Review: 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 SVR

To the Brits, and according to UrbanDictionary.com, a Yob is “the antithesis of what a good boy should be – rude, obnoxious, violent and stupid.” Coined in the 18th century, it was a popular pastime of the UK’s upper crust to speak backwards derogatorily, hence Yob for boy. The 2015 Range Rover Sport V8 SVR is the perfect example of a Yob.

Still, the SVR is reason enough for us to put on our hooligan finest for a day of cruising in Land Rover’s bad boy.

What is it?
The Range Rover Sport SVR is the more brash and boisterous big brother of the already stellar Range Rover Sport that was revised in model year 2014. A midsized four-wheel-drive luxury SUV, it can be ordered with seating for five, or seven passengers. Our SVR (Land Rover-speak for Special Vehicle Racing) example featured seating for four, with space for an occasional fifth passenger.

For power, the SVR “ripped” the modified 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine from the parts bin of its Jaguar F-Type cousin. The result is a huffed V8 with modified Bosch engine management software that produces 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque, with 0 to 60-mph timing in the neighborhood of 4.2-seconds. Intercoolers with larger under-bumper openings allow for colder air charges, and the subsequent increase in horsepower from this carbon fiber-cladded piece of art.

That trim, fit and reserved engine is mated exclusively to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, which has been tweaked to offer rev-matching and shifts that are twice as fast as those from the regular Range Rover Sport. The eight-speed box is modified with features like Corner Recognition that holds one gear slightly longer, through a turn, or during an overtaking maneuver on a highway. The permanent four-wheel-drive is equipped with a two-speed transfer case for off-roading and other challenging terrain, while the center differential blends traction from a front to rear bias of 50:50 up to 100-percent, as needed.

Speaking auditorially, a two-staged exhaust system with baffles helps intensify the engine’s rasp, thanks to some five-finger discount-style parts acquisitions from Jaguar. Blue painted Brembo performance braking calipers bring the SVR safely to a halt, following a spirited romp on the freeway.

The all aluminum monocoque unibody rides on a cross-linked air suspension while magnetorheological shocks, similar to General Motors’ Magnetic Ride Control, soften or firm up the SVR’s ride as needed while on the fly. Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system returns, as does the Range Rover Sport’s 9.3-inches of ground clearance.

Our top-shelf sampler starts as a base Range Rover Sport V8 and is then festooned with the SVR package whose contents generally include items found on the more pedestrian Autobiography model. For buyers who do not have the requisite need for speed, the RR Sport can be had in six other flavors ranging from SE, HSE, HSE Limited, Supercharged, Supercharged Limited, and Autobiography.

What’s it up against?
While the Range Rover Sport SVR matches up size-wise with other midsize luxury SUVs, its direct competitors are the performance variants of the segment. They include the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, the Mercedes-Benz M63 AMG, the BMW X5M and in a case of American Muscle, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.

How does it look?
All the features that help to make the Range Rover Sport as handsome as it is show up once again on the SVR. They include the floating black Santorini roof with its panoramic sunroof, the black contrasting functional hood and side air vents, and the gaping air intakes under the front bumper for the twin intercoolers. Blacked-out lettering, and SVR badging front and rear, let the rest of the world know this isn’t your run-of-the-mill Land Rover.

At the rear is a pair of chrome-tipped exhaust dumps, subtly enveloped in a rear diffuser tray.

Built like a bulldog, this Ranger is squatty, wide and mean, with all the features a performance vehicle should have, and none of the “Because Race Car” add-ons it shouldn’t. For example, one of those notably missing items is a pair of fog lamps, which we think would only cheapen the look, anyway.

And on the inside?
If you were expecting wood veneer inside, then you’re barking up the wrong Range Rover. Instead, we rode with carbon fiber veneers ($2,300) throughout, and enough aluminum trim to cause Reynolds Aluminum shareholders to call for a stock dividend. The interior’s highlights would have to be the sports seats in front, which are fully bolstered, and feel just like those found in a Jaguar F-Type. The effect carries over into the rear seating area, with a pair of outboard seats mimicking the F-Type look while offering a temporary third seat between them.

Electronically, our tester included the 1,700-watt Meridian Signature Audio system with eight-inch display and Jaguar Land Rover’s InControl Apps for Apple and Android connectivity.

While the steering wheel with paddle shift levers is contemporary Land Rover, items like the gearshift selector and other controls on the center console and dashboard are similar to those found in the Jaguar F-Type. Cargo capacity in the Range Rover Sport is 27.7 cubic feet with the seats in the upright and locked position. Fold them forward and that area grows to 62.2-cubic feet.

But does it go?
Athleticism in an SUV is sometimes a tough concept to swallow. Being a British brand tends to complicate matters further, seeing that a typical LR customer would trend to a supermodel or a Walter Mitty-like bond trader who secretly wishes he was sporting a superhero costume under his gray wool suit. Speak softly and carry a big stick, indeed.

Trust us, that big stick is just waiting in the wings for its curtain call. Roaring to life, the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 gives off a gurgle that rises up to the thunderous roar of a NASCAR Cup Car. It’s when you decide to whomp on the aluminum skinny pedal, that the crescendo starts to build. Subtle at first, it quickly engages the two-stage exhaust system, which takes on the aural behavior of an NHRA dragster.

The electric power assisted steering offered excellent road feel while remaining well weighted for the task. The end result gives the driver loads of confidence at speed. Ride quality is superb with a sense of quiet for most driving situations. Handling was exceptional and enhanced with both rev-matching from the ZF transmission, as well as brake-based torque-vectoring that helps to shorten the radius of a turn at speed. The net result is a vehicle that while slightly top-heavy, still manages to corner with a minimum of understeer.

By the numbers, the Range Rover Sport V8 SVR has been tuned and tested as one of the fastest SUVs on the Nurburgring, with a time of 8:14 on the Nordschleife. Zero to 60 mph comes in about 4.2-seconds, while top speed is limited to 162 mph. We saw none of that, instead seeing 15 mpg in combined driving. The EPA says to expect 14 city/19 highway, with 16 combined.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Land Rover’s Range Rover Sport V8 SVR takes typical British conservatism and tosses it on its head, with one of the most potent SUVs on the planet. With just the right amount of wrong, Jaguar Land Rover, by way of their Special Vehicle Operations division, shows this Yob is capable of throwing down with the best of them.

2015 Range Rover Sport V8 SVR base price, $79,995. As tested, $126,360.
SVR Package, $30,480; Meridian Signature 1,700-watt audio system, $4,150; Adaptive Cruise Control, $1,295; InControl Remote and Protect, $400; Ebony Headliner, $350; InControl Secure, $445; Premium metallic paint, $1,800; SVR Carbon Engine Cover, $2,000; Santorini Black Contrast Roof, $650; Carbon Fiber Veneer, $2,300; Destination fee, $995.

Photos by Mark Elias.