Range Rover SVAutobiography 2016 Review

Range Rover SVAutobiography
Local Launch Review
Central Coast, New South Wales
 

Long hath the Range Rover brand verily been the king of the hill, though the way to the summit beest strewn with rocks, ruts and washaways. Yet suddenly the throne rests on unfirm ground. An upstart named Bentley hath reached for the crown as it draweth forth Bentayga from its scabbard. For nought shalt the king toil without a weapon the match of Bentley's. Enter the Range Rover SVAutobiography, with alarums.

And that's quite enough of all that Elizabethan prose. Range Rover is a traditional brand – but not THAT traditional. It was the carriage of choice for the Queen's ninetieth birthday celebration, but the Queen in question was Elizabeth II, not Elizabeth I.

The British off-road brand celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. That history has been punctuated by skirmishes with rival brands. In 2016 nothing's changed, with Bentley's Bentayga joining the fray. Rolls-Royce and Maserati have their own entrants on the way too.

These new players in the SUV sector of the market are attacking from a higher price point – much higher – than Range Rover has previously occupied. Even with the most expensive variant priced at $368,710, Land Rover's new Range Rover SVAutobiography is over $50,000 cheaper than the 'entry-level' Bentayga.

It's a credit to the current (L405) model of Range Rover that the manufacturer anticipates it will be an effective foil to newcomers like the Bentayga, merely by loading it up with equipment. In essence, the Range Rover SVAutobiography is a product of JLR's Special Vehicle Operations division, which has laid on thick the sorts of items (sliding load floor and 'event seating' option, to name two) that are virtually exclusive to SUVs in this stratum of the market – and possibly even unique.

It's all about creating a 'bespoke' luxury SUV for the individualist and the sort of well-heeled owner who can afford to hire the services of a chauffeur.

So for the drive programme we were encouraged to sample the accommodation in the rear of the vehicle at least as much as the view from the driver's seat. The car driven was a long-wheelbase model with the 4.4-litre diesel V8, and behind the front passenger was where this particular Range Rover shone.

Recline the front seat far enough – and there's an added power adjustment for the front seat to make more room – and the occupant in the seat behind can tilt the seat back far enough to drift off into the land of nod. For recline and comfort it's at least on a par with a business class seat in a Boeing 777. Land Rover refers to this seating as 'rear executive class seat style 28'. The seat has its own footrest as well, and this deploys upwards as the back rest reclines.

Additionally, there are nice gadgets like TV and Aux and USB ports, plus the usual plethora of dome lighting, adjustable climate control vents and power fold-out tables for each rear-seat passenger. A large centre console between the two seats in the rear (the SVAutobiography is a four-seater only) houses a chilled bottle holder as well as all the climate control vents/switchgear and the large, fold-down centre armrest with ski port.

Back at the helm, the SVAutobiography impressed with its low levels of NVH on the road. The V8 turbo-diesel is far more appealing than even V6 diesels, let alone four-cylinder units. It's a walloper, delivering a surge of instant thrust right up to the redline. Yet there's far less vibration and harshness with the additional pots, and combined with the abundant torque, ensures the driving experience is effortless and serene.

As with other JLR products, the Range Rover comes with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, which is adept at extracting the most from an engine, whether it's slogging uphill holding a high gear, or changing down swiftly for the next corner.

For such a large vehicle, the Range Rover changes direction promptly and provides positive feedback through the tiller. With the long wheelbase and the comfort-oriented suspension it's not as dynamically capable as the Range Rover Sport, but it's safe and competent within reasonable bounds.

The ride was not especially plush over neglected country roads, but the suspension felt properly damped to keep all four wheels in full contact with the tar. A large (22-inch) wheel and tyre combination probably had some bearing on the Range Rover's busy ride quality.

All up, the Range Rover SVAutobiography won't sell in huge numbers, but it's icing on the cake for JLR Australia, meeting a demand from the high end of town for ultimate comfort and presence in an SUV package. I'll be first to volunteer for the inevitable SVAutobiography/Bentayga comparison.

2016 Range Rover SVAutobiography pricing and specifications:
Price: $342,910 (with metallic paint option, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.4-litre eight-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 250kW/740Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 229g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP, 2013)