Range Rover Sport
First as PHEV, then as full EV
- 4WD with Dynamic Air Suspension
- Floating 13.1-inch touchscreen
- Amazon Alexa
After the 'big' Range, Land Rover now reveals the next-generation 'Sport'. It comes with a choice of two plug-in-hybrid versions with a large battery. An all-electric version will follow in 2024. Or: how luxury, off-road capability and sustainability can go hand in hand.
More impact with fewer lines: that is the essence of the innovative design language that characterises the third-generation Range Rover Sport. It has an exceptionally clean appearance, almost like a modernist sculpture. The smooth lines of the body are reinforced by the flush door handles, which automatically pop up when you approach the vehicle with the key in your pocket. The Range Rover Sport comes across as less pompous than the Range Rover, but it exudes the same precision and chiselled presence. The front may bring little innovation, but at the back the design is quite striking. The sculpted tailgate is adorned with a continuous light signature featuring surface LED technology - a first on a production car.
Alexa is in the house
The minimalist design of the all-new Range Rover Sport continues into its all-new interior. The sleek dashboard is home to a floating 13.1-inch curved touchscreen. This provides the interface for almost all vehicle functions.
A showstopping feature is the integration of Amazon Alexa, a voice assistant that allows you to control your vehicle through natural voice commands. With the Land Rover app and Remote Skills, you can even manage your Alexa home devices from your car.
Land Rover also promises an extremely quiet driving experience thanks to active noise cancellation. Microphones in each wheel arch constantly register the sounds that enter the vehicle, while digital processors calculate the noise level needed to cancel them out of the interior, just like high-end headphones.
Plug-in hybrid with 100 km driving range
For more conservative markets, Land Rover still offers its Ingenium six-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, which all feature mild hybrid technology. Those who don't care about sustainability at all can even indulge in a 4.4 V8 Twin Turbo of 390 kW/530 hp sourced from BMW.
The bulk of sales will undoubtedly come from the plug-in hybrid versions. Top of the range is the P510e - the number refers to the system power - which combines the aforementioned six-cylinder petrol engine with a 105-kW electric motor and a battery of no less than 38.2 kWh. This should provide an electric driving range of around 100 kilometres. A step down is the P440e, which is hardly inferior in terms of performance.
Four-wheel drive and steering
The platform of the RR Sport is new and should be 35 per cent stiffer than its predecessor. In two years' time, it should also be able to accommodate a sizeable battery and two electric motors: after all, there will also be an all-electric variant in 2024.
The versions that can already be ordered now are always equipped with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and an intelligently controlled four-wheel drive system. An interesting new feature is the Dynamic Response Pro system, which keeps the bodywork nicely flat when cornering by means of an active 48-volt roll control system.
It works in tandem with the standard Dynamic Air Suspension of the latest generation, which introduces air springs with adjustable volume. To optimise response, the car monitors the road ahead using navigation data to prepare for upcoming bends.
Finally, the standard four-wheel steering also promises to contribute to the agility and stability of this large SUV.
