Range Rover P565 SVAutobiography Dynamic Black, king of the mountain
Do we have a soft spot for the Range Rover, you ask? Well yes, how did you know? Our man Beau took the Range Rover Fifty and Ward had the chance to enjoy the SVAD. So which one did I choose? Yes, an SVAD -what else?- but this time we went “Stealth”-mode.
Special Vehicle Autobiography Dynamic
The engine -that engine- is the well know and extremely loved supercharged 5-liter V8 producing 565 hp and an “earth turning” 700 Nm of torque. That engine we adored in the Range Rover Sport SVR, we admired in the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, we almost licked in the Velar SVAD and we eargasmed in the Jaguar F-Type R coupe and convertible. Yes, it’s one of the all-time greats! But how does it do in the biggest and baddest (in the best way) Range Rover?
That’s a great question! At first glimpse, there was instant love followed by some questions and it ended up with some more love. First things first, because there’s no replacement for displacement. The 5-liter supercharged V8 puts down so much power and torque that it pulls, all the way at every speed in any gear! That adds to the general experience of the Range Rover being a fast and comfortable mile-eating monster. And then came the doubts! Isn’t the engine too much for this specific car? Maybe it’s better off with a big diesel powerplant? Is it a good long-distance companion with an average consumption of 14,7 liters on 100 kilometers? The answers to those questions are no, no and yes! That V8 is multi-versatile because you can hammer it in the F-type, but you can enjoy a constant stream of torque in an SUV. A diesel would be a great choice as well and will be the winner in a consumption test, but will be eliminated in a battle of characters. The noise and the way the Range squats before it takes off is just an extreme pleasure. And if you are worried about the 14,7l/100km, you probably will not want to hear the price tag of the biggest Range.
Our stealth Range Rover floats over the bad roads that Belgium throws at it, not giving real feedback on what the wheels are doing and leaning in the corners like a cruise ship. But do you care? NOOOO! The Range Rover has the power to humiliate most cars on the highway but it doesn’t need to! It’s like an Oyabun, the head of a Yakuza-gang, he has proven himself in the past and earns respect but you don’t want to mess with him cause he will kill you. The Range Rover is like that. If you don’t treat it with the respect it has earned then its challenger will lose and if you overestimate the brakes you will have a very very very bad accident. It’s really easy to make speed, but to lose it in the “more than 3-ton weighing” mastodon can be challenging (even with those disks and pads).
Black on black … on black on black on black
I admit, I’m always shouting about “bring more color to the roads”, but the Range Rover in this set-up is just so freaking cool. Yes, I’m older than 30 and I’m using the word cool. Black body, black rims and just a few contrasting chrome details, we are loving it! It gives such a presence that you are wearing sunglasses even when it rains. But it’s possible people won’t notice, that being they can’t look over the huge nose and long hood -you need to put that V8 somewhere. The final touch on the very business-like front exterior are the clear headlights with signature LED daytime running lights.
The SVAD Black version only comes with a short wheelbase. That means a total length of 5 meters. In this story, Santorini Black doesn’t make you slimmer. The side of the car brings back the chrome details in the form of fish gills and Range Rover Belgium has fitted some awesome black 21-inch rims on our test car. Good job boys and girls.
Moving to the back and this Range Rover doesn’t give tips on its potential. The only thing hitting its power is a little “SVAD”-badge on the tailgate. Two square (fake) exhaust tips, square headlights and the “RANGE ROVER”-name in a scaly look. The backside isn’t our favorite part of the car.
Dozens of cows
I have never experienced so much leather in a car! Never ever! The seats, parts of the steering wheel, the dashboard, the headlining, the armrests, the pillows, … yes, it keeps coming! Greenpeace disapproves, in contrast to us! This Range Rover is one of the greatest places to be in and that’s why it’s being named as a rival to the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan. The hardest part here will be fighting the “name” because the level of luxury and comfort can be compared with those two.
Every person in the Range Rover can enjoy 5 different types of massages, but also heated and cooled seats. If you are lucky enough to take a seat at the back, you can even enjoy a little bit of television in your lounge. Don’t want to disturb your driver with your “American Pie”-anecdotes? Just put on your Range Rover headphones. Being the driver sounds like the worst place to be? Not really but it’s one of the first times being at the back is really this good.
The driver is the only one that can enjoy the awesome steering wheel with heating function and red flippers, a beautiful and clear digital dashboard and a split-screen infotainment system that could work just that little bit faster. Under the armrest: a refrigerator! One that is big enough for your bottle of Kidibul. Don’t drink and drive! The last thing to talk about is the trunk space, 560 liters will disappear in the boot. That ain’t the biggest but is definitely not a bad number. Enough for the trip in all luxury to Monaco, St. Tropez or St. Moritz.
More than 4 Bitcoins
At the moment of writing this driving test, 1 Bitcoin will set you back 45.500 euros. A long-wheelbase Range Rover costs you 110.200 euros, but add the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 and it jumps to 184.300 euros. Stealth: + 3.700 euros. Beyond that, options aren’t a necessary thing. But our car ends up at 192.000 euros. If we had that amount of money, we would make a trip to our local Land Rover-dealer.
