The British marque’s upscale SV range continues to bear Range Rover’s unmistakable DNA—with two new models unveiled, plus an extended bespoke personalisation programme.
In the same way it’s head-scratchingly difficult to comprehend a world devoid of the internet, the premise of a car universe without the omnipresent orbit of SUVs, those multi-purpose Swiss Army knives of the road, is similarly a difficult pill to swallow. Long before a clever marketer coined the now all-pervading three-letter acronym, Range Rover almost single-handedly sculpted the sport utility vehicle niche, debuting in the UK in 1970 with the landmark Classic, a model that somehow hosted off-road ruggedness and urban refinement in the same boxy body, capable of transporting its high-society owners from the muddy fields of Marlborough to the elegant Georgian townhouses of Mayfair with minimal cultural friction.
What was a revolutionary concept more than five decades ago has, over successive iterations, been delicately preserved, and then advanced upon, by the gatekeepers of Range Rover’s DNA. Today, that distinct British brew of all-terrain smarts and stealth indulgence is distilled within the marque’s top-of-the-line nameplate, the SV (SV representing Special Vehicle Operations). Here, time-honoured design elements such as the strong horizontal lines of the kerbside silhouette, the hidden-until-lit rear lights, and the commanding driving position, remain true to the aesthetic lineage, while the brand’s commitment to advanced engineering systems and premium materials is unwavering. And like all pieces of art, human craftsmanship remains crucial to the deal: each car is finished by hand at the brand’s Solihull plant.
This summer heralds the birth of two new Range Rover progeny: the SV Black and the Sport SV Black. As the nomenclature suggests, these scions of the “Black” trim level offer an edgier take on the classic RR mood via a glossy, beetle-like exterior, black wheels (23-inch) hiding black calipers, black detailing, black leather, black… Well, you get the hint. Black is the new black, if you will.
The more reserved—though the term feels incongruous in this dynamic context—of the two siblings comes with an appropriately bristling mildhybrid, 4.4-litre V8, delivering 453 kW; meanwhile, the Sport version leverages the same unit to yield an increased 467 kW. Moreover, it’s able to execute the 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.6 seconds on its way to 290 km/h, making it the fastest ever Range Rover.
Both machines include the proprietary “Body and Soul” audio seat system, which integrates haptic transducers in the front seatbacks, and wellness-leaning “Sensory Floors”—designed to funnel subtle vibrations that match whatever musical beats are playing in the cabin. This Black series isn’t an experience; it’s a visceral feeling.
For those not of a monotone mind state, the brand recently extended its SV Bespoke commissioning service to the broader Range Rover Sport range for the first time, offering up to 230 exterior hues in gloss, matte or satin finish; a “match-to-sample” paint service gives clients carte blanche to explore their chromatic imaginations. Other highlights, configured either by a virtual commission or in person at one of Range Rover’s Global Commissioning Suites, include 1,500 unique interior combinations and options to personalise seat embroidery, treadplates, wheels, and more.
The next chapter in the luxury SUV story is being written—and Range Rover is once again the author.
