It was late September in Spain. The grape harvest was upon us, people were out collecting mushrooms in the morning and olives in the evening.
Lemon and orange groves were heavy with fruit, fields being put to the plough. Birds of prey, silhouetted as they circled by a blood-red sun sinking slowly westward behind a vast range of mountains, called an end to the working day. You don’t see that from an aeroplane.
When I visited Spain in a Range Rover the previous year, it deployed the top 4.4 litre SDV8 diesel and 339ps.This time the Range Rover Sport’s unit (diesel again) was the six-cylinder 3.0 litre SDV6 producing 292ps. Slightly shorter and lower than the Range Rover, RRS nonetheless has a similarly high driving position – now too a ‘5+2’ with seats for 7 thanks to a longer wheelbase (but the back “+2s” best regarded as ‘occasional’).
Lemon and orange groves were heavy with fruit, fields being put to the plough. Birds of prey, silhouetted as they circled by a blood-red sun sinking slowly westward behind a vast range of mountains, called an end to the working day. You don’t see that from an aeroplane.
When I visited Spain in a Range Rover the previous year, it deployed the top 4.4 litre SDV8 diesel and 339ps.This time the Range Rover Sport’s unit (diesel again) was the six-cylinder 3.0 litre SDV6 producing 292ps. Slightly shorter and lower than the Range Rover, RRS nonetheless has a similarly high driving position – now too a ‘5+2’ with seats for 7 thanks to a longer wheelbase (but the back “+2s” best regarded as ‘occasional’).
The 2005 Range Rover Sport was a hard act to follow - an eight-year success story. That was based on the Land Rover Discovery but RRS II is derived from the current all-aluminium Range Rover itself. Weight saving of up to 420kg is claimed.
Despite the Range Rover underpinnings, the Sport’s chassis dynamics have been re-worked. Steering and cornering are sharper, body control tighter and ride is firmer but without too much of a trade-off in the comfort one would expect. Faster and dearer variants offer “Active Dynamics” as an aid to on-road, high speed driving.
A premier league SUV, competition comes from Porsche’s Cayenne, Mercedes-Benz ML and BMW X5. Permanent four-wheel drive is ‘intelligent’ and an eight-speed auto-box included. Standard transmission is High Ratio only but, as with the ML, Low Ratio gearing is an extra cost option (not offered on the Cayenne or X5).
Model line-up: HSE; HSE Dynamic; Autobiography Dynamic; SVR. Subsequent versions have included a 3.0 SDV6 292 Diesel-electric hybrid and a 5.0 litre V8 supercharged petrol unit producing 550ps pushing top speed to 162mph which stands alongside the ‘ordinary’ 5.0 supercharged V8 (505ps and155mph) motor.
Press preview off-road prowess, aided by the latest ‘Terrain Response’ device, allowing the driver to set up the vehicle for a selection of scenarios, was impressive. So too this time, despite the absence of low ratios.The eight-speed ‘box has some breadth and was undaunted by Spain’s uplands and rural trails and tracks. Manual transmission (even as an option) but a distant memory nowadays, more’s the pity.
As for the Range Rover itself, an effortless capacity for mile-devouring motoring is a rare quality. Nonetheless, the stunning SDV8 remains the engine of choice. Even under the bonnet of that “full fat” variant there’s not much in it thirst-wise yet its response is awesome. The latest Range Rover, arguably, is one of the world’s best motor cars. The RRS is not as good, albeit bearing a more distinct and sporting ‘job description’. It is a pretty commendable runner-up. Porsche Cayenne alone comes close (on road) and then only if the latest and expensive V8 Diesel is specified.
Luckily the route allowed time at Torre del Visco in Aragon (Catalan-speaking eastern area, mentioned last time) both on the way down to the south (Andalucia – Costa del Sol) and on the return trip. The 15th century fortified manor house has 220 acres of woodland, olive groves, a market garden (supplying the restaurant with fruit and vegetables), poultry, some livestock and an arable element – all organic. Alfalfa for forage has been the crop hitherto but, this year, it will be barley.
The French stopover was Montauban just north of Toulouse and the Dover-Calais P&O ferry service proved flexible and efficient once more. The car tackled its 4,000 mile drive remarkably well re-affirming Land Rover’s lead in this ‘high-end SUV’ field.
Facts & Figures: HSE Dynamic; 3.0 SDV6 292; £64,995; 130mph; 0-62mph 6.8 secs; 37.7mpg (official); 25-29 on test (2013’s 4.4 SDV8 26-28; official 32.5); CO2 199g/km-Road Tax ‘J’ & £265; Insurance Group 43; Max Braked Trailer 3,500 kg.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales.
Despite the Range Rover underpinnings, the Sport’s chassis dynamics have been re-worked. Steering and cornering are sharper, body control tighter and ride is firmer but without too much of a trade-off in the comfort one would expect. Faster and dearer variants offer “Active Dynamics” as an aid to on-road, high speed driving.
A premier league SUV, competition comes from Porsche’s Cayenne, Mercedes-Benz ML and BMW X5. Permanent four-wheel drive is ‘intelligent’ and an eight-speed auto-box included. Standard transmission is High Ratio only but, as with the ML, Low Ratio gearing is an extra cost option (not offered on the Cayenne or X5).
Model line-up: HSE; HSE Dynamic; Autobiography Dynamic; SVR. Subsequent versions have included a 3.0 SDV6 292 Diesel-electric hybrid and a 5.0 litre V8 supercharged petrol unit producing 550ps pushing top speed to 162mph which stands alongside the ‘ordinary’ 5.0 supercharged V8 (505ps and155mph) motor.
Press preview off-road prowess, aided by the latest ‘Terrain Response’ device, allowing the driver to set up the vehicle for a selection of scenarios, was impressive. So too this time, despite the absence of low ratios.The eight-speed ‘box has some breadth and was undaunted by Spain’s uplands and rural trails and tracks. Manual transmission (even as an option) but a distant memory nowadays, more’s the pity.
As for the Range Rover itself, an effortless capacity for mile-devouring motoring is a rare quality. Nonetheless, the stunning SDV8 remains the engine of choice. Even under the bonnet of that “full fat” variant there’s not much in it thirst-wise yet its response is awesome. The latest Range Rover, arguably, is one of the world’s best motor cars. The RRS is not as good, albeit bearing a more distinct and sporting ‘job description’. It is a pretty commendable runner-up. Porsche Cayenne alone comes close (on road) and then only if the latest and expensive V8 Diesel is specified.
Luckily the route allowed time at Torre del Visco in Aragon (Catalan-speaking eastern area, mentioned last time) both on the way down to the south (Andalucia – Costa del Sol) and on the return trip. The 15th century fortified manor house has 220 acres of woodland, olive groves, a market garden (supplying the restaurant with fruit and vegetables), poultry, some livestock and an arable element – all organic. Alfalfa for forage has been the crop hitherto but, this year, it will be barley.
The French stopover was Montauban just north of Toulouse and the Dover-Calais P&O ferry service proved flexible and efficient once more. The car tackled its 4,000 mile drive remarkably well re-affirming Land Rover’s lead in this ‘high-end SUV’ field.
Facts & Figures: HSE Dynamic; 3.0 SDV6 292; £64,995; 130mph; 0-62mph 6.8 secs; 37.7mpg (official); 25-29 on test (2013’s 4.4 SDV8 26-28; official 32.5); CO2 199g/km-Road Tax ‘J’ & £265; Insurance Group 43; Max Braked Trailer 3,500 kg.
By Huw Thomas
First published in Welsh Farmer, the newspaper of the Farmers' Union of Wales.
RSS Feed