
Special Features
2025 Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two special feature: SV Track Attack Part 3
2x Indian Racing League Champion Sohil Shah unleashes the wrath of the SV mode at Kari Motor Speedway in the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two
Previously on SV Track Attack, the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two had set the fastest record for SUVs at CoASTT with Arjun Balu — 11-time national racing champion and a trustee at CoASTT. You should read Part 1 and Part 2 first if you haven't already, to grasp the scale of our track day endeavours. Time to conquer Kari Motor Speedway with Sohil Shah behind the ’wheel!
The Kari Motor Speedway might be the smallest track here, but by no means is it to be taken lightly. It’s a tight, technical track. The corners are incredibly challenging – get one wrong and the next few corners get ruined. It’s an old-school racetrack and while that lends it plenty of charm, it also puts drivers on edge. It must be treated with respect.

The Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two on the main straight at the Kari Motor Speedway — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for evo India
The Range Rover shrugged at the prospect. It didn’t give respect, it demanded it. I hit the SV mode button on the steering wheel. The button glowed red, and so did the paddle shifters. Almost like it was possessed by the devil. SV Mode puts the Range Rover SV in full attack mode. Throttle response is sharper, gear changes are faster, the suspension lowers by 15mm, the steering is heavier and exhaust sound is more intense. What does all that feel like? I went for a lap of KMS to find out. Flying down the main straight of Kari, there was no doubt that the engine was putting out full power. Speed on the straights with the massive V8 was never going to be a problem. Turn 1 and 2, a tight left-right chicane, required me to haul on the brakes and shave off all the speed I’d just built up. Past that, C3 and 4 showcased how much lateral grip the car has. The car can be rotated very quickly for C4, the fat 305-section tyres really making a massive difference to handling.
I was on the gas again as I got onto the back straight – over 600 horsepower, 750Nm being pushed onto the road! The mickey mouse section at the back is another tricky place that can catch a car out. Not the SV. The 6D suspension makes quick direction changes so effortless, I could fire out from corners with real viciousness. Lower and stiffer, the suspension keeps the body control in check. The final sector is a mix of fast and slow corners. SV mode allows for attacking them all. Engine, steering, suspension – all working together to really get the best out of the machine. And then I was back on the main straight. Pedal to metal to the finish! The exhaust notes enhanced in SV mode, the V8’s thunder audible both inside the car and outside as it bombed towards the finish line. Now that was a lap!

Sohil Shah, a two-time IRL champion was mightily impressed by the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two's ability to do controlled drifts with the ESP turned all the way off — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for evo India
Sohil Shah, a two-time IRL champion, was there to set a time. He was out with the Range Rover, getting familiar with the SUV, trying out different lines, different settings on the traction control, adjusting tyre pressures until he found the right window for a fast time. And then he sent it. The Rangie’s clearance allowed him to fully use the kerbs. Hard on the brakes, hard on the gas, he managed a great time of 1:16.777.
When asked about how useful SV mode is, he said, “I think SV mode is a one-touch solution to making this car go absolutely berserk. It goes from a comfortable daily drive to a track weapon. There’s no diving into menus, adjusting stiffness, etc. I just press one button that’s on the steering wheel and it does the job. And it also shows the intent that they had with this car is completely track focused.”

The Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two's red glowing paddle shifters and the SV Mode button help set the tone for the high-octane driving — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for evo India
There’s no question then, that the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two is an absolute brute out on track. But setting fast lap times is only part of what it does. Over the course of the three days at track, we not only pushed the SV to its limits, but beyond. And turns out, this super SUV also has a sense of humour! Turn ESP off, and the Range Rover Sport SV will actually pull long, smokey slides.
It takes some commitment, that’s for sure. Push the car hard into a corner, get the car loaded up on one side and then give it a boot full of gas – sure enough, the rear steps out and you can pull properly controlled drifts. I’ve seen SUVs do all this on dirt when traction is low. But on dry tarmac? This is a whole new level that the SV Edition Two unlocks. It’s quite the sight too! This massive SUV doing graceful, accurate slides. It never looks out of shape, never looks uncomfortable. The elephant-doing-the-ballet trope is quite overused but that’s exactly what the SV looks like when it is dancing over the limits of grip. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Your jaw won’t leave the floor.

Ensuring perfect tyre condition and optimum pressure are crucial for safety and performance before each lap — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for evo India
Of course, there’s a lot of serious engineering that allows you to do this. The 750Nm of torque being put through a clearly rear-biased AWD system is critical to overwhelming the fat 305-section tyres. The 6D Dynamic suspension is key: since roll is so controlled, the driver can really focus on what the car is actually doing underneath. When SUVs have loads of roll, there’s always a fear that it’ll cock a wheel up. Never ends well. The ability to corner nearly flat dissipates all of those fears and allows the driver to really wring it out. It can actually be driven like a car – and that’s high praise for an SUV.
While all of this sounds incredible, what is really special is how the SV can do all this but also drive you home in absolute comfort. Take it out of SV mode and into comfort mode, and the car transforms. The high-strung, punchy V8? It is far more laid back, delivering creamy smooth torque and effortless acceleration without ever feeling hard-edged. The suspension slackens up, delivering a layer of comfort to what is otherwise a rather stiff ride. Throttle responses are lazier, the steering isn’t as reactive and what you get is a brilliant long distance cruiser. Grand Tourers don’t work in India because we simply don’t have the roads for it. The SV convinced me that we need to expand our definition of the GT car. The Range Rover Sport SV certainly is one. With big power, plenty of luxury and enough clearance to take on the worst that Indian roads can throw our way, it was an effortless cruise back to Pune.

Ed, Sirish Chandran setting up the VBOX in the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two, to record detailed sector times — Shot by Avdhoot A Kolhe for evo India
The best part? We’re not done just yet, there’s more coming your way! The three tracks in South India are out of the way. We'll be heading to the northern tracks such as the Buddh International Circuit in part 4 and for the final test we'll be at NATRAX in Pithampur for part 5, chasing the top speed of the Range Rover Sport SV Edition Two. Stay tuned to evo India!