hood of the Range Rover Sport, and the outcome is
mind-blowing speed in a vehicle that just doesn't look like it should go
that fast.
There's something
genuine about driving a Land Rover, especially the big, hulking Range
Rover that you don't find in other vehicles. Maybe it's because they're
so phenomenally heavy that they feel military grade. Maybe it's because
everything on them is built so solid, from the door pulls to the knobs
on the dash, that they seem like they'll survive a direct nuclear blast.
Or maybe it's how these
off-road vehicles are so unwaveringly, undeniably British. Whatever the
case, I expected to come away with the same Royal Marines feeling when I
drove the Range Rover Sport this week. But this particular vehicle came
with something I'd never experienced in a Land Rover before: a
supercharger.
It's the same engine
Jaguar puts in its new XFR, so you know it's refined and immensely
powerful. It makes 510 horsepower with the kind of grace and smoothness
under acceleration that makes it feel unflappable as it rockets away
from stoplights, or merges effortlessly onto high-speed freeways.
The end result is the
kind of vehicle that just doesn't seem possible: highly capable
off-road, and fast as stink on pavement. In fact, this kind of
performance is so rare that it's hard to find anything to compare it to.
The closest vehicle would probably be the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, but
even that feels like it belongs on a racetrack. This supercharged Land
Rover feels like it belongs in the Serengeti.
Now, if you're not a
Land Rover cognoscenti, you might be surprised to learn the Range Rover
Sport is a completely different vehicle from the Range Rover. The Sport
is smaller, more nimble and styled more aggressively.
The Sport definitely
doesn't lack in luxury, though. In fact, short of buying a Rolls Royce,
you aren't likely to find a cabin this nice anywhere. Nearly all the
surfaces are covered in soft leather with perfect stitching, from the
dash to the door trim to the armrests. Nearly everything else is covered
in real wood, which had a gorgeous matte finish in our test vehicle.
It's the kind of interior you can't stop touching because everything
feels so nice.
Another plus in the
cabin is that Land Rover has finally managed to get rid of the
overwhelming number of buttons that have plagued its older models. Now
most functions can be operated through on-screen menus, while only the
most important off-road options, like suspension settings and traction
control programs for different surface conditions, are available with
genuine, old-fashioned buttons.
All of those settings
only hint at the range of capabilities this SUV has. It can take you
virtually anywhere on the planet, but at the same time it's modern,
comfortable and luxurious enough to provide stylish transportation to
the symphony. Just press a button, and it transforms from mountain
climber to highway cruiser.
There are two
downsides, though, and you can probably already guess what they are. The
cost and the gas mileage.
Pricing starts at
$60,495 for the Range Rover Sport, which comes in a luxurious starting
package called the HSE. If you want the supercharged version, it costs
$74,195. Gas mileage is rated at 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the
highway with the base V8, and 1 mpg less if you opt for the
supercharger.
Still, if you want to
drive a legendary vehicle that can take you anywhere you want to go in
style and supreme comfort, it's hard to beat a Land Rover at any price.
What was tested?
The 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged with a base price of $73,345.
Options on the test car are a rear differential lock for $600, HD
digital radio for $350, the extended leather package for $1,000, the
rear seat entertainment package for $2,500 and the 20-inch alloy wheels
for another $1,000. The total MSRP price as tested including the $850
destination charge came to $79,545. And that’s before adding for your
state sales tax and license plate fees. Figure more like $80 Grand out
the door.
Why avoid it?
Its immense weight makes it get poor gas mileage, and its starting price
is over $60,000.
Why buy it? It
has all the quality and luxury of a Range Rover in a sportier, more
fun-to-drive package. The supercharged engine is mind-blowing.
By Derek Price ©
AutoWire.Net - San Francisco
The Bottom Line:
The 2010 Range Rover Sport Supercharged Luxury SUV is among the world's
fastest with 510 horsepower on tap. While its body has the classic Land
Rover shape, the latest Range Rover Sport has been totally
re-engineered. Now with a luxurious leather interior, a real wood filled
cabin and a stunning matte finish it completes the total upscale overall
package.
Bottom Line
Review provided by: Tony Leopardo © AutoWire.Net
“Tony the Car Guy”
is an automotive writer, editor and publisher in the San Francisco Bay
Area. If you have a question or comment for Tony send it to
TonyLeo@pacbell.net or visit AutoWire.Net at
www.autowire.net
And remember: “ You Are
what you Drive ”
Range Rover Home Page
Column Name:
Supercharged Range Rover Sport will shock you
Topic: The 2010 Range
Rover Sport
Word Count: 951
Photo Caption: The 2010
Range Rover Sport
Photo Credits: Range
Rover Internet Media
Series #: 2010 - 44
Download
the Microsoft Word version here:
2010 Range Rover Sport
Download the Original Image File here:
2010 Range Rover
Sport
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