2015 Range Rover Sport SVR – new pictures and passenger ride

The chassis has been tuned for improved agility, the SVR featuring air suspension, adaptive dampers and stiffer, lighter components.

Key to the SVR’s cornering ability is an Active Roll Control system, which replaces anti-roll bars with a hydraulic pump on each axle to control body roll and allow the car to “deliver a progressive breakaway on the limit”. Weight has also been added to the variable-ratio electric steering system.

Fitted as standard to the SVR are 21-inch alloys shod with 275/45 R21 tyres. Optional are 22-inch alloys equipped with 295/40 R22 Continental SportContact 5 performance tyres. Stopping power comes from Brembo brakes with six-piston calipers. 

The SVR is easily distinguished from other Range Rover Sports by a series of design changes. There’s a new front bumper with larger air intakes, a new grille finish, flared wheel arches, a new rear bumper with integrated diffuser and quad exhaust pipes, and a rear spoiler.

Inside, new and luxuriously trimmed sports seats feature alongside standard aluminium trim and optional carbonfibre trim. Four different colour schemes are offered inside.

The car was first shown off at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2014, where it made several runs up the famous hill climb. At that point it was a heavily camouflaged development car, but still boasted the same engine of the car that is to go on sale. It was also shown as a static display at the 2014 Pebble Beach weekend in 2014.

FIrst ride in the new Range Rover Sport SVR at Land Rover Experience, Eastnor

As a concept, the fastest SUV to lap the Nürburgring is a concerning one. Surely turning a car the size of the Range Rover Sport into a lap record holder is going to have some sort of an adverse effect on everything that makes the Sport so good?

The car that we clambered into was certainly compromised in some way: this was the very one that set the record at the 'Ring, so it was kitted out with a rollcage and bucket seats.

Despite the boost in power and speed, the cars going out to customers will not come with such things. Instead, Range Rover promises that everything that makes its cars' interiors great will be retained. Almost everything, that is, as the SVR will not come with a seven-seat option, as the standard Sport does.

In fact, the SVR will come with two separate seats in the back. A third adult will be able to squeeze in the middle, but apparently you won't want to be there for anything longer than a quick trip back from the pub at night.

This is all part of a weight loss process that means the SVR is about 30-40kg lighter than the standard car.

This helps to improve the SVR's performance, but the thing that really transforms this car is that engine. It is based on the standard 5.0-litre Supercharged, but the improvements mean that it is 0.6sec quicker in the 0-62mph dash.