New Range Rover Sport revealed with epic Spillway climb
New Range Rover Sport luxury performance SUV avoided a perilous drop and defied a torrent of water
to make its global premiere with a world-first demonstration of dynamic capability
THE NEW RANGE ROVER SPORT HAS MADE ITS GLOBAL PREMIERE WITH A DRAMATIC WORLD-FIRST CLIMB UP A FLOODED DAM SPILLWAY IN ICELAND
The epic ascent saw New Range Rover Sport resist the surging torrent of water flowing down the ramp of the Karahnjukar Dam – the biggest of its kind in the world – at a rate of 750 tonnes per minute. A loss of traction risked plunging down the perilous 90m drop at the base of the spillway to the valley floor below.
The third generation of Land Rover’s luxury performance SUV is the most desirable, technologically advanced and capable yet, mixing an imposing road presence with instinctive driving responses using the most advanced combination of chassis technologies ever fitted to a Land Rover.
The successful spillway ascent was screened for the first time at an exclusive launch event at Jaguar Land Rover’s Advanced Product Creation Centre in Gaydon, UK.
Land Rover’s pioneering MLA-Flex architecture and the latest chassis systems come together to deliver the highest levels of dynamism we’ve ever seen on Range Rover Sport. Integrated Chassis Control governs the comprehensive suite of innovations, co-ordinating everything from the latest switchable-volume air suspension system to our Dynamic Response Pro electronic active roll control. The result is the most engaging and thrilling Range Rover Sport ever.
Nick Collins, Executive Director Vehicle Programmes – Jaguar Land Rover
The spillway climb was the final obstacle on the drive from the valley floor to the summit of the dam, taking in a flooded riverbed, long steep tunnels and the 40-degree rocky dam wall itself. The 294m stretch of spillway had water furiously cascading down its 90-metre drop, to provide the ultimate test of traction and driver confidence.
New Range Rover Sport is based on Land Rover’s advanced, flexible Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA-Flex), which provides the perfect foundations for its superior dynamics and peerless refinement. Its line-up of powerful and efficient powertrains includes two six-cylinder extended range Electric Hybrid plug-ins, which provide a pure-electric driving range of up to 113km (70 miles) and CO2 emissions as low as 18g/km1.
The new 530PS V8 Twin Turbo provides sports car performance, with 0-100km/h in as little as 4.5 seconds (0-60mph in 4.3 seconds) with Dynamic Launch engaged. Customers can also choose from powerful and efficient mild hybrid petrol and diesel Ingenium engines, while pure-electric propulsion will be available in 2024, as Land Rover continues its electrification journey.
