Range Rover Sport
Overview
Body and Frame Design
Engine and Drive train
Suspension
Interior & Luxury Features
On-Road Performance
Off-Road Performance
Test Reports
Build Quality and Owner Experiences
Model Year Details and Updates
Technical Specifications
Buying Information
Extended Warranties
More Information
Photo: Tim's
Scottish Giverny Green TDV6 Range Rover Sport
Overview
The Range Rover Sport brings to fruition the desire of Land Rover's
corporate owner (Ford) to expand the number of models in the lineup and
increase market share with a slightly smaller, more sporty luxury SUV.
It is aimed squarely at the "sports car SUVs" such as the BMW X3 &
X5, Mercedes ML, VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, with the idea of
equaling their on-road performance while blowing them away in off-road
capability. When a "Range Stormer" concept vehicle made the rounds of
auto shows, everyone hoped that Ford would not debase the Range Rover
name by using it on something with less than superior off road
capabilities. People buy Range Rovers because they know they are the
best on and off road machines available. As it
turns out, Land Rover has done a creditable job, and the resulting vehicle is so
impressive that thousands were ordered months before its mid-2005 availability
date.
The new model was officially unveiled in November 2004, and was shown at the January 2005 Detroit Motor Show (left -- photo courtesy of Michael at ovalnews.com), with availability scheduled for June 2005. Based on the Discovery 3 (LR3) platform, the Range Rover Sport uses the same hybrid chassis and body construction, with wheelbase reduced by 6 inches and the overall stance lowered. The more stylish, less bulky bodywork has traditional Range Rover styling cues such as the "floating" roof and clamshell bonnet/hood. The Discovery's double-wishbone air suspension with "Terrain Response" system is utilized, along with its base engine -- the 300 horsepower Jaguar-derived 4.4 liter V8.
The Sport's reduced bulk gives it better highway performance than the Discovery, further enhanced by a sophisticated dynamic stability system. More exciting is the upscale version with a 4.2 liter supercharged version of the V8, developing about 400 horsepower and giving a zero to 60 time of about 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. Even this version will not quite keep up with the fastest "poseur" SUVs from Porsche and Mercedes, but it's good enough to provide a serious alternative for those looking for something with real off-road capability.
Overall, the Range Rover Sport seems to have achieved the design
goals set for it, resulting in a compact package with superb high speed
pavement performance and handling. Off-road capabilities are slightly
compromised, but should still be adequate to leave the pretenders from
BMW, Mercedes and Porsche stuck in the ditch.
The Range Rover Sport shares the Discovery 3's "integrated
body-frame", with a full box section frame directly attached to a body
that has almost unibody strength. This gives it serious off-road
underpinnings combined with the body stiffness needed to reduce rattles
and improve crashworthiness. About 6 inches has been cut out of the
Discovery frame, making the Sport's wheelbase 108 inches, the same as
the 4.0/4.6 Range Rover and about 7 inches shorter than the current
model Range Rover.
(Photo at Right:
Official Land Rover depiction of integrated body/frame construction of
Discovery 3/LR3)
The bulky, spacious Discovery body shape is replaced with a more
compact, aerodynamic, lower-profile body that looks more like a Range
Rover. The roofline slopes down towards the rear spoiler, and the use
of black
trim on the window pillars retains the "floating roofline" styling cue
of the Range Rover. Other Range Rover cues include the clamshell
bonnet/hood (which, however, has lost its castellation) and a high
"command" seating position. 
The inevitable nested headlights adorn the front (probably a style
that will soon go out of fashion), and racy
looking grille and side vents convey the impression of speed. One loss
compared to other Range Rovers is the traditional and very
useful tailgate -- this is replaced in the Sport by a clever hatch back
design that allows you to open either the top window only (for access
to put small items
in the back), or the whole hatch (photo at left) for full access.
Sadly, however, no more tailgate parties! (Photo at left: Range Rover Sport rear hatch)
In spite of the 6 inch wheelbase reduction, overall length is only 2.4 inches (6 cm) shorter than the Discovery. And the Sport is actually 40 lbs (20kg) heavier, tipping the scales at 5468lb (2480 kg). Compared to the standard Range Rover, it is about 6.5 inches (15 cm) shorter and 90 lbs (40kg) heavier. This reflects the less efficient (from a strength to weight point of view) body and frame construction compared to the BMW-designed monocoque Range Rover.
The lower, more
aerodynamic body of the Sport coupled with the same engine and
transmission gives it better high speed performance than
the Discovery, with a top speed of 130 mph for the base version and 140
for the supercharged version.
Overall, the body design sheds some of the grace, simplicity, subtlety
and refinement of the standard Range Rover, in favor of a more flashy,
sporty appearance reminiscent of a Detroit concept vehicle. But it
still succeeds in conveying "Range Roverness" in a more compact sporty
package. The Sport's interior (see below) is similarly more "sporty"
than the
standard Range Rover, with leather, wood and metallic finishing
materials conveying the feel of a high performance machine.
Like the chassis and suspension, the standard 4.4 litre V8 engine
comes directly from the Discovery 3/LR3. (After mid-2005 it also serves
as the base engine for the standard Range Rover). This Jaguar-developed
engine has been modified by Land Rover to optimize it for off road use,
with better low speed torque characteristics and the ability to run at
extreme angles. It is an aluminum alloy design with 4 valves per
cylinder, developing 300 hp at 5,500 RPM and 315 lb-ft of torque at
4,000 rpm.
New
for the Sport model (and also as an option for the standard
Range Rover) is another Jaguar-derived power plant, a 4.2
liter supercharged version of the V8 which turns out 390 hp at 5,750
rpm
and 400 ft-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm. Both engines unfortunately
continue the Range Rover tradition of requiring premium unleaded fuel. (Photo at left from Detroit Motor Show --
cutaway of air intake and supercharger on 4.2 litre engine, courtesy of
ovalnews.com).
For Sport drivers who are less interested in sport and more in fuel
economy, a more pedestrian diesel version is also offered. This uses a
2.7 litre
turbo diesel.
The transmission for the new model is also directly from the
Discovery -- a 6 speed ZF HP26 unit with normal, sport, and manual
shift
modes -- the latter being particularly useful in low range. On the
supercharged model, a "positive torque" feature is added to enhance
gear changes. The transfer case, also from the Discovery, has an
excellent low range ratio of 2.9 to 1 and an electronically controlled
locking center differential. I am not sure yet whether the optional
rear diff lock available on the Discovery will also be offered on the
Range Rover Sport.
Land Rover's now-standard 4-wheel electronic traction control and Hill Descent Control systems are included on the new model. The latter is designed to limit speed and maintain controllability in steep downhill descents, by manipulating the throttle and ABS systems to achieve a target speed of 1.6 mph in low range. Also included is the new "Terrain Response" system that was introduced on the Discovery 3. A 5-position dial on the center console (photo at right courtesy of Stephan Schumacher) allows the driver to select the type of terrain being negotiated -- pavement, snow, mud, sand, or rocks -- and the computer adjusts such parameters as allowable slip on the traction control, suspension height, and gear ratio to optimize drivability, comfort and traction.
The LR3/Discovery 3 and Range Rover
Sport
can use
the same wheels, but the tire size on the Sport is a tad smaller, at
255/50R19, while the supercharged version has very low
profile 275/40R20 tires. The Sport has special brakes to go along with
its high speed abilities; the
supercharged model uses bigger discs (both front and rear) in
combination with special Brembo 4-piston calipers on the front. (Note
that models with the Brembo brakes are not compatible with all wheel
choices).
For more technical details see the RR Sport Technical
Specifications Page.
Photo: Controls on center console
for terrain response (knob), suspension height (left switch), high and
low range selection (right switch), and hill descent control (orange
center switch).
Like the rest of the Sport's mechanicals, the suspension
derives directly from the Discovery 3, but with some variations to optimize it
for higher speed performance on road. This suspension was in turn derived from
the Range Rover independent electronically controlled air suspension introduced
in 2002, but uses double wishbones both front and rear (the Range Rover Mk III
uses MacPherson struts in the front).
Like previous Range Rover air suspensions, it can be raised for off
road use and lowered for convenient access. The controls for the
suspension, high and low range selection, hill descent control, and
terrain response are all grouped together at the rear of the center
console -- see photos above and below. To improve on-road
dynamics, the Range Rover Sport adopts a somewhat lower stance than the
Discovery, resulting in a loss of ground clearance in all modes. On the
Sport, the maximum ground clearance under the differentials is 8.9
inches, compared to 9.5 on the Discovery and 11 on the Range Rover. As
a result, the ramp break over angle is somewhat diminished at 25 degrees
in off road mode, compared with 28 degrees on the other models. (Of
course, 25 degrees is still much better than the average competitor --
for example a Jeep Grand Cherokee scores somewhere around 17 degrees).
However as an added bonus, the Extended Profile mode last seen on the
4.0/4.6 has returned on the Sport, giving an extra 1.5 inches of
clearance when the computer senses that the vehicle is high centered.
In this mode, the driver can hold the "up" switch on (for 3 seconds
with a foot on the brake) for another 1.5
inches or 3 inches over the normal off road mode -- a total of almost
12 inches of clearance.
The use of cross-linking for both front and rear
air springs when off road, allowing air to slosh rapidly between left
and right, was pioneered on the Range Rover Mk III, copied on the
Discovery
3 and is carried over to the Range Rover Sport. This has a highly
beneficial effect -- softening the ride over bumps and maximizing
ground contact force at the drooping wheel (thereby
increasing traction).
Interior & Luxury Features
The Sport's interior is more "sporty" than
the
standard Range Rover, with grey and metallic colors dominating the
leather and wood trim, to convey feel of a high performance machine.
As illustrated in the photo at right
(courtesy of Michael at
ovalnews.com) and the close-up above, all the off-road controls (high
and low range, terrain response, suspension height, hill descent
control) are conveniently grouped together at the rear of the center
console behind the gearshift (lower left of picture).
As would be expected in any Range Rover, the
Sport comes with a high level of luxury trim and features to make life
easier for the driver. A premium navigation system similar to that in
the standard Range Rover includes off-road features facilitating
finding your way back from your off-road adventure. It incorporates an
"advanced 4X4 information center" which displays information relevant
to off-road driving such as the direction the wheels are pointed, the
Terrain Response mode selected, and which wheels are in contact with
the ground.
An available Personal Telephone Integration
System includes voice-activated and steering wheel controls.
The 14-speaker, 550 watt Harmon Kardon Logic
7 sound system includes an in-dash CD changer, MP3-player interface,
and separate controls for front and rear passengers allowing them to
listen to different music.
On-Road Attributes & Performance
Range Rover engine power traditionally lags behind what is really needed to get to the head of the pack among SUVs. The Sport model is designed to address that deficit, and goes a good way towards doing so. The supercharged version can even keep up with a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland on the drag strip, getting to 60mph in 7.2 seconds, and is probably far better in overall handling. The 140 mph top speed of the supercharged model is impressive. The lesser engines are still no slugs -- the 4.4 litre V8 model has a top speed of 130, and a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds, while even the diesel version can do 120, but is a bit more leisurely in acceleration, making it to 60 in 11.9 seconds.
In tune with the Range Rover Sport's on-road
cachet, a clever new
"adaptive cruise control" allows the driver to keep a set
distance behind the vehicle in front. The smart steering system
varies power assistance level and thereby steering "feel" according to
speed. Dynamic Stability Control system helps keep the enthusiastic
driver out of trouble by intervening to save your life when a wheel
threatens to lift off the pavement while
negotiating a bend at 130 mph. The system monitors cornering forces and
senses when a wheel is about to lift off. It can apply corrective
action such as limiting throttle input, activating or deactivating sway
bars, and selectively applying braking forces to one or more
wheels. The system also acts on the anti-sway bars to improve
body control in corners; the bars are decoupled on the
straights for greater ride comfort and off-road for maximum wheel
articulation -- another advance in Range Rover
suspension design innovation. It can be switched off if the driver
prefers. Adaptive headlamps are connected to the steering so they can
swivel to preview what is around the bend, like the old Citroen DS21 of
the 1970's.
In an initial road
test., the ride was reported to be superb at high speed, but a
bit firm and fidgety on poor surfaces, indicating that the engineers
have not yet mastered the
art of providing the velvet ride quality of the Classic in an updated
form, but this model is clearly aimed at the sports enthusiast who
probably will not mind.
Off-Road Attributes and Performance
Off road ability is the one area where
skeptics of the new Range
Rover Sport may still need convincing. First the bad news: even though
a vehicle might incorporate every technological aid known to man, in
real-life off roading there is no substitute for adequate ground
clearance. Here the Sport is slightly handicapped in comparison with
Land Rover's traditionally excellent standards. As pointed out above,
its clearance and ramp break over angle do not compare favorably to
previous Range Rovers and Land Rovers (we can leave out of
consideration here the Freelander which, with its 7.3 inch ground
clearance, came dead last in
off-road
ability in the 2002 Four Wheeler of the Year contest).
Right:
Official Land Rover press
photo of RR Sport in action
The good news is that in every area except ultimate clearance,
the Sport has remarkably good off road attributes. It is built like a
tank, as indicated by its massive weight, and the sturdy underpinnings
will easily withstand the harsh treatment of real off road driving.
Approach and departure angles (34 and 29 degrees respectively) are
very good, and the designers have done a great job of shaping the rear
end so there are no protruding pieces such as an exhaust tip that will
get broken off when exiting a deep ditch or washout.
(Photo at left courtesy of Stephan
Schumacher). Unfortunately, on the supercharged model you get
bonus chrome exhaust tips that do protrude (see photo in "Overview" section above), but they could probably
be removed. The spare tire is mounted under the rear end, and for
serious off road trips one might want to move it so it won't get
damaged. However it is notable that a full-sized spare is provided, in
contrast to its competitors which come with a space-saver version that
you wouldn't like to have to use on a 4WD road -- in my experience the
most likely place to et a flat. This highlights the difference between
the Sport and the Cayenne and its ilk -- the latter do not have
serious off-road capability.
Wheel travel is very respectable, and the various aids to
traction such as the electronic traction control and the suspension
cross-coupling are a big help. The various traction aids make it
superior on slick mud, snow and ice, and all that horsepower is a real
boon on sand. Measured by the standards of competing
models such as a Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Sport is superior in all off
road
attributes and should have no problem leaving them in the dust (or
mud). It will have even less trouble from the BMW and Mercedes
pseudo-SUVs that are its main market competitors. Unlike them, it can
even be ordered with a factory
winch accessory! It is only when
compared with the high standards set by other Land Rover vehicles that
it falls slightly short.
Overall, it is heartening that the route taken by the Freelander was
not followed in the Range Rover Sport. Compared to that vehicle, the
new model is infinitely better off road, and only falls slightly short
of its sister Range Rover and Discovery/LR3 models. Certainly, the
average driver will be surprised at where it can go --
only experienced off-road drivers will occasionally run up against its
ground
clearance limitations in certain situations encountered on rocky
trails, crossing berms and ditches, etc. For those wanting to further
improve the off road performance of the Sport, it
is good to know that the 255/55R19 Goodyear MT/R tires used on the
Range Rover in Land Rover's recent G4
Challenge should fit perfectly. At this point it is unknown whether or
when a winch will become available for the Sport -- stay tuned!
Test
Reports
Our own RangeRovers.net on and
off-road test of the RR Sport, conducted by three Range Rover
Owners, is reported at this link.
One of the first on and off road test reports I found for the
new Sport was this
one from the Daily Telegraph, April 9, 2005. The author, Peter
Hall, was able to include high speed testing on the closed Mira test
track, observing: "In a dizzying sequence of turns at up to 130mph on a
dry surface, with Dynamic Stability Control turned off, the Range Rover
Sport feels more
like a sports saloon than a sport-utility vehicle, and only in
extremis, when the
anti-rollover protection software detects the risk of a wheel lifting,
does DSC automatically intervene to maintain stability; at slightly
lower speeds, with Mira's track sprinklers turned on, one can indulge
in lurid yet supremely controlled, opposite-lock power slides, or allow
DSC to keep everything neat and tidy, even on a surface as slippery as
snow." He notes "On the road, the ride quality is firm and a little
fidgety on poor surfaces, but with an impressive 390bhp and 410lb ft of
torque on tap, cruising is effortless and back-road progress very
satisfying. The adaptive automatic gearbox (with manual override
function) is more aggressively programmed than in the Discovery (with a
noticeable engine blip when changing down) but is equally smooth in
operation. Road and wind noise are almost non-existent thanks partly to
good aerodynamics..."
Other on-road tests also mention that the ride is a bit
harsh, and
certainly much firmer than the standard Range Rover.
Unfortunately, this may be inevitable in a sports-biased model like the
Range Rover Sport, just as it is in the competing BMW X5.
In off-road testing at Eastnor Castle, Mr Hall reports "It would
almost certainly be less effective than the
Discovery in the most extreme conditions, but with all the same Terrain
Response technology and information displays - not to mention superbly
supportive seats - it comfortably dismissed obstacles more challenging
than I have experienced in any other vehicle. Deep,
water-filled trenches, ludicrous traverses and scarily steep and slimy
tracks (driven forwards and in reverse) only confirmed that Land Rover
produces the best off-roaders in the world."
The best report I have seen so far is a BBC "Top Gear" video
of a RR Sport
trying to
escape from a Challenger tank off road, at the British Army's
92,000
acre Salisbury Plain armored warfare training area. It is highly
impressive!!
(Photo: RR Sport in action
©Steve Taylor/Total Off-Road,
2005)
In the February 2006 issue of Four Wheeler
Magazine, the Sport narrowly lost out to the Lexus LS470 as the Four
Wheeler of the Year. The editorial opinion was that it would have won
if the Supercharged model had been used, and if it was not provided
with such extreme low profile tires that were shredded on the rocky
off-road sections. The harshness of the off-road ride in high profile
mode was also criticized. Otherwise, the Sport acquitted itself well,
easily beating the rest of the competition.
Build Quality and Owner Experiences
Time will tell whether Ford has succeeded in
forcing Land Rover to
improve build quality and help erase the reputation it has for prolific
oil leaks and electrical problems. Hopefully it will do better than the
new Range Rover did in registering second to last in the July 2003 JD
Powers initial quality survey. This was before the Ford ownership had
time to take hold, and it is notable that Ford-owned Jaguar had risen
well into the top half of rankings in the same survey. Meanwhile, it
could well be worth
checking out extended warranties for your
Range Rover Sport -- these are cheaper if you don't wait until the
factory warranty expires.
The Range
Rover Sport Common Problems and Fixes page will catalog the
problems
most often reported to me by owners of the new model, so please write
in with your experiences so other owners can benefit. We are also
starting an Ownership Experience page
for the Sport, relating first
hand the good and bad experiences of some owners.
Model Year Details and Updates
For full details of each model year, see the
Range Rover Model Year Details pages.
There is a separate page for each model year of the RR Sport, as listed
below.
2005: RR Sport introduced as a 2006
model
2006: Model continues unchanged
2007: No significant updates.
Minor changes in color and options packages.
Technical Specifications
For full technical specifications on the
Range Rove Sport models, see the RR Sport Technical Specs page.
Buying
Information
Buyer's Brokers:
Unless you particularly enjoy the adversarial dealer haggling
experience when buying a new RR, you are much better off to do as many
car buyers are now doing and hire a buyer's broker to do the shopping
and deal making for you. They will find the exact car you want and
get
far lower prices than you can (even after paying their modest fee). They
can also handle your trade-in and financing if you wish. They deliver
to your door and their paperwork usually takes about 10 minutes.
Compare that to the 6.5 hours a customer usually spends fighting the
dealer when bargaining and signing up for a new car! See the
Buyer's
Broker page for more details on using a broker.
Research, Reviews and Price
Quotes:
Edmunds.com
Land Rover Price Guide (new and used, all
models), multiple
free dealer quotes,
research, road tests etc. The most trusted source of unbiased
automotive info on the web. Also road tests.
Research, Buy or Sell New or Used Range Rovers. Free quotes.
This is about the only site I've found that
discloses the Dealer Invoice for the MkIII RR ($66,507 last time I
looked).
Also largest selection of Used Range Rover
listings, including MkIIIs.
Free quotes on New Range Rovers
New RR Quotes, Used Kelly
Blue Book Values and Listings
Express Quote on new vehicles. Some Invoice pricing info.
Financing:
Range Rover Financing Page More
information
on financing and leasing
Insurance:
The Range Rover Insurance page lists
sources for low cost insurance quotes.
Extended
Warranty Information
Like earlier Range Rover models, this is a
high maintenance vehicle,
and many owners may wish to have their pride and joy covered by an
extended warranty to avoid the likelihood of major repair expenses.
Land Rover dealers usually offer some form of extended coverage, but it
can be less expensive to obtain a policy from a third party source. It
is easiest and much cheaper to arrange such extended warranties while
your vehicle is still under its original factory policy. Unfortunately,
due to the reputation of Range Rovers for expensive repairs, most of
the well-known auto warranty providers will not cover them, but a few
have specialized in providing affordable policies for these vehicles.
For more information, see the Range Rover
Extended Warranty Information page.
More
Information on the Range
Rover Sport
On
RangeRovers.net:
RR Sport Forum
RR Sport Common Symptoms and Fixes
RR Sport Winch Accessory
On and Off-Road Test Drive by
Rangerovers.net
Tire & Wheel options for
the RR Sport
Latest News and Model Updates
Air Suspension
Details and Operation (RR III -- similar to RR Sport)
Range Rover Extended Warranties
Service: Dealer and Independent Shops
Coming
Soon:
Ownership Experiences: Listing of RR Sport
owner
comments
Repair Operation Details for Range
Rover Sport
Outfitting and Accessories
for the Sport
Parts Sources for Range Rover Sport
Other
Links:
Land Rover Lifestyle Magazine --
Link
to Official Accessories Catalog for the Sport
4
Car On & Off Road Test of Range Rover Sport
Telegraph
Road Test Report on Range Rover Sport
Launch
of Range Rover Sport in Monaco lots of photos
Automobile
Magazine off road photos of Range Rover Sport
Detroit Auto
Show pics by Ovalnews.com
Ovalnews.com Great source for
breaking news on all Land Rovers
Range Rover
Register
RRSport.co.uk -- UK based Forum for RR Sport
Owners
If you have corrections, comments or suggestions, email us.
Page revised February 10, 2012