I don't care what they say, we are not all created equal. If that was the case, then cars and houses and every other need we might have would all be equal as well. I will never have washboard abs like Matthew Morrison or a smile like Tom Cruise but I'm happy just the way I am.
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| The Sport, my tester of the week, is the older sibling's little brother gone wild. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
If you drive a new
Land or Range Rover, chances are you're a notch above most, financially at least, and if not physically, you probably can afford to change that. LRs and RRs are a status symbol that leave no doubt in people's minds about your sophistication and panache. A less refined person would opt for an
Escalade, or a more excitable one, a
Porsche Cayenne.
The Range Rover, the real one, is a regal affair from any and all angles. The Sport, my tester of the week, is the older sibling's little brother gone wild. On ‘roids when Supercharged. Mine was.
Not quite as statuesque as the Rover, the Sport trades distinction for aggressiveness and brashness. Lower, making it look wider when it is not, the Sport looks ready to pounce in a nanosecond's notice. And it does. Standard on the Supercharged are Style 6 20” alloy wheels. Although I prefer the Stormer Style 2 model, these monstrous pieces of alloy and rubber effortlessly rotate as though they were 10” wheels found on an original Mini.
The Supercharged 5.0L V8 (replacing the 4.2L V8) is truly gifted. With a compression ratio of 9.5:1, it lashes out at the road with 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. Superchargers usually whine but this one does not complain. As your right foot firmly reaches the firewall, yourself, your passengers and the 2,644-kg (5,816-lb) truck will reach, from a standstill, 100 km/h in the bat of an eyelash over 6 seconds. Insane!
It almost seems impossible, but the 6-speed transmission makes it all happen without fuss. It slides into one gear after the other and the train just keeps on going. With this kind of forward momentum, this truck needs some serious stopping power. Sporting 380-mm and 365-mm vented discs front and rear, respectively, the Sport comes to a standstill with surprising bite.
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| The Supercharged 5.0L V8 (replacing the 4.2L V8) is truly gifted. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
