2018 Geneva Motor Show: Land Rover unveils 266km/h SUV coupe

LAND ROVER has revealed a one-of-a-kind limited-edition Range Rover SV Coupe, which it hopes will “define a new genre” of SUV.

A joint venture between the Land Rover Design team and Special Vehicle Operations (the outfit responsible for all the customization on high-end vehicles), the SV Coupe is designed to bring together the allure of a two-door coupe design with a luxury full-size SUV.

While it looks to the future, the SV Coupe also harks back to the brand’s past, with the two-door frame harking back to the original 1970 Range Rover.

It will be considerably quicker than the first-ever Rangie though, with a brutish 416kW/700Nm 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that will throw the SV Coupe from 0-100kph in just 5.3 seconds and on to a 266kph top speed, making it the fastest Range Rover to date.

It’s also the first Range Rover to roll on 23-inch wheels housing huge 380mm and 365mm ventilated disks to help the two-door beast to a standstill.

The suspension is 8mm lower than the standard Range Rover and automatically lowers 15mm further when cruising to enhance stability and minimise fuel consumption. The SV Coupe loses none of Range Rovers famous off road capabilities however; the 8-speed automatic permanently sends power to all four wheels via a two-speed transfer box and active locking rear differential, all controlled through a myriad of all-terrain driving modes. And towing capacity remains unchanged also at 3.5 tonnes so there’s no need to invest in a lighter horse float.

The interior features a plethora of finely crafted wood, leather and polished metal, which would be equally at home in Ron Burgundy’s apartment. Combinations of walnut and sycamore adorn the steering wheel, centre console and doors, while Range Rover assures us the seats utilise only the finest, semi-aniline leather from a single tannery established in 1905.

Drivers will also find the SV Coupe packed with technology, a 10-inch infotainment display, 10-inch control panel and 10-inch full-colour Head-Up Display plus a1700w, 23-speaker, premium sound system with dual-channel subwoofer.

The limited run of 999 SV Coupe’s are anticipated to go on sale in Australia from the Q1, 2019 with pricing to be announced shortly.