Land Rover has announced the third-generation of its Range Rover Sport SUV. The 2023 Range Rover Sport loses its supercharged V8, but trades it for a twin turbo V8 and fresh tech trickled down from the Range Rover. And it rolls in starting at a price of $83,000.
(Full Disclosure: Land Rover invited me to see the new Range Rover Sport out in New York City. Land Rover paid for my travel and a night in a historic building-turned-hotel.)
Outwardly, the new Sport is more evolution than revolution, just like its larger Range Rover sibling. Land Rover says that the Sport continues the marque’s love for minimalism and modernism. Highlights of the exterior are windows that blend into the metal and grilles that don’t take up a ton of real estate.
Inside is the kind of plush interior that you’d expect from a Land Rover, and there’s some interesting technology going on in there.
Its door fabrics are designed to reduce road noise. It also uses its 29-speaker surround sound system to play back tones in the opposite frequency of road noise. A 13.7-inch display houses the vehicle’s gauges, and a 13.1-inch curved touchscreen handles infotainment, which includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa.
Of course, the star of the show with a Range Rover Sport is its performance.
The Range Rover P360 SE base model comes equipped with a 3.0-liter 48 volt mild hybrid turbocharged inline-six making 355 hp and 369 lb-ft torque. The P400 SE Dynamic has the same engine making 395 hp and 406 lb-ft torque. Going for the P440e (PHEV) Autobiography nets you 434 hp and 619 lb-ft using help from a plug-in hybrid system.
Land Rover says that the plug-in hybrid is good for up to 48 miles of EV range and could be charged to 80 percent in an hour from a DC fast charger. This powertrain gets the Sport up to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.
The most powerful of the lot is a 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 found in the P530 First Edition. This BMW-sourced engine comes down from the bigger Range Rover and makes 523 hp and 553 lb-ft torque here. Gone is the 5.0-liter supercharged Jaguar V8 that made up to 518 hp in non-SVR trims and up to 575 hp in the SVR.
The switch to a twin turbo V8 didn’t hurt performance, however, as it still accomplishes the sprint to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds, or the same time as a 575 hp SVR. Land Rover says that at launch, the First Edition will be the only way to get a V8. However, the company plans on expanding the line in the future.
Aiding in performance is a chassis that’s 35 percent stiffer than the previous generation and a trick air suspension.
The suspension has strut air chambers that close to reduce pitch and roll. If you opt for the P530 First Edition there are more handling features. Dynamic Response Pro counteracts roll using 48 Volt, up to 1,000 lb-ft torque electric motors in each axle. You also get all-wheel steering and torque vectoring through braking.
The suspension system also works in the other direction and is able to raise the Sport 5.3-inches higher than the standard ride height and provide 1.5 feet of articulation. It can climb a 45-degree slope and wade through 35 inches of water. Land Rover didn’t provide total clearance, approach, departure or breakover figures.
Deliveries are expected to begin in September. Prices start at $83,000 for the P360 SE and tops out at $121,500 for the P530 First Edition.
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