THE all-new Range Rover Sport has made its global premiere with a dramatic world-first climb up a flooded dam spillway in Iceland.
The epic ascent saw the third-generation of Land Rover’s luxury performance SUV resist a surging torrent of water flowing at 750 tonnes a minute down the ramp – the biggest of its kind in the world.
A loss of traction risked seeing the famous British marque’s newcomer plunging down the perilous near-300ft drop at the base of the Karahnjukar Dam spillway to the valley floor below.
The firm claims the machine is the most desirable, technologically advanced and capable yet, mixing an imposing road presence with instinctive driving responses thanks to its combination of the best chassis engineering and equipment ever fitted to a Land Rover.
Official James Bond stunt driver Jessica Hawkins was behind the wheel as the New Range Rover Sport demonstrated its grip, traction, performance and composure.
The spillway climb was the final obstacle on the drive from the valley floor to the summit of the dam, taking in a flooded riverbed, the concrete tunnels of the hydro-electric dam and the rocky dam wall itself.
Hawkins said: “The power of the water surging down the spillway was breathtaking. Driving into it knowing that a 90-metre drop was waiting behind me at the bottom of the slope, if things went wrong, made this the most challenging drive I’ve ever undertaken.
“Despite the steep slope and rushing water, the new Range Rover Sport made it look easy. Its traction, composure and commanding visibility inspired so much confidence, I was able to enjoy the whole experience.”
Powertrain options include two six-cylinder plug-in hybrids that provide a pure-electric driving range of up to 70 miles and CO2 emissions as low as 18g/km.
A new 530PS V8 twin-turbo provides sports car performance, with 0-60mph in as little as 4.3 seconds. Customers can also choose from mild-hybrid petrol and diesel Ingenium engines, while pure-electric propulsion will be available in 2024.
The new SUV looks the part, too, with a muscular, dynamic design that exudes a sporting and confident character – giving the impression the vehicle is poised for action.
A cockpit-like interior has the latest convenience and driver assistance technologies and, says the brand, the finest materials to ensure every drive is an experience to savour.
Clever technology such as the dynamic air suspension further enhances the ride and capabilities of the car, as does the likes of adaptive off-road cruise control.
Equally impressive are the onboard creature comforts and intelligent infotainment systems – a 13.1in floating Pivi Pro haptic central touchscreen is complemented by a 13.7in interactive driver display and Amazon Alexa voice control.
The new Range Rover Sport is available to order now, with prices starting at £79,125 and topping out at £114,990.
