First look at the new Range Rover Sport in South Africa – Photos

The new Range Rover Sport has finally arrived in South Africa and is now on sale with 10 different models to choose from.

Land Rover South Africa invited the media to a reveal event where we got to spend time inspecting the manufacturer’s newest luxury vehicle.

First impressions

The very first thing you’ll notice when seeing the new Range Rover is its sheer size, as it stretches out nearly five metres in length, and with a new ground clearance of 281mm, thanks in part to a set of massive 23-inch alloy rims.

The front of the vehicle retains the muscular proportions of the previous models, yet overall it also has a clean modern look to it thanks to the brand’s latest-generation design language.

This is the result of subtle elements added to the exterior, such as a small waist belt that runs around the front and rear of the Sport and thinner light clusters.

Moving to the back, you’ll find an enormous boot capable of hiding the full-size spare wheel and, adding to the practicality of the vehicle, the boot is equipped with a folding divider that aims to make the job of sorting your luggage that much easier, and will also help prevent objects from sliding around when the boot isn’t fully loaded.

The divider can even be used as an impromptu bench for when you want to sit in the back of the car and take in your surroundings, said a Land Rover spokesperson

Opening one of the doors then reveals the gorgeous interior, which on this particular model consisted of a two-tone black and reddish-brown upholstery, and new fabrics developed from sustainable materials.

Space of course is its own luxury, and you’ll have more than enough of it sitting on any of the five seats. A large panoramic sunroof also contributes to this sensation, and the cherry on top for those in the rear are the pair of full-HD media screens mounted to the back of each front seat.

These operate on the vehicle’s Pivi Pro infotainment system, which has become the standard for Jaguar-Land Rover’s vehicles, and briefly playing around with the screens showed them to be very responsive.

The same is true of the floating 13.1-inch display in the centre console, and rounding off the tech experience is a large visually-pleasing digital dash behind the steering wheel.

Other features that buyers will be able to look forward to consist of two-zone climate control, a wireless phone charger, paddle shifters, keyless start and entry, and 12-way electronically adjustable heated front seats.

Regarding the choice of engines, the Sport is offered with four different drivetrains, a 3.0-litre petrol and diesel, a plug-in hybrid with over 100km of pure-electric range, and an all-new twin-turbo V8.

An all-electric Range Rover Sport is also planned to make an appearance in 2024, said the company.

For now, though, the top-of-the-line V8-powered First Edition P530, with its enormous output of 390kW and 700Nm, is expected to be the range’s best seller in South Africa, according to one of Land Rover’s representatives.