Range Rover Sport TDV8
Though it sold well, there was one thing that the original Range Rover Sport needed. A more powerful diesel. The TDV6 that was originally on offer was a worthy unit but other competitors offered more grunt. Hence the introduction of the TDV8 version were looking at here.
Though the TDV6 continues, its more powerful 3.6-litre stablemate gives the range a worthy diesel flagship.
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0TDI (230bhp). Its also an installation thats more befitting of a vehicle that needs a truly imperious engine. Although the Sport is, in effect, the diffusion line of the Range Rover sub-brand, its still perceived as a prestige choice. The TDV6 continues as an entry-level choice but the V8 is a far more desirable piece of engineering.
Stretch to £53,550 if you can. Eight cylinders are always a good start and the Range Rover Sport makes the most of its octet of oil-squashing pots. Its more than just the TDV6 plus two. Compared with that engine, its 42 per cent more powerful, delivers 45 per cent more torque but, crucially, offers similar fuel economy.
As youd expect with that sort of power gain, acceleration is vastly improved, slashing the sprint to 60mph to 8.6 seconds and giving a top speed capability of 124mph easily enough for high-speed intercontinental ballistic cruising. Refinement has been improved too. The TDV8 is claimed to be significantly quieter overall and you wont need to rev it until its valves bounce because the almost obscene torque figure of 640Nm comes on stream from just 2,000rpm.
Fully 500Nm of torque is on offer between 1,500 and 3,700rpm, giving the Sport real step off ability handy if you need to put a move on someone away from the lights.
"The Sport badge looks a little incongruous on the back of the TDV6. The TDV8 has no such self consciousness"
This means that acceleration feels effortless. The 12.7 second sprint to 60mph of the TDV6 wasnt premier league standard and the midrange performance has been transformed. The engine exceeds Euro4 emissions standards and a combined fuel economy figure of 25.
5mpg is a decent return for such a sizeable and swift hunk of automotive real estate. Many will labour under the misapprehension that this powerplant is the TDV6 with a couple of extra cylinders grafted onto the end but its far from it. Whereas the six-cylinder V6 has a bank angle of 60 degrees between the two sets of cylinders, the V8 has a 90-degree angle which is often regarded as the most efficient configuration of an eight-cylinder engines balance and refinement. Displacing 3.
6-litres, the TDV8 uses a revolutionary Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) engine block that offers better fatigue strength than aluminium with less weight than a standard grey iron casting. Now that the Sport is becoming a familiar sight on British roads its clear what a deft piece of styling it represents. Although some were a little dismayed at first that the look was so restrained, this shape has more legs than a more extreme design. The wheelarches are subtly flared, thin side vents sit behind the front wheels and theres a sharp swage line that runs along the cars hips.
The windscreen is sharply raked back and the perforated front grille looks like a set of expensive kitchen knives. Its also a landmark vehicle for a company with a whole lot more autonomy. Just five years ago, Land Rover could never have built a car of this kind. Their owners at the time (BMW) didnt want a sports crossover vehicle like this poaching sales from their all-conquering X5.
It was only as recently as 2000 that plans were first laid for a chassis platform that would spawn two very different vehicles. The first was the Discovery3 and the second was this, the Range Rover Sport. Both ride on a monocoque chassis and double wishbone suspension that offers far better on-road ride and handling than any previous Land Rover product. As you might expect, the Range Rover Sport features a much more focused set up than the Disco.
The steering rack has been replaced by a quicker item, offering more road feedback and quicker Reponses. To help cut the pitch and roll that quick changes of direction tend to generate, Land Rover have also upgraded the springs and dampers and lowered the cars roll centre. Perhaps the most innovative feature of the Sports underpinnings is Dynamic Response, a set of anti-roll bars that can be engaged or decoupled according to demand. Standard on the flagship supercharged model and an option on the other models in the range, Dynamic Response also decouples when offroading in order to allow greater wheel articulation.
Under normal conditions, drive is split 50:50 between the front and rear axles, although it can instantaneously switch according to demand. The Sport also gets the Terrain Response system first seen in the Discovery3. This is virtually akin to having an expert sitting alongside you, helping to get the best out of the vehicle, on or off road. The driver chooses one of five terrain settings via a rotary knob mounted on the centre console.
Theres a general driving programme plus one for slippery conditions (dubbed grass/gravel/snow) and three specialist off road modes (mud/ruts, sand, rock crawl). The system will then automatically select the optimum setup for the electronic controls and the traction aids. This encompasses ride height, torque response, hill descent control, electronic traction control and transmission settings. The Range Rover Sport diesel looked a little self conscious in TDV6 form, with just 188bhp of engine powering it.
Now that the diesel Sport flagship is packing 272bhp, the situation has been well and truly rectified. Top step of the podium again.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Range Rover Sport TDV8 range
PRICES: £53,550 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 16
CO2 EMISSIONS: 294g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.6s / Max Speed 130mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 25.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, ETC, EBA, DSC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4695/1915/1891mm
