2025 Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two: SV Track Attack Part 1
In the first part of our SV Track Attack series, the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two goes up against the Madras International Circuit;
Welcome to the Madras International Circuit! India’s oldest track is also its most characterful – steeped in decades of racing history and with a flowing layout that is as challenging as it is enjoyable. We arrived here a week after a torrential downpour ripped the iconic MRF arch on the main straight out of the ground, but the track was still in good shape, and that meant the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two could unleash its performance to the fullest.
The Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two eagerly goes sideways leaving behind its literal mark at MIC — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for Evo India
Yes, the SV has a V8. Under the carbon bonnet and carbon engine cover sits a 4.4-litre V8 engine with two turbos nestled inside the ‘V’ of the engine. It puts out 626bhp and 750Nm, which is bumped up to 800Nm when you activate Dynamic Launch mode. Want to know what that feels like? Activate launch control and the car strains at its leash, threatening to break free from the anchors that you’ve mashed to the floor. Get off said brakes and it unleashes otherworldly torque onto the tarmac, the V8 snarling and turbos hissing as it fires itself at the horizon. The V8 is the highlight here – a mighty motor that simply shatters your conception of how fast an SUV of this size should move. The forward propulsion it generates is mind-bending. Shifts come in thick and fast, the 8-speed auto reacting quickly to get the next gear slotted in so that onslaught of power can continue. Before long, you’re in triple-digit speeds, and the SV shows no signs of slowing down.
Opening the carbon bonnet reveals a 4.4-litre V8 engine with two turbos kitted with a carbon engine cover, ready to unleash 626bhp and 750Nm, is dialled up to 800Nm in Dynamic Launch mode.
There’s a lot of tech that makes this possible. The MHEV system uses a crank-integrated starter generator in place of the alternator, and it adds 27bhp and 175Nm to the mix. That, combined with the engine outputs, gives it the headline 800Nm. There’s an active exhaust that not only sounds good but also optimises back pressure for the ideal performance. Combine all this with eight angry cylinders firing hard, and you have an absolute monster.
The pro-racer we brought in at the Madras International Circuit was Diana Pundole. Diana is the MRF Saloon cars national racing champion, and having beaten all the boys, is India’s first female national racing champion. She has got plenty of practice around the MIC and knows the track like the back of her hand. She quickly got familiar with the SUV, much bigger and heavier than her race car.
Diana Pundole is an MRF Saloon cars national racing champion and is India’s first female national racing champion — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for Evo India
After a few practice runs, she went out for a hot lap and set a quick 2:04.970. We caught up with her once she was out of the car to hear her impressions. “The most surprising part about the car was the engine and the 6D suspension. It is calibrated in such a way that it metamorphoses the speed, the size and everything into a sporty version. It doesn’t really feel like you are carrying that much weight. It shrinks the size of the car,” said Diana. She’s right. The sheer firepower of the SV’s powertrain means you really don’t feel the weight of the car. It fires itself out of corners, with incredible traction from the AWD system, and you never really feel like you’re pulling double the weight of a sports car. The other aspect that really impressed Diana was the 6D suspension. To really get into the nitty-gritties of the suspension, we’ll be taking the SV to CoASTT, Coimbatore, in part 2 of this series.