2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

Review

I have a certain disdain for the illegitimate use of the word “Sport” on cars.

Sport, by Land Rover. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Sport is a word that makes me think of grip, g-forces and frighteningly quick 0-60 mph times, not a Dodge Grand Caravan with plastic wheel covers. And while Sport has become just another decoration, a trim level that’s been as abused as the name “Special Edition”, it hasn’t been defamed under the watch of Land Rover.

The Range Rover Sport isn’t just big shiny wheels and low-profile tires, rounded out with some decals. It isn’t extra horsepower, a great big engine, or even some fancy performance stability control system. Nor is it fancy aluminum trim, a flat-bottomed steering wheel or rubber-studded metal pedals. The Range Rover Sport may feature some of these things, but it is not defined by add-ons. Sport is something much more intrinsic - it’s an entirely different vehicle. It’s funny, that such a commonly misused word can still hold such promise and meaning.

It may be the polar opposite of the Mini, but like the tiny British micro car,

Sport is authentic; these fender vents are functional. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the Range Rover is an icon in design, and I think the Sport provides a good, modern interpretation of the original. A Range Rover has defining traits in appearance - tall, thin, blacked out pillars, the trapezoidal greenhouse, the clamshell hood and the bulky door handles, and the Sport has them all (but no split tailgate; it’s a one-piece aluminum door with pop-up glass flipper). It’s just that it’s leaner, lower, and looks more aggressive. The familiar face has a cool, electric razor foil-like grille, and the diamond mesh fender vents mean as much business as the roof-top rear spoiler. Much of the Range Stormer concept found its way into the production Sport, at the very core of its design, and it still looks solid, a svelte representation of the 2.5-ton SUV that it is. Solidity, through and through.

So the Sport looks a whole lot like a Range Rover, which was done on purpose, but if you were to take a Sushi-grade filleting knife to it, underneath the skin and body shell you might be

Get to know Terrain Response well and you'll be pretty much unstoppable. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

surprised by what you find. Besides the technology involved in the air suspension system, there’s no actual Range Rover in here, but rather it’s all LR3. An LR3 mind you, with 5.5 inches segmented from its wheelbase for improved agility and a muscular stance defined by a widened track.

Although the LR3 was not intended to be a performance vehicle, unless off-road, the Sport was designed not only to cope, but to excel on the road. Mechanically, it features a different steering rack supplied by ZF designed to convey sharper inputs, while the tuning of the air suspension is completely different. Unlike the LR3, the Sport benefits from active Dynamic Response active anti-roll bars, which cut back on body roll without wreaking havoc on the ride quality. It’s grouped together with the Brembo stoppers from the Supercharged model, at extra cost ($2,000). No matter how sporty a Land Rover is the fundamentals remain intact, in that comfort and capability should not be hindered.

Looks sporty, and sounds sporty too. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

A maximum of 300 horsepower is what the Sport HSE’s Jaguar-sourced 4.4-liter AJ-V8 engine puts out. 300 horsepower isn’t much for a V8 to make these days, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t a treat to the senses. Firing up the Sport, and the sound that it makes as each of its cylinders ignite to life - it’s something you don’t get from just any old V8. Slot the shifter from Park to Drive, and the exhaust note dips a few octaves, the sort of sound you hear from a speedboat when setting off, the sound of a real luxury toy.

Subjected to the international performance barometer of 0-60, or simply horsepower and torque numbers, the HSE is outclassed by newer, more powerful rivals, but figures do not tell the complete story about the powertrain. The integration of the six-speed ZF gearbox is seamless and the lack of vibration and the ease at which it carries itself give the impression that there’s always reserve power on hand. And of course, there’s

Not faster than a speeding bullet, but it's faster (and much more comfortable) than a speeding commuter train. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the soundtrack - not the crisp harman/kardon Logic 7 - but the actual exhaust note. Its mellifluous tune is appropriate, welcome and thankfully not deadened.

Although fuel economy is a concern, I’m not going to go into it other than that it’s as expensive to run as you think it is. It isn’t good, but you’ve heard the saying before - if you can afford to buy it, you can afford to run it. On the other hand, if fuel economy is the deciding factor between the HSE and the Supercharged, the difference in real world driving figures is minimal, a sign to purchase what you truly want.

It’s rumored that a brand new motor is within sight for the brand, a bigger, more burly 5.0-liter V8 with direct injection that would offer the sort of performance gains many of its clients are looking for. There will also be a performance model, again with a supercharger, that’s predicted to boast somewhere in the neighborhood of 475 horsepower. In this thing? That should be good to squelch detractors.

There's nothing quite like a Land Rover, especially the view from here. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Only in a Land Rover can you observe the world around from a view like this. The lowered roof of the Sport, and the thick center console work to create a more intimate, cockpit-like feel, but it’s still got that Land Rover height and seats at the very corners of the cabin that allow you to perch over and look down at the terrain (and other SUVs) below. Thin pillars and big windows also provide a clear view out for those in front or in back, and surprisingly this is one of the few SUVs where you can see where the hood ends. This is, surprisingly, due to the fact that the hood is actually several inches lower than the base of the dashboard; you can spot this on the outside of the vehicle by the black band on the bottom of the windshield.

There’s support, but not in the way that you normally associate with sports car seats; they’re snug, but they cradle rather than clamp, allowing mobility within them. The cabin feels solid and luxurious and surprisingly durable with rubberized knobs, plus easy to spot switches, much of which is familiar from the LR3, although angled towards the driver to promote a

Matte wood is cool; matte wood is in. That's straight-grained walnut, for the record. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

more cockpit-like feel. A nice added touch is the matte finished straight grained walnut wood trim; it looks real, and authentic, the sort of wood you find on the base of a World War II era rifle, a change from the normal high-gloss stuff used everywhere.

Despite this being the Sport model, other than the physical raising and lowering of the suspension, and the gearbox’s manual mode, there is really very little for the driver to do, other than focus and drive. Power is split 50-50 front to rear, unless wheelspin is detected, in which case power is apportioned as the system sees fit. The damping is controlled by itself, which may confuse those used to dozens of settings, but they aren’t needed on the HSE. It has the right balance between comfort and ability, on and off the road. There is no question that the Sport is the firmest riding Land Rover, somewhere in between a Jaguar XJR and the standard Range Rover, but it is neither wearing nor bothersome. The HSE has a balance that I’m willing to call best in class for performance SUVs; its smaller 19-inch wheels remove the slight, harsh edge that’s present on other Land Rovers with

Tune in, get informed - everything you wanted to know about your Land Rover's drivetrain is on display. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

20-inch wheels.

Against the X5, FX, Q7 and company, the Sport provides a different driving experience, one best measured against some of its more off-road capable rivals like the Cayenne or Touareg. Its tall stature, heavy chassis and improved but somewhat vague steering won’t earn it too many marks out on the twisty road, but it charms and satisfies in its own peculiar way with enough body control and poise to earn its keep regarding the claims its Sport badge makes. When asked to hustle, the Sport doesn’t protest, but rather it goes along with your inputs, which is surprising granted its size and stature. Excluding the Sport Supercharged, this is without question the sportiest Land Rover to drive, to date - mission accomplished.

On that note, what it gives up in ultimate agility and car-likeness, it gains off-road. Toss any of its more performance-biased rivals on the turf the Sport was raised on, and the tables will turn. Every aspect of this truck was optimized to perform just as well off-road as on, from the

Think of it as the Bentley Continental of the 4X4 world. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

engine, optimized to work at extreme, oil-draining angles, to the body and suspension, which have been sealed and isolated from the elements for fording, mudding and general 4x4ing. These elements are tied together by none other than Terrain Response, Land Rover's exclusive trail dominating drive system which meters throttle response, differential settings and ride height for five specific conditions, making an expert out of anyone.

The best way of summing up the Range Rover Sport is that it’s the 4X4 equivalent of a Bentley Continental. It, like the Bentley, strive for the preservation of reputation, luxury, and in the case of the Land Rover, off-road pedigree. However, like the Continental is to the Arnage, the Sport is to the Range Rover, in that it embraces modernity, style and improved dynamics, not to mention realistic pricing. It’s tradition, remixed. A slice of off-roading royalty for the real world.