Living in the lap of luxury

There's nothing sensible about a 2.8-ton truck with 400 horsepower and a $96,000 price tag. And when there's a Land Rover badge on the hood, it means you can take your unsensible truck just about anywhere you want.

There's nothing sensible about a 2.8-ton truck with 400 horsepower.

All-terrain
Equipped with Land Rover's Terrain Response system, the driver can select several off-road modes depending on where he or she is planning on heading into. Mud, snow, ruts, sand or rock climbing, Terrain Response has got a mode for you. During a week of driving on snow-packed roads, though, I don't feel much difference between the mud/snow and automatic settings.

You can also raise or lower the suspension for various reasons, like kneeling the Range in order to ease entry and exit, for example. You also get a hill descent control system.

The traction and stability control systems work well together. In the snowy climate, the truck can spin its four wheels slightly before the electronic brains decide that it's time to step in. The four-wheel drive system is rear-wheel biased, which means under full throttle, you'll feel the rear kick out of line. The systems aren't abrupt and don't shut down the power completely, which is nice.

Monster engine
The 32-valve, 4.2-liter V8 gets a supercharger and an intercooler and generates 390 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. That's enough to propel the 5,670-lb (2,572-kg) truck to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, and the surge of power is accompanied by the sound of a rocketship in liftoff.

And despite the Sport's heft, it handles itself pretty well. Of course, the high center of gravity means there is some body roll, but it never seems out of control. The fat 275/40R20 tires wrapped around the optional Stormer alloy wheels look great but results in a slightly harsh ride around town.

No one should except reasonable fuel economy in such a vehicle, because it's anything but that. My average of 20.9 L/100 km is not very good; Audi, BMW and Cadillac have engines that are as powerful but consume one-third less fuel as Range Rover's supercharged V8.

The 4.2-liter V8 gets a supercharger and an intercooler and generates 400 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.

Retro-style accommodations
The dashboard is pretty square, with square buttons, square air vents and a square steering wheel hub. The monochrome black-on-olive radio and trip computer displays look old, and the power-mirror adjust knob is the exact same one as in a Ford Focus. Yet the build quality is beyond reproach, and the scent of the leather seats highlights the cabin's luxury quotient.

The dashboard is pretty square, with square buttons, square air vents and a square steering wheel hub.

Interior space is not a problem, and getting comfy isn't, either. Even the Sport model's low roofline still provides enough headroom. Under the front center armrest is a cooler that can hold a few cans of soda and keep them cold. The cargo area is accessible by opening the hatch or just lifting the hinged rear window.

The only real negative point in the Sport's cockpit is the power-window switches that are located on the top of the door panels, but far away from arm's reach.

Competition
The Range Rover Sport Supercharged has a base price of $94,400, and this test truck also includes the optional 20-inch wheels, which add $1,200 to the invoice. Total is $95,600.

As for as high-powered luxury SUVs go, here's a list of the Sport Supercharged's competitors:

Audi Q7 4.2 quattro Premium with options, 350 hp, $85,150
BMW X5 4.8i M Sport Edition, 350 hp, $95,100
Cadillac Escalade with options, 403 hp, $86,845
Hummer H2 SUV Luxury with options, 393 hp, $84,110
Infiniti QX56, 320 hp, $79,600
Lexus LX 570 with Ultra Premium package, 383 hp, $94,900
Lincoln Navigator Ultimate with options, 300 hp, $75,599
Mercedes-Benz GL550 4MATIC, 382 hp, $91,000
Porsche Cayenne GTS, 405 hp, $86,100
Volvo XC90 V8 Sport AWD 7-seat with options, 311 hp, $78,515

Interior space is not a problem.

Conclusion
There's nothing like spending $100,000 on a powerful, luxurious and fuel-guzzling truck to flaunt your desire for world domination. It's not the most entertaining premium SUV to drive, but it feels so solid, like a missile could hit it and it would still keep going. It's fast and off-road capable.

The typical Range Rover owner probably doesn't care much about fuel economy, but I do. If I had the bank account to buy such a vehicle, though, I'd probably have a change of heart by default. The Sport Supercharged is a waste of natural resources, but that's the price to pay to live in the lap of luxury.

The Range Rover Sport Supercharged has a base price of $94,400.