Range Rover 5.0 S'charged (2010) CAR review

Given the current economic and environmental climate, you might have expected Land Rover to give the heavily revised 2010 model-year Range Rover a 2.0-litre engine and a 50% price cut. It hasn’t. Engine capacity is up by a quarter. Power is up 29%. The price goes up too. But Land Rover has to believe that its markets will return, and when they do it has to be ready with cars capable of competing with BMW’s M-badged off-roaders, AMG-badged Merc SUVs and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The old Range Rover had the image, but lacked the firepower. This revision aims to remedy that.

So what changes are on the new-for-2010 Range Rover?

The new, 5.0-litre, direct-injection supercharged V8 is shared with Jaguar. With 503bhp at 6500rpm and 461lb ft between 2500 and 5500rpm, it has 29% more power than the outgoing supercharged motor and 12% more torque, yet improves consumption and emissions by 7.3% to 19mpg and 348g/km. It cuts more than a second from the 0-60mph time at 5.9sec, and adds 10mph to the v-max at 140mph. There are bigger brakes and an adaptive damping system aimed at improving handling.

Looks more like a Range Rover Sport…

The styling changes have softened the old car’s bluff, upright arrogance slightly, though that might have been part of its appeal, and there are some flashy design details in the new side vents that might be more at home on the Sport. But it’s the interior that gets the most attention.

The main dials have been replaced by a TFT screen displaying virtual dials that look a bit like the old ones. A new central touchscreen can show different images to the driver and front-seat passenger, meaning your other half can watch TV while you drive. There’s new switchgear and upgraded cabin materials, including a rather lavish (optional) all-leather headlining.

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