Range Rover Sport SVR to get F-Type power

With around 550 horsepower on tap, nobody would have called out the current Range Rover Sport SVR for being a slowpoke on the road. But there just is no end to our hankering for power, and so, the 2017 Sport SVR is reportedly set to get even more of that, with a little help from sister luxury brand Jaguar.

The engine in question here is the more powerful version of Jaguar Land Rover's signature 5.0-litre supercharged V8 from the Jaguar F-Type SVR that was showcased at the Geneva Motor Show last year. In the new two-door this engine produces 575PS of max power and 700Nm of torque, making it the most powerful F-Type yet. By comparison, the outgoing Range Rover Sport SVR develops 550PS and 680Nm of torque.

Thanks to the extra power, the 2017 Range Rover Sport SVR should be able to sprint from 0-100 kmph in less than 4.5 seconds before hitting a top speed in excess of 260 kmph. Those performance figures should put it in the same league as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, which has less power but also weighs around 70kg less than the Sport SVR. The current Sport SVR sprints to 96 kmph in a claimed 4.5 seconds, slightly behind Porsche's 4.2-second claimed time.

All models will come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles and all-wheel drive. Although it’s being primarily designed for high-performance driving, 2017 Range Rover Sport SVR will ship with an updated version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response technology, and with an air suspension that can be configured to provide a generous 9.3 inches of ground clearance when the going gets tough.

Autocar reports that there will also be some slight changes to the exterior, with larger intake vents to support the added performance. That ought to put the 2017 range Rover Sport SVR in prime position to do battle with the forthcoming Lamborghini Urus as well in what's shaping up to be a real grudge match among Europe's fastest, most powerful, and most expensive luxury SUVs.