Designed and engineered by Special Vehicle Operations, the Range Rover SVR has the bold design cues than any other Land Rover. It has been built on a strong, stiff structure, yet the vehicle’s lightweight architecture leads to greater performance.
Not all cars can challenge the Kyalami racing circuit, tackle the Dusty Tracks off road adventures, and carry five passengers in style. The luxurious Range Rover SVR can do all of that – thanks to its adjustable four-wheel drive system, eight-speed automatic, 5.0 litre supercharged V8 petrol engine and stylish cabin.
I was very amazed by its top-notch safety features. Through the 360° parking aid, sensors around the vehicle are automatically triggered when reversing into a tight space. As you park, the touchscreen displays an overhead view of the vehicle and audible feedback tells you how close you are to any obstacles.
The blind spot monitor – with reverse traffic detection – alerts you to vehicles in, or quickly approaching, your blind spot through a small warning light in the corresponding door mirror. The reverse traffic detection warns of hazards approaching on either side of your vehicle.
The SVR rivals include the BMW X5 M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo. At 4.2 seconds, the X5 M is faster to 100km/h than the SVR and Cayenne. The Cayenne Turbo is 0.2 seconds quicker to 100km/h that the SVR – it has a higher top speed of 279km/h.
Interior
I was most impressed by the responsive 10″ touchscreen that supports swipe, pinch gestures and delivers the richest ever audio-visual entertainment. To further enrich the experience there is a fully customisable home screen, as well as natural voice control.
The 16-way sport powered seats are made of soft Oxford leather. They feature touches such as SVR embossing on the upper bolster and embody sporting refinement.
The SVR’s Meridian sound system delivers music through up to 12 speakers, 380 watts, and a dual channel subwoofer.
Exterior
From its aggressive stance and muscular shoulders to its bright quad tailpipes and special rear spoiler, everything about Range Rover SVR has been designed to excite.
Performance
With its 5.0 litre supercharged V8 petrol engine, the Range Rover SVR delivers 550kW and 680Nm, and goes from 0-100km/h in 4.7 seconds. This breath-taking performance is enabled by a recalibration of the engine and its management system that increase maximum boost pressure.
An enhanced eight-speed transmission with sharper, faster gearshifts creates a more immediate connection to the vehicle, helping to make it the most powerful and quickest Land Rover ever.
When selected with Terrain Response 2, Dynamic Mode tunes the suspension to deliver even tighter body control with flatter handling and sharper responses, resulting in a sportier drive on the road.
The SVR features an electronic air suspension system that offers superb levels of comfort on-road and automatically switches between two ride heights when off-road to ensure composure even in the toughest conditions.
The switchable Active Sports Exhaust system features a two-stage active exhaust with electronically controlled valves. This delivers a throaty sound that incorporates purposeful modulated pulsing at lighter throttle openings and allows a greater flow through all four exhaust pipes as the valves open with increasing engine speed.
Tech specs
- Engine: 4,999.7cc
- Power:405kW at 6000rpm
- Torque:680Nm at 2500 – 5500
- Acceleration (0-100 km/h):7 seconds
- Top speed:260km/h
- Fuel consumption:8/100km
- Fuel type:Petrol
- Fuel tank capacity:105L
- CO2: 322g/km
- Price: From R2 189 600
What we like
- Combination of luxury and sportiness
- The rumbleness that you never get tired of hearing
- Bold design cues
- Top notch safety features
- High tech features
- Meridian sound quality
- High performance
- Luxury interior finishes
What we don’t like
Nothing.
Verdict
Luxury and performance are taken to new heights in the Range Rover SVR. Created by a passionate team of designers and engineers, the vehicle drives like no other Land Rover and its muscular broad shouldered stance ensures it looks like no other. Its state-of-the-art technology helps keep all passengers safe, entertained and connected on every single journey.
The SVR is one of those cars whose sound you can’t help but love. It has a superb pitch than its rivals and you never get tired of hearing it. Press the starter button and the V8’s rumble fills the cabin. Unlike many of the ‘enhanced’ engine notes that sound tinny or fake, this one is spot on. Although it may not be as faster as the BMW X5 M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, it can go significantly further off the beaten track.
Five-star rating
- 5/5
