As with all Land Rover models, the new Range Rover Sport is an evolution of the outgoing model in appearance, keeping its short overhangs and steeply raked windows at the front and back. It has a 75mm-longer wheelbase than previously to improve rear leg room.
Chief exterior designer Dominic Najafi highlighted three fundamental elements to its design: a roofline that ‘accelerates’ down to the rear; a so-called waistline that is a continuous loop around the car; and a lower part that follows through and kicks up at the back.
He said: “It has a seamless finish from body to glass and the body side is very smooth. It’s more sophisticated than the outgoing Range Rover Sport.
“At the rear, we’ve moved the numberplate down to give a cleaner surface than before. Even the graphics on this car are harmonious. We don’t want anything to stand out. It’s a very modern approach.”
Digital LED lighting units at the front, the slimmest ever fitted to a Land Rover, create a daytime-running light signature. At the back, uninterrupted LED light graphics introduce surface LED technology to a production vehicle for the first time, claims Land Rover.
Inside, the Range Rover Sport has been designed to be more driver-oriented than its Range Rover sibling. The steering wheel is similar to the Range Rover’s but the seating position is 20mm lower.
The high centre console rises up into the dashboard, which has a 13.1in curved screen that uses JLR’s Pivi Pro infotainment system, plus a 13.7in driver’s display. It has over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android and Amazon Alexa capability.
Pricing
Pricing for the Range Rover Sport starts from £83,620 for the entry-level D300 model, which comes with 296bhp from a 3.0-litre six-cylinder mild-hybrid diesel engine. Prices begin at £102,540 for the 345bhp D350 car.
The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) P440e gets a 434bhp 3.0 litre six-cylinder, and starts from £89,980. The more potent P510e PHEV sets owners back £114,050, and brings a more powerful 503bhp system.