Range Rover Sport SV: The Most Fun SUV

The menacing new Range Rover Sport SV is staking a claim as the most fun SUV money can buy — assuming, that is, you’ve been invited to buy one. For 2024, the first year of production, Range Rover’s most powerful machine is available to select clients, by invitation only. This’ll be a hot commodity.

If you’re one of the fortunate few, the SV offers a whole lot of carbon fibre — in the form of full-carbon wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes — plus a new V8 engine cranking out 626 horsepower, 553 lb-ft of torque, and a tricked-out new suspension system.

A New Heart, Courtesy BMW

The new Range Rover Sport SV replaces the old, much-loved, Sport SVR in the lineup. The new machine, however, is an altogether more serious proposition. The engineers ditched the SVR’s old 5.0-litre V8 and shoehorned in a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 sourced from BMW. (It’s the same motor found in the new full-size Range Rover SV.) The result is 51 hp and 38 lb-ft more than the old SVR. It’s silly-fast for an SUV, as you’d expect: 0-100 km/h takes as little as 3.8 seconds and it’ll keep going to 290 km/h.

The BMW mill is universally praised for its meaty, wall-of-torque power delivery, and, combined with Range Rover’s proven ability to make engines sing, we’d expect thing to sound like rolling thunder. The engine is paired with a mild-hybrid system, but don’t expect that to make this muscle-bound SUV qualify as “eco-friendly” in any way, shape or form.

More Than A Brute

Still, the new SV isn’t just about brute strength. It’s putting super-SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and Aston Martin DBX707 on notice.

An unusual new high-tech suspension is said to give the SV tenacious grip. The company’s 6D Dynamics suspension system combines height-adjustable air springs with hydraulically interlinked dampers. As the company explains, “this revolutionary semi-active system, which removes the need for conventional rollover protection system, is designed to reduce pitch and roll to help maintain a near-level body stance during cornering and acceleration, while also reducing weight, increasing grip, and benefiting comfort and refinement.”

The company backs up those big claims with a big number: 1.1 G. That means this brute can pull more than 1.1 times the force of gravity in lateral acceleration while cornering. That’s well into BMW M3 or Porsche 911 territory, and 22 per cent more cornering grip than the old SVR. In other words, you’ll be pinned to the side of those deeply bolstered seats. 

The massive 305-section rear tires — a first for Range Rover — are fitted as standard with Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4s. 

Don’t expect it to float over the road like the full-size Range Rover, but if you’re willing to sacrifice some comfort for performance, this is the big Rangie for you.

Carbon Hoops

The carbon-fibre wheels — another first for Range Rover — just ooze exotica. The optional 23-inch hoops are a split five-spoke design. They save almost 9 kilos per corner, or a total of 36 kg, compared to similar cast-alloy wheels. (For all you engineering geeks, that’s un-sprung weight too, which is especially important for ride and handling.) The company assures us that, while incredibly light, these new wheels are engineered and tested to the toughest standards, the same as Range Rover’s alloy wheels.

The carbon hoops are joined by optional carbon ceramic brakes (CCB), yet another Range Rover first. They save another 34 kg of un-sprung weight. The discs are clamped at the front by Brembo Octyma calipers, the largest ever fitted to a Range Rover. To underline that fact, they can be painted in bright yellow, red, carbon bronze or black.

The high performance is backed up by exterior tweaks. The SV rides between 10mm and 25mm lower than other Range Rover Sport, and features a reprofiled lower bumper and sills, plus carbon-tipped quad-tailpipes. The carbon theme runs through to the Range Rover script on the front bumper blades, grille surround, hood vents and side vents. Even the carbon hood can be finished in exposed carbon-fibre.

Nick Collins, the executive director of vehicle programs at JLR, said: “New Range Rover Sport SV delivers an optimum blend of supreme performance, unrivalled desirability, capability and refinement. It’s a visceral addition to the Range Rover Sport line-up that powerfully demonstrates the world-class expertise of our high-performance specialists.”

Canadian Price and Availability

The new Range Rover Sport SV is available by invite only for 2024, after which it’ll become available to the general public. Both the SV Edition One and SV Carbon Edition are priced at $236,555 in Canada.

Learn more about the Range Rover Sport SV here.

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