Range Rover Sport 2013 Prototype Review

The Range Rover Sport has graduated from finishing school as an eligible, more refined suitor -- perhaps even to those previously courting an SUV of German descent.

Its squared-off crew-cut has grown into a combed preppy fringe, and a crisp Argyle sweater sits neatly upon its broad shoulders hiding much of its ample new muscle. And just wait until it turns on its supercharged mid-tach British charm.

A three-day trek across our wet brown land (as it so happened) proved that not only has the Sport matured, but that it has lost some of its puppy fat. It is sharpened both dynamically, and where performance is concerned, to feel more capable. In short, it’s Sport-ier than before.

But that’s not a bad thing. The previous Sport was often criticised for being too soft to carry itself through a curve but too hard for offroad use -- a fair summation, perhaps, but one that, at the time, felt appropriate.

Now, the aluminium architecture of the new model weighs -- in some variants -- up to 420kg less than before, which really helps the Sport feel lighter on its 21-inch boots. It’s longer, wider and offers more room between the axles which, we might add, has freed up a lot more legroom for back-seat passengers.

The new Sport is less square -- and some may say less masculine-looking -- but considering the demographic of the average buyer, that’s not a bad thing.

But just how did the left-hook development model fair when entrusted to the hands of yours truly for a circuitous peregrination from Sydney to Melbourne? Better than expected, to be honest, much better.

Our test mule was a prototype model that has seen service at the hands of journalists, Land Rover execs and advertising types from as far afield as Italy and the Middle East (check out the writing on the wing mirror glass). As a pre-production model, it didn’t quite boast the polish we’d expect of showroom stock, but it wasn’t far off.

In equivalent terms, though not yet in its final trim specification, the model sampled sits somewhere between HSE and Autobiography variants. It is powered by a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine offering 250kW at 6500rpm and 450Nm between 3500-5000rpm, and will retail for around $123,100 (plus on-road costs) when it goes on sale in Australia from November (2013).

Open Range view

Leaving Sydney on day one, and barring the slow-moving traffic and obvious distraction of left-hand drive, the Sport at first proved strikingly similar behind the wheel to its forebear. The weight of the wheel was similar, as was that cosseting cosy feel of the ‘I-have-my-side-you-have-yours’ cockpit.

The layout of the switchgear and centre stack, high-rise console and instrumentation (though now digitised) also held a familiar air. It’s not a bad thing; in fact it’s more like returning to a favourite hotel or a comfortable lounge, perhaps without the G&T though.

What was immediately noticeable as different, though, was the taut feel when zig-zagging in and out of lanes and around tight turns as we climbed over the Blue Mountains. It’s also perceptibly quieter when cruising, and this in spite of its substantial wheel/tyre combo.

The larger tyres built temperature on the asphalt and were easily susceptible to sharp shale when turning on to the dirt for the first time -- bingo, flat tyre. The seven-seat (5+2) model on test doesn’t carry a spare (the five-seat does) and we had to enlist the help of our entourage to swap the wheel. In this situation, the can of goo and inflator kit just won’t cut it.

With the wheel changed, we continued on our course of on and offroad tracks, winding down through farmland to the flooded Abercrombie River. A large eagle picking at the bones of road kill proved ominous, and with the river flowing fast at 700mm we decided it best not to cross, and detoured -- the long way -- on to Goulburn.

Larger divots in rain-damaged asphalt, and those nasty hidden potholes hiding in a thin layer of choppy mud offroad, sent a bit of a jolt through the Sport’s cabin. It soon leads us to pick more carefully through rutted sections, especially on washboard corners.

But as jarring as these could be, they did not affect the Sport’s line. The steering held true where it could have been unsettled, and provided a predictable though slightly weighty feel once on the trot. If we did have one complaint from the steering, it’s that the new electric unit is a little slow to return to centre at manoeuvring speeds, usually meaning you have to do it yourself.

Offroad driving also gave us an opportunity to sample the Sport’s torque vectoring system. The system felt as if the rear inside wheel would grab fast for a sustained period, intervening in a smooth manner to help keep the nose pointed where it was aimed.

It’s interesting to note that on road, the system was barely perceptible, and even saw the front-end understeer when really pushed. But offroad, and with the drive selector set to ‘Grass, Gravel and Mud’, the system could be felt acting with a prompt and deliberate, but at the same time subtle effect, rarely (if ever) needing the stability control to intervene. As I marked in my notes, it’s ‘suitably progressive’.

Arriving in Canberra to coincide with some Labor blood-letting we gave the Sport a scrub-down and planned the day to come, but not before startling a few unsuspecting motorists alarmed at the sight of my colleague in the ‘driver’s’ seat using his laptop.

By now we felt we’d had a fair crack at sampling the Sport over a mix of terrain, which gave us more time to take in the ambience of the cabin. We stated at the outset that little has changed, though a few technical alterations again gave me cause to reach for the notepad.

The auto wipers were over-sensitive and required continual adjustment via the stalk. The passenger-side wiper also doesn’t reach far enough to the outboard side of the screen, leaving an uncleared section for the passenger to look through. Finally, the washer jets don’t deliver enough water to rinse the road grime from the screen -- a complete contrast to the rear window which is flooded at the push of a button.

Our prototype vehicle was also issued with radar cruise control. Unlike some systems, the Range Rover’s cannot be operated without the use of radar. You either buy the car with or without it. The ability of the car to keep its distance does, however, work quite well, though the same couldn’t be said for downhill braking, which saw the Sport climb over the speed limit on several occasions.

The inside lights, which are touch activated, also proved to have a mind of their own and the HVAC system was quite noisy -- a shame considering how quiet (and I do mean REALLY quiet) the cabin was overall.

Finally, the Sport’s TFT instrument panel seemed a little glitchy, pixilated and slow. The speedo needle appeared ‘jagged’ as it climbed and fell, the external temperature function wasn’t operative and the tyre-pressure monitoring system was on the fritz.

They’re little things, and will no-doubt be addressed in the production model, but when you compare the clarity of the display to something like Volvo’s new V40, the jittery nature of it does give some cause for alarm -- especially considering the price tag.

The engine sound from the supercharger is terrific, and as the tacho needle clears 4800rpm, the sound of exhaust gasses filling the balancer, then clearing the intercooler plumbing as you lift off the throttle, is nothing short of awesome.

The Sport has more than enough power for competent overtaking, hill climbing, and hauling its significant bulk from the apex virtually from any point of the tacho. In an SUV this dynamically capable it’s important to have that instant throttle response that comes from the likes of a supercharged engine, and with a howling soundtrack as way of accompaniment, I should imagine there’ll be quite a few new owners finding themselves on the wrong side of a speeding ticket.

The brakes are equally impressive. The big 350mm (all-round) discs haul the Sport back to rest with confidence, while the linearity of the pedal means you can achieve a soft stop, even from considerable speed. The chassis is inherently capable, even without the (optional) dynamic dampers, and one we feel will have no trouble living up to the demands of the optional supercharged V8.

On the flipside, the Sport’s fuel economy was hardly what you’d call frugal… But then again, nor was our driving, which the Range Rover rep described as “spirited”. According to the trip computer we achieved a worst of 16.7L/100km on day one, an average of 14.3 for day two and a best of 12.7 on day three. The total average arrived at 14.5L/100km.

It’s not too far removed from our expectations, and like any finishing school graduate there’s little point to acting prim and proper if you can’t enjoy a little drink once in a while.

Price: $123,100 (MRLP)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder supercharged petrol
Output: 250kW/450Nm?
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Wheels/Tyres: 21 x 9.5 / 275/45
Fuel/CO2: 11.3L/100km / 249g/km
Safety: Six airbags / Five-star (EuroNCAP)

Images by Chris Benny