The new Range Rover Sport is a luxurious SUV with a refined design with diesel engines, plug-in hybrids and a 530 hp V8

After the arrival of a new generation of  Range Rover , it was only a matter of time before the  Range Rover Sport  launched a new generation as well. Land Rover  has just presented the third generation of the Range Rover Sport.

Like its big brother in the range, the Range Rover Sport has been  completely redesigned from the ground  up, albeit alongside the Range Rover. In fact, it has the same technology and engines, including V8 and plug-in hybrid powertrains   , as the Range Rover. And in the very near future, an  electric version  .

The first Range Rover was a real surprise and grew from a standalone model to almost a brand within the Land Rover brand with its own range, giving rise to successful models such as the  Evoque  and  Velar .

The new model is committed to a very refined design, in line with the Range Rover. The outgoing model came on the market in 2013 and underwent restyling in 2017. In 2020, it received an optional third row of seats (up to 7 seats).

However, the new Range Sport, which is on sale now, no longer has this "wagon" configuration, despite being a 7cm longer car than the outgoing Range Rover Sport. The new model is 4.95 m long  (4.88 m for the model still on sale).

purity of lines

Following in the footsteps of the Range Rover, the Range Rover Sport relies on the purity of its design. It retains only the essential lines, that is to say those which define and give character to the vehicle, but without overloading it.

There are also elements of its own, such as a steeper windscreen than in the Range Rover and a roof that lowers more noticeably. This simplicity of the lines does not imply that every detail has not been taken care of. It has smooth surfaces and balanced proportions, the smallest front overhang and flowing curves, everything looks natural.

The aerodynamics have also been very neat. The frame of the windshield, the rear windows (after the doors) and the door handles are flush to promote aerodynamics.

Indeed, the Range Sport's drag coefficient has been improved by 15% compared to its predecessor, with a value lowered to 0.29.

Continuing this trend of being flush with all car accessories, the Sport features an unusually thin grille and headlamps for a Land Rover, the latter being the thinnest ever made by Land Rover. The taillights are similarly slim, like a simple red and black stripe that runs across the rear of the car.

An interior as refined as the exterior

On board, the Range Rover Sport retains the purity of the exterior lines. It debuts with a dashboard of its own  , with a single touchscreen and a digital instrument panel. And even then, it's not all about the touchscreen. Thus, the car sports physical controls, for climate control, gear knob and  Terrain Response controls  , on the center console.

All information, however, and the rest of the controls have been consolidated into a single  touchscreen  , which is larger than the current model at 13.1 inches. To enhance the sporty ambience in front of the Range Rover, the Range Sport has lowered its specially designed seats and raised its center console. This creates a real cockpit that clearly separates the driver from the passenger.

Mechanically, the Range Rover comes standard with  air suspension  on all trims in the range. This is complemented by an adaptive system that alters the pressure of the air chambers (higher pressure provides stiffer damping and vice versa) to deliver comfort or firmness depending on riding style and road.

And it is that the Range Rover Sport controls the road ahead thanks to  eHorizon navigation data  to prepare the suspension in advance of the course of the road. The car adapts depending on the arrival of tight or wide corners, for example.

Optional and standard on the more powerful P530 and P510e versions, the Range Rover Sport also has the  Stormer Handling Pack  . This includes  four-wheel steering  , a limited-slip differential emulator with torque vectoring that works by braking the inside wheel.

New Range Rover Sport engines and prices

The engine range consists of diesel, gasoline and plug-in hybrids. And all versions are equipped with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Top of the line, for now, is  BMW's 4.4-liter  twin-  turbocharged petrol V8. It develops  525 hp  and can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.

The range offers two  plug-in hybrid versions  , both fitted with a 400hp 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-6 ​​and a 141hp electric motor, powered by a  38.2kWh battery  .

The P440e variant delivers a total of 440 hp and the P510e a total of 510 hp. The latter accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.4 seconds and offers, according to Land Rover, up to 113 km in the WLTP cycle of autonomy in electric mode which, according to the brand itself, would be 88 km in actual conditions of use. .

The range is completed by two  48V mild-hybrid proposals  with the six-cylinder  diesel: the 250 hp D250 and the 300 hp D300  . The two diesel models have an approved average consumption, depending on the brand, of 7.4 l/100 km (WLTP).

Two important models will arrive later: an electric version in 2024 and for a date yet to be specified, the Range Rover SVR, the most powerful and bestial petrol version of the range.

The new Range Rover Sport is already on sale from €  103,050 (D250 SE) and up to €145,000 for the Range Rover Sport P510e First Edition, while the new Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid range starts at €102,700 for the P440e SE. The price of the P530 V8 is not yet known.