[1] Designed by Richard Woolley, the marque's first complete concept car sported split-folding gullwing doors, one-piece skeletal seats, a "clamshell" bonnet, 22 inch alloys, a 289 km/h (180 mph) top speed, 4WD and a 2,500 kg (5,512 lb) weight.
The chassis of the Range Rover Sport was adapted from the integrated bodyframe, semi-monocoque, independently suspended design which debuted on the Discovery 3 in 2004.
Although sitting on a modified version of the Discovery 3's chassis, it is smaller than its more utilitarian sibling in every dimension with a wheelbase shorter by 140 mm (5.5 in).
Its smaller dimensions and its raked roofline make it impossible to accommodate third-row occupants like the Discovery 3, but as a sports tourer it was never intended to be a seven-seater.
Both petrol engines have been designed with a sump and oil pick-up system to allow for operation at extreme angles.
It features a compacted graphite iron block and aluminium cylinder head with fast switching piezo crystal injectors.
When the vehicle bellies out, its control system will sense weight being lessened on the air springs and the ride height is automatically raised to the suspensions greatest articulation.
The cross-link aspect of the suspension system, which debuted on the L322 Range Rover in 2002, results in better off-road performance by electronically operating valves in pneumatic lines which link adjacent air springs.
Land Rover's patented Terrain Response system which debuted on the Discovery 3 is fitted as standard on all models.
These include general driving; grass, gravel, snow; mud and ruts; sand; and rock crawl.
[3] All Range Rover Sports are equipped with a standard centre e-diff from Magna Steyr Powertrain which electronically locks and unlocks and apportions torque via means of a multi-plate clutch pack located in the transfer case which also offers 'shift-on-the-move' dual-range operation.
[citation needed] Dynamic Response also aids off-road performance by decoupling the anti-sway bars to allow maximum wheel articulation.
The system scans the road ten times a second, has a 16 degree field of view and Land Rover claims it is able to discriminate between a heavy vehicle and an adjacent lane motorcycle travelling at least 180 metres (590 ft) ahead.
These include an all-new direct injected, all-aluminium 5.0-litre petrol V8 engine in naturally aspirated and supercharged guises as seen in Jaguar's latest range of high-performance vehicles.
Revisions to the rock crawl program reduce roll when traversing boulders delivering a more composed ride over rocky terrain.
The Range Rover Sport made Ford's Premier Automotive Group the target of a protest by Greenpeace in 2005.
Several streets were shut down in Manhattan for a launch party starring James Bond actor Daniel Craig.
The main changes in the facelift are redesigned front and rear bumpers, new exhausts (two black pipes on S & SE variants, twin silver pipes on HSE, HSE Dynamic and Autobiography with Dynamic Pack and Quad exhausts on the SVR Variant) and upgraded touch duo infotainment from the 2018 Range Rover Velar.
[15] The design of the model features a fully revised front bumper, with larger ducts and the main grille finished in black.
[17] Officially unveiled at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the HST Limited Edition returned to the North American Range Rover Sport lineup after a 7-year hiatus and, similar to the previous iterations, put emphasis on driving dynamics and sportiness.
To cosmetically distinguish it from other models, the HST Limited Edition featured darkened headlight and taillight bezels, a black painted roof and bonnet vents, red "Sport" badges, red brake calipers, Oxford leather interior, and a unique front and rear fascia.
The HSE Dynamic was sold until partway through 2019, when Land Rover replaced it with a new non-limited HST, this time powered by the new Ingenium AJ300 inline-6 hybrid engine.
[24] At 20 mm lower and 35 per cent stiffer than the Range Rover, it remains as a standard all-wheel drive off-road crossover vehicle.
The latest iteration of the ‘Pivi Pro’ system, essentially a slightly curved 13.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is also on the larger model, will be included.
A controlled multi-disc clutch in the transfer case and decoupler in the front differential switch the vehicle to rear wheel drive at speeds between 21 and 100 mph.