New 550-Horsepower Range Rover Model Hits U.S. Dealerships This Month
The 2017 Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic is a special Range Rover model that’s coming out at an even more special time for Land Rover.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of when the British automaker introduced the North American market to its Range Rover SUV that people in other parts of the world had met in 1970. According to the following video history lesson from Land Rover, those original Range Rovers descended from the 26 prototype vehicles created in 1969. The 1970 production models featured elements still seen on today’s Range Rovers, such as the unbroken waistline and split tail gate. The distinctive floating roof appeared on the Suffix Cs a few years later.
The next several years saw the debut of features such as a four-door body style, anti-lock brakes, electronic traction control, and an automatic air suspension. In 2012, Land Rover switched the Range Rover to aluminum monocoque construction.
OK, enough with the history lesson. You can watch all of it above. What about this new SVAutobiography Dynamic? As you can guess from its name, it’s the flagship Range Rover model. On the outside, it’s trimmed with Graphite Atlas accents, a black roof and mirrors, Dark Grey 21-inch split-spoke wheels, and quad tailpipes. The ride height of that whole package is now 8 mm lower. Inside, a perforated leather headliner sits above quilted semi-aniline leather seats.
Those are nice touches and all, but what puts the SV (as in SVR) in this new Range Rover? The supercharged 5.0-liter V8 under the hood. Taking a page out of the Range Rover Sport SVR’s book, the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic cranks out 550 horsepower. Land Rover’s numbers state that’s good for a 0-60 mph time of 5.1 seconds.
Look for the 2017 Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic in dealerships this month. Prices start at $170,995.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
