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With the third generation of its trendsetter SUV, the Brits are relying on classic virtues in a minimalist guise. This has potential for conquest; especially if a gap in the offer will soon be closed.
For many, many years it's just that Holy Grail German car manufacturer: The very special processing quality was always the focus of every new product: Foamed plastics everywhere, including under the hood, metallic paint and of course the razor-thin distances between the metal sheets. This gap in particular was always the measure of all things.
Smartphone instead of a gap
Today, even the southern German premium brands hardly say a word about it. The customer is more interested in Alexa on board, highly automated little helpers or touchscreens; so it can be heard with a shrug of the shoulders when asked. The smartphone is the new gap.
Lee Perry thinks about it a little differently. And the designer at Land Rover says so with great enthusiasm: "Just see how the line of the bonnet almost seems to float on the side panels. These gap dimensions are art.” Other manufacturers also need “chrome strips as a cover on the windows, for example, because weld seams or materials do not fit together so precisely.” The range obviously does not. Perry is certain that such optically pure teaching will lure new customers away from the competition.
Smooth skin
The finish is accentuated by the distinct cleanliness of the new Range Rover Sport, which is available to order now. The lamps are almost hidden at the front and rear and are essentially only visible when they are working. The whole sheet metal dress falls almost without folds and beads, the door openers only go out when needed. From a distance, the Sport looks less bulky than one would expect at 4,95 meters long, 1,82 meters high and 2,21 meters wide (with mirrors).
Entry into the world of Range Rover Sport is now almost 93.000 euros more expensive than before at 20.000 euros. On the other hand, the off-road sport can technically do almost everything that ennobles the Defender as an expedition device. Only larger overhangs and smaller ground clearance (despite built-in air spring tricks) are not quite on its level. However, this range will hardly be moved outside of paved roads anyway. That is why the further development in the latest edition is primarily in terms of comfort.
Best sound
audible. Because, if desired, there is almost complete silence in the interior of the Range Rover Sport. This is ensured by a number of special loudspeakers in the system, which has an output of up to 1.430 watts: you can block out most of the driving or engine noises using anti-noise. And since some of the speakers are mounted in the headrests, the silence is always very close. Thanks to special fabrics, many of the up to 29 loudspeakers are also similarly invisible.
Such technical and visual tricks are particularly popular with Chinese and US customers. Cool Britannia in the interior design is also to be expanded as a classic strength. Lee Perry gets straight back into raptures: "All the lines of the materials inside draw perfect straight lines from the A to D pillars that would optically intersect far behind the vehicle." Looks clear and simple, but it is because of the many cables , struts or airbags under leather, plastic or shimmering copper chrome quite complicated.
Switches instead of touch surfaces
Just like the slightly curved 13,1-inch screen that appears to be floating on the center console. Unlike previous generations, the touchscreen is intuitive and sensitive to use, and the display gives tactile feedback like a button being pressed. And there are still real rotary switches for important functions such as air conditioning. If you adjust the seats in the Range Rover Sport, your hands will inevitably fall on the buttons that are needed for operation.
Speaking of leather: In three versions, this is standard from the entry-level version onwards, and there is also an animal skin-free cover available on request, which the British call Ultrafabrics. Heating, ventilation, massage - everything is of course available. The options list leaves little to be desired. A Range Rover Sport under the 100.000 euro threshold is unlikely to be seen in real traffic life.
Six-cylinder and electric motor - in one
The design of the Range Rover Sport is as progressive as its drivetrain is conventional: like its more conservative brother Range Rover, the plug-in hybrid's two performance levels are the pinnacle of electric sensations. In the P510e (from 138.500 euros) works an Ingenium six-cylinder with a 143 hp electric motor (system output: 510 hp). A significantly larger lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 38,2 kWh enables a purely electric range of 113 kilometers. Important for future environmental regulations. From a standing start, the station wagon pushes the sport to 5,4 km/h in 100 seconds. And the smaller plug-in P440e (from 114.000 euros) is certainly not weak with a system output of 440 hp. 5,8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h is also a clear announcement to the sports group.
For those who value performance above all else, the British continue to offer an eight-cylinder for 142.000 euros: the 530-liter twin-turbo delivers 4.4 hp. And with the "Dynamic Launch" button activated, the P530 model sprints to the 4,5 km/h mark in 100 seconds.
All-wheel drive instead of full electric
The petrol P400 or the diesel D250, D300 and D350 are, so to speak, the offer for recreational athletes, after all, thanks to 48-volt technology also with built-in savings potential. Even in the smallest engine, the D250, 249 hp should suffice for normal driving. All-wheel drive is always included, but despite the suitable platform, customers still have to wait for a fully electric variant. It won't hit the streets until the year after next. The British are still working on this technique.
It takes more than a good gap size
Thanks to two SIM cards on board, numerous other functions can now be retrofitted without having to visit a workshop. Depending on the version and equipment, more than 70 modules and control units can be supplied with updates. After all, nobody can rely entirely on the gap size as a sales argument anymore.
By the way: The Range Rover Sport always has Alexa ready to call upon delivery. Must be.