2007 Range Rover Sport
Cruising at a steady 80, shortly after I'd passed a battered pickup, it accelerated hard and blew past at high speed. Then it fell back, letting me pass. The scenario was repeated twice more, eliciting concern. Just north of the Mexican border, this area is rife with bad guys, mainly coyotes - immigrant smugglers - and drug runners, many of them armed to the teeth.
The pickup made a fourth pass, this time pulling up alongside. The tinted driver's window slid down, revealing a smiling thirty-something female. After a lingering glance at my vehicle, she made eye contact and slowly mouthed the words: "I... love... you."
It was unclear if she was referring to me or my vehicle. Whatever, it's a safe bet this wouldn't have occurred if I'd been driving, say, a Cadillac Escalade. But when you're behind the wheel of a Range Rover Sport, these things happen. Those who'd dismiss the megabuck Caddy SUV without a second glance are somehow transfixed by the sheer visual presence of the Range Rover.
The Sport is the latest Range Rover and while styling cues from the big Range Rover make clear that it shares the familial genomes, the Sport is distinct. It rides on a shorter-wheelbase version of the LR3 platform. Bodywork is more rounded and the wheels are pushed out closer to the corners, lending a more aggressive stance. The roofline is lower, the windshield more steeply raked and the D-pillar and aluminum tailgate are more swept-back. The horizontal rear roof spoiler adds visual punch while also smoothing airflow. A deep front spoiler (of molded rubber, to better survive off-road jaunts), side skirts and flush glass also assist in airflow management. The payoff is an exemplary 0.37 drag coefficient, partly responsible for the Sport's ability to return a remarkable 18 mpg in rapid freeway driving.
Inside, the sumptuous cockpit is typical Range Rover. Our test vehicle's black leather was complemented by brushed-aluminum and wood accents on the center stack, console, shifter and door panels. The front seats are nicely bolstered and supportive, as are the outer second-row seats. Our only complaint about the front seats is the intrusive headrests. This optional DVD entertainment system places an LCD screen in the back of each front headrest. These headrests are not adjustable for rake, only for height, and the driver's always seems to be in contact with the back of your head, a supreme annoyance. Our advice: take a pass on the DVD player and get the stock headrests instead.
The $69,535 base-priced Supercharged model is distinguished by chrome on its grille and fender air intakes. It also has stainless steel exhausts with chromed tips that produce a throaty exhaust note and it rides on sticky 275/40 Y-rated Pirellis mounted on handsome 20-inch by 9.5-inch-wide alloys. Massive Brembo brakes haul it down from speed faster than some sports cars I've driven.
Two engines are available, a 4.4-liter DOHC V-8 of 300 hp or a 4.2-liter fitted with higher-lift cams and an intercooled Eaton supercharger, good for 390 hp at 5750 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque.
Torque is apportioned by full-time AWD with a fully active center diff that normally distributes torque 50/50 front/rear and varies the split based on wheel slip and driving conditions. A silky-smooth, six-speed ZF autobox with standard, sport and manual-shift modes is standard. In sport mode the powertrain computer steps in to hold the lower gears longer and also blips the throttle when downshifting under braking, a nice touch that helps to keep the chassis settled during cornering.
Suspension is double-A-arm at each corner with electronically-controlled, height-adjustable air springs. The latter feature enables a two-inch hike in ground clearance for really rough going; it automatically lowers the vehicle at speed to improve aerodynamics and stability. Spring rates vary automatically in response to speed and driving style to optimize ride comfort and handling.
The clever Dynamic Response system automatically adjusts anti-roll bar stiffness in near realtime to dramatically cut body roll during cornering. The only telltale is the noticeable absence of body movement even when it's thrown into a sweeper at triple-digit speeds. There's predictable understeer at the limit but lifting abruptly will tuck the nose back in obediently, allowing skilled drivers to help adjust vehicle attitude with the throttle.
This is the first Range Rover we've driven that thrives in the role of high-speed, cross-country road vehicle, able to hang with some premium sports sedans even while traversing off-camber, cratered pavement that would have lesser vehicles slamming onto their bump stops. It willingly runs to its electronically-limited 140 mph top end and stability at that speed is surprisingly good.
While the Sport's handling is tailored for street driving, it still retains all the hardware for serious off-road work: two-speed transfer case, hill descent control and off-road-specific throttle-mapping and ABS calibration, chief among them.
The Range Rover Sport's mission in life is to provide an enhanced driving experience and we'd say it succeeds. It's a pity the average owner will remain clueless to the vehicle's phenomenal off-road abilities. But its on-road competence alone should be more than enough to attract a following - including an occasional groupie driving a pickup.
