Range Rover Supercharged - a Very Special Car

A few weeks ago I had a revisit with the Range Rover Sport supercharged. I hadn’t played since they first came out, so I’d forgotten how good they were. But one thing bugged me (well, two if I’m honest). It wasn’t as nice to drive as my Cayenne S, but more importantly I couldn’t get over the comparison with it’s big brother, the real Range Rover. So I thought that I would have a couple of days with a full size Range Rover with the Jaguar Supercharged lump.

The proper Range Rover really is a handsome beast. And big. Parked on the drive next to my Cayenne it looks very handsome and imposing - much more impressive than the Cayenne. And it is beautifully put together. The interior is very impressive and feels like it was styled by the guy who did the Aston Martin DB9. A wonderful mix of traditional leather and wood, but totally contemporary. It really is a very nice place to be.

The list of standard equipment is unbelievable, particularly when you compare it to the Cayenne. Everything from reversing cameras and air suspension to DVD screens and a great Satnav are included in the price. With the Cayenne even the air suspension - which you really do need to make the car work - is extra cost. About the only thing you need that isn’t included is the heated front screen, but it’s not a fortune. So the interior points go to the Range Rover as well as the looks points. Hmmm. Maybe I want one of these.

The driving position is even more imposing than in the Cayenne. You really are up there with the vans and lorries at the lights. And it’s now so quiet. Land Rover claim to have improved interior noise levels massively in the latest versions. And it shows. Apart from a whine from the Supercharger when you hustle, it really is impressively quiet. But what about the performance? Well, it’s certainly not up there with a Cayenne Turbo - far from it - but it’s as quick as the Cayenne S. And that’ll do for me. Much as I love the Cayenne Turbo I really don’t need that sort of performance in a 4×4. There are other cars for playing silly buggers in! But I do like to be able to keep up with anything I want and I do like to make good progress when I’m out and about. And with the best will in the world the non-supercharged Range Rover just doesn’t hack it. But this one does.

The one disappointment is the handling. It’s not as good as the Cayenne. By quite a bit. But it is vastly better than it was before Land Rover played with the suspension recently to make it more road friendly. It doesn’t feel like driving a boat any more - just a softish saloon. And it handles bumps and potholes with great aplomb. Which is pretty unusual for any car - never mind a great big 4×4 - as air suspension does have a habit of being caught out on potholed roads. Even the newer XJs suffer. But this doesn’t seem to. And it has big 22″ alloys as well.

I think I want this car. It doesn’t handle as well as I like, but the whole package makes up for it. And if I have the urge to play I can always borrow something more fun to drive. It’s too nice a place to be to not have it.

I think I’d better order one before the ‘Green Police’ make them illegal!