Range Rover Sport Review
Published: 1st April 2007
Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport comes in four trim levels; S, SE, HSE and HST with prices ranging from £35,665 for the TDV6 S to £63,225 for the top-of-the-range, petrol V8, supercharged HST.
The TDV6 comes in the first three trim levels the base of which offers Electronic Air Suspension with Terrain Response, automatic climate control, cruise control, halogen lamps, cloth upholstery and 17-inch alloys with Goodyear tyres. The SE adds rear parking sensors, Bi-Xenon headlights, leather interior, powerfold door mirrors and 18-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli tyres.
The TDV6 HSE has even more goodies but the TDV8 goes a step further. The cruise control becomes adaptive and gains Forward Alert, the navigation system is the same as the smaller-engined HSE, as is the telephone integration system but we now have voice recognition and a driver’s microphone, the seats are now electrically controlled and the wheels have grown to 19-inch alloys. HST gains an electric sunroof, hand-polished Lined Oak interior trims, Active rear e-diff and huge 20-inch alloys.
The test was the TDV8 HSE with a current price tag of £53,120 and despite the comprehensive spec-list it came with a good few optional extras such as the DVD entertainment system (£2,000), a hybrid television system (£500), the electric sunroof (£800), a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (£395), the e-diff (£495 and the Premium ICE (in car entertainment) pack at £1,000 as well as a few other cosmetic extras. There is plenty of scope for tailoring the Sport to your requirements but you need to have deep pockets.
Power units come in the form of the aforementioned TDV6 and TDV8 and two V8 petrol engines - one of which is supercharged. If the normally aspirated, petrol V8 is your favoured choice, you’d better be quick because, as of 2008 it will be dropped from the line-up.
The TDV8 turbo-diesel engine produces 272PS (268bhp) at 4,000rpm and an enormous 640Nm of torque, peaking between 2,000 and 2,500rpm. Moreover, 400Nm is available at just 1,250rpm, so it’s great for towing and off-roading adventures. This new 3.6-litre engine is new for 2007 and offers over 40 per cent more torque and power than the TDV6.
