The new 2014 Range Rover Sport has arrived with weight savings of up to 420kg, a 7 seat option and a hybrid Range Rover Sport and 4.4 V8 diesel to follow.
We already know how the new Sport looks – we’ve had enough spy photos and official photos floating around to not need to go over that again – so the meat of the interest is what lies below the surface.
Key to the potential of the new Range Rover Sport is a big weight loss – up to 420kg – and what Land Rover are calling ‘the brand’s best-ever on-road dynamics’ thanks to a breakthrough lightweight suspension and dynamic chassis technologies claimed to offer a unique blend of agile handling and exceptional comfort.
The new Sport is 62mm longer than the old Sport but still 149mm shorter than the new Range Rover, but the key to the 5+2 seating option is an increase of 178mm in the wheelbase. But despite growing in size the new Sport is up to 420kg lighter and offers a drag coefficient of just 0.34 making it much slippier through the air than the old Sport.
To start with Land Rover will only be offering the new Sport with the latest SDV6 diesel with 288bhp and the evergreen 5.0 litre supercharged with 503bhp. But next year we will also get the 4.4 litre SDV8 diesel with 334bhp and performance that should match the old Supercharged Sport’s performance but with the promise of vastly better economy. Also ‘on the way’ is a lower-powered TDV6 and a diesel hybrid Range Rover Sport.
Inside the new Range Rover Sport carries over the more driver orientated driving position of the old Sport, but with plenty of cues from the new Range Rover dialled in too for a proper luxury Sport,
The new Range Rover Sport will go on sale during the third quarter of 2013 in three equipment levels – HSE, HSE Dynamic and Autobiography Dynamic – with an additional lower SE trim level available on the TDV6 model in 2014.
Prices for the SDV6 start at £60k and rise to £75k, with the Supercharged Autobiography Dynamic coming in at £81k.
It’s a hugely promising offering from Land Rover, and we’ll update with more once we’ve has time to digest all the detail.
Hardeep says
Ditto Simon. Fine job!
Sara James says
It looks a lot like an Evoque to me and I can’t decide whether that’s good or bad!
M1TCH says
The 3.0 V6 Diesel now has nearly 300BHP? Marvellous work, JLR, as the ‘official’ mpg seems to be nearer 40 than 30, unlike my current model!
Cars UK says
It does in the SDV6 version and there’ll be a TDV6 version next year with 254bhp. LR reckon economy improvements are up to 24% across the range.
D. Paul says
Couldn’t agree more with Simon. I’m a current Sport owner – the new design is a big step forward. Was hoping for just a little bit more.
Brian79 says
Now I’m seriously sold. PLEASE let it be as dynamic as Land Rover promises!
SimonSez says
Looks like a fine job. much to my surprise. I’ll take the Range Rover Sport Autobiography Dynamic with the 4.4 TDV8, 7 seat option, dark exterior and light interior. Perfect!