Motoring Editor Malcolm Baylis marvels at the capabilities of the new Range Rover Sport.

AN aerodynamic Range Rover? Surely a contradiction in terms? Not so, especially with the imminent arrival of the Range Rover Sport.

You could say that it's a car that looks fast even when standing still. It has many Range Rover design cues within, but, in the interests of aerodynamics, outside it is more rounded, quite curvy in fact, has a steeply raked windscreen, specially designed front and rear spoilers, sideskirts, flush fitting windows and no longer any of the normal castellations found on a Range Rover bonnet.

You begin to get the picture: one of the world's most aerodynamically efficient sport utility vehicles.

The Sport offers a choice of three engines for the UK, two of them based on a 4.2-litre unit taken directly from Jaguar and the third a version of the Ford/PSA/Jaguar 2.7-litre V6 turbo diesel, already fitted to the Discovery 3. All the engines have been modified for off-road use, driving across hillsides at unlikely angles, and wading through rivers.

To guide the driver through off-roading, the Sport is fitted with a new terrain response system, special technology that makes driving easy and improves traction whatever the conditions.

The driver uses a special pop-up knob, close to the automatic gear lever, to select one of five settings to suit the driving conditions: for general driving on or off the road, for driving on slippery grass, gravel or snow, for driving through mud and ruts, for tackling sand and finally for crawling over rock. In rock crawl mode, the Sport can tackle climb rock faces between 42-degrees and 45-degrees!

To demonstrate the power of the Sport's engine and braking, and while fitted with normal road-going tyres, a member of the Land Rover Experience team drove the car 300 metres up a rock face using rock crawl at an angle of between 42-45-degrees. Once at the top, the car was turned round and began its descent using the rock crawl mode and downhill assist programme, keeping to a speed of about three kilometres an hour. During the descent, the driver braked and put the car into reverse and crawled upwards, and then went on to demonstrate the holding power of the car's electronic parking brake.

A new Dynamic Response System makes its debut on the Sport, controlling body roll and overall handling. It is standard on the supercharged car, an option on the others, but Land Rover realises that it might get in the way on rough terrain, and that's when it automatically decouples itself, mainly to allow for the greater wheel articulation needed off-road.

It has air suspension (with sportier settings than other Land Rovers and Range Rovers) all round, and is the first Range Rover with adaptive cruise control.

At the launch there were two engines to test, a fantastic supercharged 4.2-litre V8 390bhp unit (reduced from the 4.4-litre), and a normally aspirated 4.4-litre V8, both petrol, and later there will be hi-tech 2.7-litre V6 diesel.

The supercharged model is recognisable by its bright, perforated grill and side air intakes, twin stainless steel exhausts, 20-inch wheels and black and silver name badge. The less powerful version has duller meshwork. The supercharged engine demands cooling air from outside, so the perforated mesh grill draws it and two small side vents helps get the air out as well as provide intake for the engine induction system.

Supercharged engines have a strong tradition in British sporting vehicles, and the mighty and immediately responsive 4.2-litre can take the Sport to 60mph in around seven seconds.

Although it is derived from the normally aspirated V8 engine, the supercharged version has 30 per cent more power at 390bhp at 5,750rpm and 29 per cent more torque (410lb.ft), but also returns similar fuel economy, 17.8mpg compared with 18.9mpg, combined.

The normally aspirated V8 shares many of the features of the supercharged except its energy. It delivers 300bhp at 5,500rpm and 315lb.ft of torque at 4,000rpm.

Prices are based on the specification levels for each car: the entry-level 2.7-litre S diesel starts at £34,995 with the SE at £39,995 and HSE £43,995. The 4.4-litre SE is £44,995 and the HSE £49,995. The flagship Supercharger is £57,495.

As you would expect in a Range Rover, interior comfort is excellent. The seats have high bolsters to improve support and grip for all five occupants; consequently passengers sit in them rather than on them.

Both front seats are eight-way power adjustable, and both front and back seats are heated. The front seat head restraints can house screens for a DVD system if wanted.

The driver sits high, and visibility is good, with all corners of the car visible for easier parking and manoeuvring.

The instrument panel is well displayed, and all the main information gauges are immediately in front. There is a nice and short six-speed ZF automatic gear change lever with sports mode, with the chance to go into manual mode if needed.

There is also an electronic parking brake, activated by a switch close to the driver's left hand, efficient enough to hold the Sport on the steep rock face mentioned earlier. Headlamps are swivelling bi-xenon.

Expensive looking cloths and leathers, as well as cut-pile carpeting, have been used to decorate the interior. There are also wood and metallic finishes.

Automatic air conditioning is standard, and includes a filter to remove dust and pollen.

When it comes to in-car entertainment there is a choice of systems. The top-of-the-range system has been developed by harman/kardon using advanced Logic 7 technology: 14-speakers, 12-channel digitally controlled amplifier, with each channel producing 50 watts for the surround-sound.

There is also a comprehensive navigation system including on and off-road modes. In terrain response off-roading mode the screen shows a detailed graphic of the position of the car's four wheels as it travels, showing their direction (particularly useful when sliding down a sandy hill, or even charging up it), and how high off the ground they might be at any one time when rock crawling.

Incidentally, the front spoiler is made from rubber, so can withstand knocks from rocks and ruts.

Dealers: Armstrong Massey Land Rover, Tadcaster Road, Bilbrough (01937 531531); Charles Douglas Land Rover, Thornton Road, Pickering (0845 009 1870).

Fact file:

Engines: Longitudinal V8 32-valves; Maximum power V8 petrol (4394cc) 220kW at 5500rpm, maximum torque 425Nm at 4000rpm; V8 Supercharged (4197cc) 287kW at 5750rpm, maximum torque 550Nm at 3500rpm.

Four-wheel drive system: Full time standard locking centre differential and terrain response.

Performance: V8 petrol 130mph, V8 supercharged 140mph; 0-60mph V8 8.2-seconds, V8 Supercharged 7.2mph.

Dimensions: Length 4788mm, width 2170mm (including mirrors), height 1817mm.Wheelbase 2745mm.

Maximum ground clearance: On road 172mm, off-road 227mm. Wading depth: 700mm.

Updated: 09:18 Friday, April 22, 2005