2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV

JLR's Range Rover lineup, including the Range Rover Sport, has been far too concerned with unparalleled luxury and a certain debonair sophistication to bother challenging the fastest SUVs in the world for sheer power and performance. But this new Range Rover Sport SV changes that, becoming the most powerful Range Rover ever with its 626-horsepower mild-hybrid twin-turbocharged V8 that can catapult this weighty SUV to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds before hitting 180 mph. This new performance flagship may have mega power and a host of Range Rover firsts like available carbon ceramic brakes, but it'll still envelope occupants in sheer luxury. Now, however, you can do so while embarrassing many high-end sports cars off the line.

It's unknown exactly when the release date for the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV will be, but it's likely to be coming out before the end of this year as a 2024 model. That won't matter to most people, however, as the first production year will only be allocated to select clients via invitation, and this will be for an exclusive SV Edition One variant. These models have already been sold out, so it'll be a while before other customers can get their hands on a new Range Rover Sport SV.

We don't know what the price of the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV will be in the USA just yet, but the previous-generation model was topped by the SVR Carbon Edition, which carried a cost of $130,000. With that in mind, the new SV could easily go for around $145,000 in light of its all-new design and much more powerful engine.

The BMW X5 M Competition is one of the SV's rivals as it's nearly as quick (0-60 in 3.7 seconds) but starts at an MSRP of $122,300. It's worth noting that the SV has the same engine found in the latest X5 M, with the BMW tuned to deliver 617 hp - just nine hp shy of the SV.

Over at Mercedes, expect to pay $120,000 for the AMG GLE 63 S that produces 603 hp. Like the others, it also has a turbocharged V8 lump under the hood.

Like a bodybuilder in a finely tailored suit, the exterior design of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV does a good job of letting you know how much muscle lies within but without letting it all hang out.

As with other new Land Rovers, this one has a clean and unfussy design. It looks expensive, modern, and solid. Being the sportier SV, the exterior looks more aggressive thanks to a lower ride height and substantial wheels and tires. In fact, the 305-section rear tires are a first for any Range Rover, with standard Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 rubber. Another first is new ultra-lightweight 23-inch carbon fiber wheels that can be specified as an option, saving over 78 pounds compared to cast-alloy wheels of the same size.

The other design flourishes are sporty but not overdone and include carbon fiber detailing for the Range Rover script, grille surround, hood vents, and the front bumper blades. The quad tailpipes also have carbon fiber tips.

The front of the body has been reprofiled for superior airflow, as have the lower body sides. There are also bright calipers for the powerful braking system, and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes are available optionally. These eight-piston calipers can be finished in yellow, red, carbon bronze, or black.

As for the available paint colors for the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV, Land Rover made mention of Carbon Bronze Matte, Obsidian Black Gloss, and Flux Silver Gloss, but we expect more to be included on the palette.

Although specific dimensions for the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV haven't been shared, we don't expect any significant changes from the regular Range Rover Sport.

The standard Sport's specs include a length of 194.7 inches, a width of 80.6 inches with the mirrors folded, and a height of 71.7 inches, complete with a 118-inch wheelbase. The width may increase, however, as will the track width.

Land Rover says that the SV weighs about as much as the P530 model when equipped with all its lightweight options. In the UK, the P530 has an unladen DIN weight of around 5,357 pounds.

Producing 626 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, the engine in the new Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV SUV is a 4.4-liter twin-turbo mild-hybrid unit from BMW. With standard all-wheel drive, the SV can get from 0-60 mph in just 3.6 seconds when in SV Mode, reaching a top speed of 180 mph.

SV Mode optimizes the throttle response, exhaust note, and 6D Dynamics suspension for the sportiest drive and affects the eight-speed automatic transmission. Speaking of the 6D Dynamics air suspension, this hydraulic linked setup is a world-first design that the automaker says allows for a near-level stance during high-speed acceleration, cornering, and braking. Pitch and roll are also contained, aspects that are usually more pronounced in a tall, heavy vehicle like this one.

This suspension is a semi-active design that doesn't require traditional anti-roll bars. Besides lowering the vehicle's weight and boosting grip, it also contributes to a more comfortable ride. All-wheel steering, torque vectoring by braking, and an active locking rear differential further contribute to a more sports car-like driving experience.

With wider rear tires and power steering with the fastest steering ratio of any previous Range Rover, this should be the most enjoyable Range Rover to drive quickly. And, besides going quickly in a straight line, the SV can generate lateral acceleration of over 1.1G with all-season tires, 22% more than the previous Sport SVR on summer tires; this figure is more what one would associate with track-focused sports cars.

As mentioned, the new SV has an impressive braking system with standard dual-cast iron brake discs. However, carbon ceramic brakes are available for the first time as an option.

EPA figures for the new Range Rover Sport SV haven't been published yet, but based on the BMW X5 M Competition's figures of 13/18/15 mpg city/highway/combined, the new SV won't be light on juice.

Assuming that it retains the same 21.1-gallon gas tank as the cheaper Sports and that it gets around 15 mpg, the SV should have a range of around 316 miles.

Much like the exterior, the interior of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV exudes class and sophistication with a clean, clutter-free layout. There are a number of tasteful and sporty features dotted around the cabin, but it's the seats in the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV that initially steal all the attention.

The front seats are carbon fiber-backed items with integrated headrests, illuminated SV logos, and bolsters that are more sculpted to hold you in place under hard cornering. The Ultrafabrics upholstery has a 3D-Knit zero waste textile, as even V8 performance SUVs start incorporating more sustainable materials.

A new introduction is the Body and Soul Seat design for those in front, which is linked to the sound system. Paired with the 29-speaker Meridian Signature sound system, these seats analyze media in real-time and contain transducers that help deliver high-fidelity audio vibrations to enhance the listening experience.

But the technology inside these seats serves another purpose, with six wellness tracks - Poise, Soothe, Serene, Cool, Tonic, and Glow - that can improve mental and physiological well-being. Land Rover says that these tracks can lower anxiety and improve cognitive response.

Elsewhere in the cabin, there is a special SV Mode button that glows in red on the steering wheel that can call up the sportiest driving settings quickly, while the SV Edition One has black ceramic finishes that mirror the diamond-like tactility of a high-end watch. The Edition One also comes with special branding on the center console and treadplates, and another world-first are the translucent edge-lit gear shift paddles behind the steering wheel.

The Pivi Pro infotainment interface looks sleek with its 13.1-inch floating glass display, and it comes with features like haptic feedback, integrated Amazon Alexa, and the ability to be updated over the air.

We expect the SV to be equipped to a similar level as the Autobiography, so customers should enjoy four-zone automatic climate control, a head-up display, a power tailgate, and driver-assistance gear like park assist, a 3D surround-view camera, and blind-spot assist.

Cargo space in the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SV will likely match the 31.9 cubic feet behind the second row of the standard Sport, increasing to 53 cubes behind the first row.