Range Rover Sport P530 Fast Fleet test – 15,000 miles in the 523bhp SUV

It was due to stay for three months. Now, four months after that deadline passed, the Range Rover Sport P530 First Edition has finally bid evo farewell. In all that time it did not prove itself to be a car to replace an M5, RS6 or E63, nor a dynamic alternative to the more expensive Aston Martin DBX707 or the cheaper, more focused Porsche Cayenne. It was big, thirsty (19mpg over the course of our test) and as far from a car you would consider driving for the sake of it as you’d expect from something with a kerb weight nudging 2.5 tons.

So why cover nearly 15,000 miles in a car we know is an impediment to the Thrill of Driving? Two reasons. First, there are a great number of people who own and get their thrills from eCoty winners, TCoty heroes and modern classics and have cars such as the Sport for the daily duties, and if you’re going to own such a machine you ask us which is best. Second, as we have written many times over the years, driving thrills can come in the most unexpected form, and in our Range Rover’s case at unexpected speeds. Such as when you point it at a mud bath. Which is what I did 48 hours before the Sport departed.

> Aston Martin DBX707 Fast Fleet test – 10,000 miles in Britain’s 697bhp Cayenne fighter

Eastnor Castle is one of nine Land Rover Experience centres in the UK. Nestled in the heart of Herefordshire it’s considered the home of Land Rover off-road driving, its many tracks, obstacles and hazards having evolved over the decades to test the latest products to come out of Solihull. It’s run by Land Rover test drivers, who expertly deliver detailed, calming instructions with a clarity identical to that of circuit pros who guide you and your new Porsche 911 GT3 around a racetrack. A day at Eastnor in the right vehicle never fails to leave you in awe of its capability – and relieved you weren’t required to get out and dig for freedom.

There was an inquisitive eyebrow raised at our Sport’s 23-inch wheel and tyre combo on arrival (the demo fleet is equipped with smaller, less extravagant rims and tyres with taller sidewalls), but not a single thing was changed or adjusted before we headed into the very wet woods.

18

The course that wraps around Eastnor is more of a challenge for the driver than the car. Technology has transformed off-road driving, and while hill-descent control, wading modes and the ability to lock diffs by touching a screen removes much of the thought process, it still takes several kilos of flesh and bone to be behind the wheel to carve a path. Trust in the systems, your judgement and the instructions being delivered from the passenger seat, and soon you’re tipping a six-figure Range Rover over a blind edge with absolute confidence. Although Land Rover’s ‘see-through’ camera technology, which shows you the view around and ahead of the front wheels on the central display, helps here too.

It couldn’t be more different to all those months the Sport spent gliding around the United Kingdom. It smoothed commutes, covered thousands of motorway miles, survived the worst potholes we’ve ever fallen into, and was the perfect companion when landing at an airport after a 26-hour flight with the M25 still to tackle. This is why such cars are so popular. Space, luxury and a sense of unbreakable on-road security (stop laughing, I’ll come onto the ‘S’ word) are far bigger priorities for far more people than granular steering feel and on-the-limit tyre grip.

One area of technology that Land Rover was very keen for us to utilise was the security features. This meant not using the InControl Remote App or the keyless system to lock the car, but instead double-pressing the key fob and waiting for the audible beep. This kills the signal from the car to the key, preventing it from being intercepted and someone helping themselves when you’ve walked away. To date Land Rover has spent north of £15million on security updates to its vehicles, and as a result the latest line-up is proving far less vulnerable to those who prefer to secure their car by nefarious means.

18

Being an early First Edition meant our car’s interior still had some physical buttons – I’m not sure why Land Rover has decided to remove them on later models. It also meant poor levels of wind noise around the header rail, and for some reason the HVAC system would blow cold air for prolonged periods at random moments for no fathomable reason. All have been cured on later examples we have driven.

Truth be told, a D300 Sport makes far more sense as a daily driver than the P530, doubling the fuel efficiency for no real drop off in performance, but the 523bhp BMW-sourced V8 has a delicious mid-range surge the diesel can never match. Either way, there’s no denying why cars such as the Range Rover Sport have such strong appeal to so many. They may be a blight on our roads for some, but their appeal isn’t waning anytime soon. After 15,000 miles I can understand why.

This story was first featured in evo issue 325.