Harking back to the original 2-door Range Rover, the SV coupe will top the contemporary range
Land Rover has pulled the wraps off its limited edition Range Rover SV Coupe Sport. Just 999 examples will be built, each based on a shortened version of the full-sized Range Rover platform and powered by a 557bhp 5.0-litre V8. Each model will be hand built at the brand’s Warwickshire SVO facility and will come with an eye-watering price tag of $333,000.
With a heavy emphasis on luxury and exclusivity, the SV Coupe has been designed to be a four-wheeled version of a luxury yacht or private jet, as well as go head to head with machines such as the forthcoming Rolls Royce Cullinan. Land Rover’s stylists have done a decent job of transforming the Range Rover into a three-door model, with the end result taking its cues from the Range Rover Evoque Coupe, yet on a grander scale.
For instance, there’s the same sloping roofline and steeply raked tailgate, plus the rear side glass treatment is similar. And this is much more than a simple cut ‘n’ shut job, with carry over panels from the standard car limited to the clamshell bonnet and lower tailgate. Other visual highlights include the metal vents cut into the front wings, the optional 23-inch alloy wheels (that largest ever officially offered) and a choice of 16 special paint finishes – although SVO will create bespoke hues for customers.
The SV Coupe is a strict four-seater, with the cabin divided down the middle by a wide transmission tunnel. Both the front and rear seats are powered, heated and cooled, while the leather used to trim them semi-aniline and features a quilted pattern. There are number of different colour options for the hide, including contrasting finishes for the front and rear seats, creating a ‘zoned’ effect to the interior.
As you’d expect, wood plays a part in the cabin, with Land Rover debuting its Nautica Veneer. Essentially this is a new form-flowing process that allows the designers to combine different woods, including walnut, sycamore, black ash and pallisander. These finishes can be added to the door cards, centre console, steering wheel rim and even the luggage area.
In terms of tech, the SV Coupe gets the brand’s latest InControl Touch Duo Pro intotainment system that utlilises a pair of centre console mounted 10-inch touch screens to control everything from the audio to the air-conditioning. There’s also a 12.3-inch TFT configurable dial pack and a full colour head-up display. British hi-fi specialists Meridian supply the audio equipment, which runs to a 1700W, 23 speakers (including dual-channel sub woofer) Signature Sound System.
Given its coupe billing lower centre of gravity (the SV is 75mm lower than the standard car – although at 5013mm it’s actually 13mm longer), it’s no surprise to find Land Rover has attempted to make the newcomer more sporting to drive. The ride height has been lowered by 8mm, while the adaptively damped air suspension drops by a further 15mm at speeds over 105kph. However, in all other respects the car is identical to the five-door machine, which means it should be as capable in the rough stuff. This is largely down to the clever multi-mode Terrain Response system and the fact the ride height can be increased by up to 75mm. However, it’s not clear what state those 23-inch alloys will be in after a spot of green laning.
Perhaps the most obvious mechanical tweaks are found under the bonnet, where the familiar 5.0-litre supercharged V8 has been tweaked to deliver a thumping 557bhp and a muscular 516lb ft of torque. Driving all four-wheels through the existing permanent all-wheel drive transmission and eight-speed automatic gearbox it results in the fastest Range Rover ever, with the 0-100kph sprint taking a claimed 5.0 seconds and the top speed stated as a heady 265kph.
This article originally appeared at
evo.co.uk
