Here’s a sport utility vehicle that’s a whole lot more “sport” than “utility.”

Just as capable off the road as on, the 2006 Range Rover Sport has four-wheel drive with low-range gearing for such duties as rock-climbing. With either a normally aspirated 300-horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8 engine or a supercharged, 390-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8, the Range Rover Sport is all new for 2006.
Not that the 2006 Range Rover Sport supercharged model isn’t suitable for utility purposes; it actually offers more utility than most other midsize SUVs. But with a supercharged 390-horsepower V-8 engine under the hood, the emphasis truly is on the sport side of the equation.

Even though it’s a rather heavy vehicle, the powerful engine pushes this vehicle along quite impressively, leaving perhaps one question in the mind of a generally inquiring person: Does one really need a sport utility vehicle with this much zip?
Apparently some consumers think so, because Land Rover Centre of San Antonio can’t keep the supercharged Sport model in stock, manager James Godkin said this week.

“We could sell every one we could get,” he said. “We just can’t get enough.”

So much for the theory that the spike in gasoline prices is hurting the sales of high-end SUVs. The supercharged Sport’s EPA ratings of 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway apparently aren’t much of a deterrence.

Nor is the $69,535 base price (plus $715 freight).

With a few extras tacked on, our test model’s sticker topped out at $76,150, which isn’t exactly chump change in today’s automotive market, where the average 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe transaction price is just more than $41,000.
Putting some sport into the sport utility genre — albeit for people who can afford expensive cars — is the idea behind the Range Rover Sport, an all-new model this year for British Land Rover.

With a starting price of $56,750 for a normally aspirated 4.4-liter V-8 model with 300 horsepower, this newest model makes the brand a bit more affordable. The regular Range Rover line for 2006 begins at just over $75,000 for a normally aspirated model, and rises to about $90,000 base for the supercharged version.

The Sport, then, fits in between the midsize Land Rover LR3, which begins under $40,000, and the regular Range Rover line. The LR3, introduced for 2005 to replace the aging Discovery model, and the Sport share a midsize chassis; the more expensive Range Rover is slightly larger and on a difference chassis.
The main reason for introducing the Range Rover Sport was to go after some quite popular luxury SUVs in the same price range, most notably the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz ML500, Porsche Cayenne and Lexus LX 470.

Not having a luxury model that directly competes with the M-class and X-series has hampered Land Rover’s efforts under new owner Ford Motor Co. to bring its products into the mainstream.
Land Rover introduced the Range Rover in the United States in 1987 as the first luxury SUV.
Prices have climbed along the way, however. In the early ’90s, Range Rover prices began in the upper $30,000s. Today, that’s the price you’d pay for a high-end model of the Ford Explorer or Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Land Rover did have the Discovery II model starting at just over $35,000, but that vehicle, discontinued after 2004, was nowhere nearly as luxurious as a Range Rover, and drew a distinctly different clientele.

The Discovery’s replacement, the LR3, was built on a new platform derived but substantially different from the chassis of the current Range Rover, which was introduced in 2002. It’s based on a BMW design.
The LR3, though, was developed as the first product by Land Rover under the ownership of Ford, which bought Land Rover from BMW in June 2000.
The Sport is now the second Land Rover developed under Ford, using the platform of the LR3, not that of the BMW-inspired Range Rover model. The chassis of the LR3 was shortened to a 108-inch wheelbase from nearly 114 inches for the Range Rover Sport.

Its developers essentially took the unibody of the current Range Rover and dropped it into a separate frame to create both the LR3 and the Range Rover Sport. The addition of the frame underneath makes the vehicles much more rigid — and rugged — the company said.
Also, Land Rover has replaced the BMW engines in the more expensive Range Rover line with two V-8s developed from Jaguar, the British sports-car company also owned by Ford. And it’s versions of these two engines that also power the new Range Rover Sport.

How well Land Rover can keep the Sport model differentiated from the lower-priced LR3 and the higher-priced Range Rover, which is a completely different vehicle, might be the brand’s biggest challenge. Though the Sport has the underpinnings of the LR3, its styling is quite similar to that of the regular Range Rover.

The Sport model also represents a less-expensive way to get a Range Rover with the supercharged V-8.
The top-of-the-line Range Rover model with the 4.2-liter supercharged is rated at 400 horsepower, while the Sport model with its own version of that engine, and priced about $20,000 less, is rated at 390 horsepower.

There’s a big difference in the four-wheel-drive systems, however — a difference that actually makes the less-expensive Sport model the better off-road performer. At the heart of its off-road equipment is the same computerized “Terrain Response” system Land Rover introduced on the LR3 for 2005.

That system, which has separate settings to match the vehicle to the type of terrain such as rock, sand or snow, is not offered on the more expensive Range Rover but is standard on the Range Rover Sport.
Those who plan to take their vehicles off-road probably will want to choose either the LR3 or the Range Rover Sport for their superior capabilities. Out of the box, these vehicles have arguably the best off-road system on the market, a system that includes standard center- and optional rear-locking differentials.

The Sport has room for just five people — there’s no third row of seating in this model or in the more expensive Range Rover line. The LR3 is the only Land Rover vehicle with a third row.

It’s not the quickest SUV on the road, even with the supercharged engine. Coupled with the standard six-speed automatic gearbox, the supercharged Sport can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds.
In comparison, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer SuperSport model for 2006 comes with a 400-horsepower Corvette V-8 engine and can go from zero to 60 mph in just under six seconds. It costs about half as much as the supercharged Range Rover Sport.

Our test vehicle came with just about everything you can add to the Sport, including adaptive cruise control ($2,000), which paces the vehicle to the one in front, and warns the driver, even when not using the cruise control, if the vehicle is getting too close to another car; a rear differential lock ($500); personal telephone integration system ($400); rear-seat DVD entertainment system ($2,000); and Sirius satellite radio ($600).

Luxury features abound on this vehicle, including sport leather seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, 550-watt audio system with six-disc CD changer, ultrasonic parking assist, GPS navigation, automatic bi-xenon headlights with power washers, side-curtain air bags front and rear, and four-corner automatic-leveling air suspension with three manual settings.
But one high-tech feature that I found annoying is a system that automatically dips the side mirrors down when the transmission is shifted into reverse.

This feature has virtually no value in the real world. When I start backing up, I rely on the side mirrors to show me whether there are trees, cars or other obstacles. The last place I want to look is straight down at the pavement beside the car. A check of the Range Rover Sport’s owner’s manual showed me how to turn off this otherwise automatic feature, and that’s what I did.

(this article was taken from mysanantonio.com)

• Range Rover Sport HST most expensive yet
• £5500 for aggressive makeover
• Performance unchanged

If the standard Range Rover Sport doesn’t have enough road presence for you, this new HST version might be the answer.

Land Rover reckons this 385bhp, supercharged model is the closest thing yet to the Range Stormer concept of 2004.

The most expensive Range Rover Sport to date offered gets an aggressive makeover with open-mouthed grille, deeper air intakes, rectangular tailpipes, unique 20-inch wheels and tail spoiler.

For the extra £5500 over a standard Supercharged car, at £63,000, the HST also comes with an electric sunroof, privacy glass and polished oak trim.

Performance is unchanged in every respect over the normal car with a 0-60mph time of 7.2sec and a 140mph top speed.

(this article was taken from whatcar.com)

Falling Hard For My Long-Distance Winter Travel Companion
March 23, 2006
by Trevor Hofmann / American Auto Press

I couldn’t believe it. The middle of winter, and despite being on the West Coast, where it tends to rain more than snow come March, or anytime for that matter, Land Rover had equipped its new Range Rover Sport Supercharged with stock performance-oriented summer tires. Large in diameter and ultra low in profile, 275/40R20 at all four corners no less, the hot looking Pirelli PZero Rosso Asimmetricos wouldnt do at all. I quickly made the appropriate phone calls that resulted in plans to go to an LR dealership and have the racy rubber replaced with more suitable tires.

Why the concern? While theres always the off-chance that the heavens will open and snow will descend upon us, my worries centered around a road trip I had planned for the following day, which would take me and the Sport into Canada and then overtop one of the higher mountain passes in the area, delivering me safely to one of my clients in a town called Kamloops. I went to the dealership later that day and in about half an hour, while enjoying a relaxing moment of downtime in the well-equipped customer lounge, I was off, a new set of Continental 4X4 SportContact tires, of the same dimensions, giving me more confidence.

Being that there was no racetrack between my home and the dealership, the only opportunity I had to test out the previous set of tires was on city streets plus a few short stretches of freeway, and as far as attempting any activity that could even come close to breaking traction, a few high-speed cloverleaf-style on- and off-ramps would have to suffice. And on that note, I noticed little difference between the racing slick-like performance tires and the heavily grooved mud & snow rated winter rubber, which made it quite clear that I hadnt even come close to testing this SUVs tenacity when equipped with the Pirellis.

No worries, track testing the Sport would have to wait. Currently, I was on my way home to prepare for a road trip; one of those rare opportunities to travel without the headaches of airport security and fear of baggage loss. And looking around at my first-class cabin of choice, I realized that even upgrades to business class brought about by my frequent flier status wouldnt come close to the opulence Land Rover had afforded me.

Only the top-line Range Rover delivers a more lavish SUV interior, with few others, VWs Touareg, Porsches Cayenne, plus a couple from Lexus being the only off-road capable SUVs immediately coming to mind that even come close to matching the new Sports cabin. And while plank-like hardwood graces the door panels and frames the center stack, its ambience is more adventurous than its larger, older siblings moneyed décor. The wide center interface commands immediate attention, pulling all eyes toward its fusion of high-tech componentry and old world charm. Level with the topmost edge of the dash and surrounded by a set of high-quality vents is a large LCD screen displaying navigation information; requisite in this segment of the market. I found it easy to use and effective, although I really didnt need it during my trip as I knew the way without need for directions. Just below, four square buttons, the first to defeat the DSC stability control system, the second to turn off the SUVs electronic parking assistant, the third and fourth pair being rather oddly placed buttons for unlocking and locking the doors, in that order, flank a large, red half-moon hazard switch. Traveling further down the center stack brings a somewhat utilitarian looking audio system head unit, but it wins points for ease of use, the inclusion of an integrated six-disc stacker, and superb overall sound quality.
And that last point, of course, is crucial for a road trip. I started later than I had hoped, not unusual for me mind you, but I didnt want to end up in the middle of a snowstorm after sunset. Road tunes were in order, but only after setting the automatic climate control to that optimal temperature that keeps all extremities comfortable but doesnt lull a driver to sleep – different in almost every car, as Ive learned. Heated seat set to high, via a crafty set of two-mode buttons incorporated within the center of each dual-side temperature dial, I pulled six of my favorite CDs out of their cases and slotted them into the CD changer one by one, and proceeded to wake up my senses to “China Grove”, the first track on the “Best of the Doobies” album – yes, Im a boomer, can you tell?

The first segment of the trip is one Ive taken many times, and therefore was hardly eventful. Once in Vancouver, and then on my way out of the city, over the Port Mann Bridge into Surrey and beyond to Langley, Aldergrove, and the rest of the “cities” that just seem to blend into what locals simply call the Valley; one of the richest tracts of rainforest-nurtured farmland in the world. Ive driven it many times, mind you, so the splendor of the region is most often lost on me, my sole thought at the time being how to maximize time so that I might arrive at my clients office with enough time in hand to meet them face-to-face for the first time, learn a little bit more about their business, and then join them for dinner.

While driving a luxury car along this stretch of freeway, such as the Jaguar XKR that the aforementioned dealership just happened to have on display in its showroom the day before, would no doubt offer greater comfort thanks to a more compliant suspension setup, and would be capable of higher speeds despite being equipped with what is very nearly the same supercharged 4.2-liter engine – the Sport “making do” with 390-horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque while the XJR V8 puts out a slightly more engaging 400-horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque – I wasnt held back by the Land Rover. Once up to speed its 50 mph-plus passing power found no rivals, or at least none that were willing to try. Of course, there are a number of super-SUVs that can take the Sport Supercharged in acceleration tests, and others that will outperform it in the corners, but I dont think that Land Rover created it to be the worlds fastest SUV anyway. Let Porsche and its Cayenne Turbo, plus Dodge and the Grand Cherokee SRT8 fight that battle. Only the former is capable off-road, and theres a pretty sound argument among SUV enthusiasts that neither vehicle looks as attractive as the Sport, or for that matter is executed to such a high level of style and refinement inside the cabin.

The Valley was soon in my rearview and the mountains loomed overhead, glorious in their presence but foreboding just the same. Ive done this route many times, and while some trips have been filled with blue skies framing green, gray, and in winter, white landscapes, others tormented with desperate white-out conditions that made it difficult to see the lines on the road directly in front of the car, let alone scenery. I climbed out of the valley, making good pace in the Sport, the engine and six-speed automatic combination effortlessly scaling grades that often make lesser vehicles gasp in breathless overwhelm. Not surprisingly, the Sport managed the high speeds with composure too, its air suspension totally soaking up pavement irregularities while keeping the hefty ute tracking flawlessly… that is until the pavement below transfigured into a brownish snow, with only the rightmost lane clear enough to safely maintain the speed to which Id become accustomed.

I pushed on, flurries now whirling around overhead, but not so much as to block my vision. The biggest obstacles were inevitably on the road before me; vehicles making their way northeast, just like me, forcing me to pass if only to avoid flying rock salt and, as I soon found out… stones. Yes, one hit the windshield like a bullet ricocheting off a sheet of shale, but unlike what it would likely do to the black rock, the impact resulted in a tiny crack. No worries, Im sure that this can be fixed without replacing the glass. And then another… whack! Ouch. I know its not my vehicle, but I was raised to take better care of things that were borrowed than even that which is my own, so I felt each hit as if it were tearing apart my very own Sport, and possibly even more so. I eased into the passing lane and feathered the throttle, not to upset the SUVs level of traction by adding too much torque. I held on, passing a number of cars, vans, pickups and highway trucks, none of which appeared expensive enough to cause their owners any concern over flying debris, and once in front was able to stay out of harms way until I reached the toll booth atop the mountain. It was then, when I was able to relax for a moment, that I noticed a rotating dial on the center console, complete with pictographs depicting various road conditions. Just to the right of my default setting, I noticed one with swerving tracks and a snowflake image, and immediately pressed the knob, which elevated it from its recessed position, and then turned it to the appropriate setting. Immediately driving on snow became almost as carefree as on dry pavement, allowing me to move to the left as soon as I saw upcoming traffic closing in, so that I could avoid any more damage to the window – or anywhere else that wouldnt have made itself known as of yet.

Its mostly all downward from the toll booths, at least until the tiny town of Merritt ushers in a four-way crossroads that could either have me pointing north, to Kamloops, northeast, to Kelowna, west, to the beautiful Nicola Valley (maybe another time), or southwest, from where I came. I continued on toward Kamloops, unaware that the storm I had just passed through would seem like a cakewalk compared to the peaks that lay between me and my final destination.

The hill out of Merritt is long, steep and again, taxing on some vehicles, but similarly hardly noticeable to the Sport. The road was wet but not drenched, and fortunately the white stuff was relegated to the shoulders. Reaching the summit and rounding the mountaintop everything changed. Now snow was everywhere, and with it the intensity over the previous leg of my journey increased. The highway was now completely covered and air filled with more aggressive swirls of the white stuff, gusting and limiting visibility, tiring the mind as much as the eyes. I new I was only an hour away from Kamloops, and therefore pressed on. Again, the Sport maintained a swift clip without showing any signs of instability, making me glad Id opted for what I now considered to be the ultimate winter traveling companion.
I made it in time for a short, informative meeting, enjoyed a fabulous meal at Rics Grille (made all that much better after a little adventure) conveniently located in the hotel I would stay at that night, the Four Points Sheraton, and took part in some great conversation that rarely touched on the business Id come to discuss, which ironically is always better for business in the end. After a good nights rest it was off to their office once again, for more in-depth discussions, a spirited lunch of brainstorming and good fun, and then back on the highway.

The road home, despite only being twenty-four hours past, was as clear and dry as the sky overhead. I made quick time, and due to this was able to pull off the highway to investigate a back road Id always wanted to explore. A Range Rover is the ideal exploratory vehicle after all, so how could I pass up such an opportune off-road adventure? First I went north, as the road crossed under the highway in two directions. It was, as expected, farmland surrounded by trees, and the road, while gravel, was well groomed and a walk in the park for the Sport. I stopped to take a few photos, traveled up a little-used road that quickly became a goat trail, engaged low gear and raised the suspension, an easy combination of processes that included rotating the previously mentioned dial one click to the right and then pushing the switch with the mountain pictograph on it that resided next door. I took a few more photos, circled back to the road, hardly phasing what I already knew was a much more competent 4×4 than I would ever have use of on this trip, and then returned the suspension and gearing settings to those previously chosen, before continuing on up the road. On the way I passed by a lovely homestead and, a hundred meters down the road, some dilapidated shacks that hardly looked habitable, turning around only because the southern road had always been of most interest anyway.

Thats a faint clue to the core of my personality, if you were ever interested, as Im almost always willing to put off something good now in order to get something better later. Unfortunately, Im also just as willing to put off doing something that seems less than favourable at any time, unwittingly allowing it to mushroom into something much worse. As hoped, the southern road was much more picturesque, following a fast-paced river at first, only to hug closer to the mountainside as it continued, winding and undulating at the whim of the landscape. A sign at its beginning noted a town was ahead, but in my experience such backcountry towns are rarely as worthy of attention as the route getting there, so I enjoyed my drive, catching glimpses of rushing rivulets and still ponds, rocky crags and rambling valleys, and finally noting that shade was covering my gravel path more often than sunshine, I turned around and headed back.

Having added a little adventure to my road trip, and knowing that you would have grilled me relentlessly if I hadnt bothered to take the Sport off-road (I do read your emails and most often respond if you care to click on the writing credit at the top of this page to find the hidden address), I settled in for the long, somewhat dull trip home. Again, with scenery as spectacular as that which lay before me, only a desire to be home with my wife and children, plus the monotony of traveling this route over and over again through the years, causes me to use the term “dull” as a descriptor. If youre from the prairies, or even a few hours away in the city of Seattle, a trip across the border and then up the Coquihalla Highway will floor you. Im just jaded, I suppose.

(this article was taken from automobile.com)

We noticed this short piece in femalefirst.co.uk on the actor Paul Bettany who swears by his Range Rover:

British actor Paul Bettany insists on only driving his trusty Range Rover – because he fears for his children’s safety.

The Wimbledon star, who has a two-year-old son Stellan with his wife Jennifer Connelly and often looks after her son KAI, 8, insists there is too much danger on the road not to have a sturdy and reliable car.

He says, “Everybody in America drives big cars and it keeps my family safe. “And it’s good for driving on the ice. When I’ve been on my own, I’ve tried to get that car to go off the road and it won’t skid.”

“When you have kids in the car, I get so freaked out because there are some really bad drivers out there, driving these enormous ****** trucks.”

“I mean, you don’t use it for short trips, but if we’re going on long drives I do, because I get scared for the children.”

Some observers reckoned we’d see the all-new Land Rover Freelander as early as this year’s Detroit Show, but it was conspicuous by its absence. However, the advanced state of the car in these pictures shows it’s close to production-ready and, instead, we now expect to see the finished car for the first time at the Paris Show later this year, and sales should start late in 2006.

It’s clear from the pictures that the new Freelander looks very similar to the existing model, especially around the nose where Land Rover trademarks such as the grille and clamshell hood are obvious, even under the camouflage.

However, we expect that several styling cues from the LR3 and Range Rover will find their way onto the new Freelander. Look closely, for example, and there appears to be a new air intake ahead of the front passenger door, as on the LR3.

Another change on this new model is that the central location of the rear license plate seems to confirm that the spare wheel will not hang on the rear door, as on the current model. Likewise, the position of the handle on the tailgate seems to suggest that it will open from the top, whereas the current model’s is a side-hinged affair. The Freelander itself is believed to have grown slightly in every dimension, with a wider track and longer wheelbase, but head of design, Geoff Upex, has already said the ute will be basically the same size as the current model. What will improve, though, is the car’s packaging, so it should provide more space for both passengers and luggage. The pictures also seem to show that the rear doors have grown, making for easier access.

Despite what the similar looks might suggest, the new Freelander actually sits on an all-new platform, a stretched version of the C1 platform that underpins the Ford Focus, Mazda 3 and Volvo S40. In due course, we expect to see a ‘baby’ Volvo 4×4, the XC50, on the same building blocks.

The new Freelander is expected to be an even more capable vehicle off-road than the current model, with a stiffer chassis and increased ground clearance. Most of the components will come from parent company Ford, but upgraded to ensure the new SUV performs as well as we expect of a Landrover away from Tarmac. The gearboxes and engines, likewise, have been upgraded to improve their off-road performance and will include stronger V6 units that are crucial to the car’s success in America.

The car in the pictures is a five-door and, unlike the current model, that will be the only body style available. The slow-selling three-door and soft-top models are not being directly replaced. However, rumours persist that we will eventually see a ‘baby’ Land Rover which will sit below this new Freelander in the Land Rover range, possibly in 2008 and including a front-wheel drive model.

(This article was written Brenda Priddy & Company and taken from autospies.com)

Land Rover is showcasing a catalogue of innovative technologies – collectively known as the e-Terrain System – that reduce both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions while also improving the outstanding breadth of capability of Land Rover’s 4×4 vehicles.

The efficient technology initiatives are all illustrated by Land_e, Land Rover’s e-Terrain Technology Concept. Together, they contribute to a potential 30 per cent improvement in fuel economy over a current vehicle of similar size and performance. And most of the technologies will be available on Land Rover production models starting in the next few years.

The key to Land_e’s importance is that it shows available and relevant technologies – plus some new systems that are unique to Land Rover – in the most innovative and effective way possible. It combines mechanical and electrical advances to make gains in areas ranging from transmission function to cooling efficiency, and from battery power management to power steering efficiency – all without compromising the breadth of on- and off-road capability that defines all Land Rover products.

“The e-Terrain technologies are practical, feasible, real-world solutions,” says Matthew Taylor, managing director of Land Rover. “In every case, they preserve – and in most cases improve – our breadth of capability. We are not prepared to dilute the essence of Land Rover. But we are committed to improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions.”

Over the past nine years, Land Rover’s cross-range emissions output has fallen by 13 per cent, compared with the motor industry’s overall average improvement of 9.7 per cent. Indeed, the Freelander Td4 diesel’s CO2 emissions compare with many hot hatches, and the seven-seater Discovery 3 TDV6 has CO2 emissions to match many saloons. Furthermore, the CO2 emissions from the latest 2006 Range Rover V8 have been improved by 11 per cent over those of the outgoing 2005 model.

In addition, more than 90 per cent of all Land Rover vehicles currently sold in Europe are diesel powered, combining the versatility of a 4×4 with the economy of a typical family car.

But the Company is committed to going much further. While adhering to Land Rover’s core abilities as versatile, all-terrain vehicles, the Land_e technologies target a sub 150g/km CO2 figure which equates to a combined fuel economy figure approaching 50mpg or 5.65L/100km – in a vehicle similar in size to the current Freelander. Such CO2 emissions levels are comparable with a typical petrol B segment or diesel C segment car, representing an almost 30 per cent improvement on today’s figures.

(this article was taken from carjunky.com)