Published:
16 February 2024Just like the bigger Range Rover, the ‘L461’ Sport has outstanding mechanical isolation and noise suppression. The luxury car aura it conjures at low speeds is second to none in the class. Combustion noise is a muted hum even at middling crank speeds and there is no detectable vibration at all.
In the UK, among the Sport models we've tried we've fully road tested a D300 diesel. Its measured performance against our road test timing gear, in terms of both acceleration and braking, was softened somewhat by several factors. Because of its genuine dual-purpose 4x4 remit, it's a particularly heavy car among its peers; it runs on Pirelli all-season M+S tyres instead of the dedicated on-road rubber that key rivals use; and it is shorter-geared than some in order to provide the off-road capability that a Range Rover needs (without a low-range transfer ’box as standard, remember).
Step-off is handled in a Range Rover-typical gathering wave of momentum, which makes the car easy to drive slowly and to manage when you’re on and off the throttle off road, if a little hesitant when you want the fastest getaway. Gearchanges are timed intuitively and delivered smoothly, and the engine has laudable low-end response and decent high-end flexibility and refinement by diesel standards.
Overseas we've driven the latest SV Edition One model too. Its performance is astounding - JLR's claim that it can do from 0-62mph in 3.8sec feels entirely plausible and the BMW-sourced V8 is responsive throughout the range. There's little point extending it all the way to the 7000rpm redline and there's so much effortless shove through the mid-range you'd only do it to enjoy the sound, which is rich and purposeful, if less angry than you'd remember from the old 5.0-litre supercharged Jaguar Land Rover unit.
