Road and Track Doesn’t Quite ‘Get’ the Range Rover Sport SVR
Allow us to explain the benefits of a 575 horsepower super SUV.
In this video from Road and Track’s YouTube channel, Travis Okulski and Bob Sorokanich take the Range Rover Sport SVR out for a drive and discuss what they think about. Now, don’t get us wrong here. These guys know their stuff when it comes to reviewing cars, and give a good account of the SVR, but they don’t seem to quite get what the Sport SVR model is about and why it exists.
Okulski even asks the question, saying, “Why would someone even want this? Range Rovers are known for off-road capability, they’re known for being luxurious and can go anywhere. This has 22-inch wheels with low profile tires, it’s got 575 horsepower from a V8. It’s not an off-road sort of vehicle.” Yet, despite driving it, they don’t really answer the question.
Travis then asks,”Why does a Range Rover need to be good on the track?” when the subject of the SVR holding the SUV record at the Nurburgring comes up, and this where the complete misunderstanding of what the basic misunderstanding of Range Rovers as a whole shows up. Sorokanich is correct when he says no to the Nurburgring question, but then goes on to say, “When I think of Range Rovers, I think of rugged, old British military vehicles but clearly Range Rover buyers don’t think that because they sell these things.”
ALSO SEE: Jaguar I-Pace is the Electrified Future We All Deserve
Ignoring the fact Range Rovers were made originally as farmers vehicles and Sorokanich is thinking of Land Rovers when he brings up military vehicles, Range Rovers became luxury vehicles a long time ago to go along with being remarkable off-roaders. The SVR simply leans hard on being a more road-going performance luxury vehicle than an off-roading luxury vehicle. The simple reason the Nurburgring time isn’t important is because it’s not a race or track car. Nurburgring development, however, is important because the Sport SVR needs good road manners at higher speeds.
Our understanding of the Range Rover Sport SVR is that it’s a luxury highway bruiser aimed at people that want plenty of room and luxury as well as power at their disposal. In the age of the SUV, the Sport SVR is entering the territory of the BMW 7-Series as a roomy, luxury vehicle built to get people where they need to go comfortably and fast. They mention the Jaguar F-Pace, which is a luxury sport crossover, but not a full-size SUV, and a strong competitor with BMW’s X5. However, here, Range Rover has taken on Jaguar’s old-school philosophy of “Grace, pace, and space,” and brought it into the modern marketplace. Once you look at it like that, the Range Rover Sport SVR makes a whole lot of sense.
Join the Jaguar forums today!
