"The Land Rover Range Rover Sport's performance, ride and handling have been transformed with the introduction of new engines, transmission and chassis systems. Combine these enhancements with the contemporary style and luxury of the revised interior, and it's clear that the Land Rover Range Rover Sport remains the only choice as the quintessential SUV sports tourer," says Phil Popham, Land Rover Managing Director.
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport reaffirms its status as the most exciting and dynamic member of the Land Rover range with a comprehensive package of engineering and design changes for the 2010 model year. The vehicle's stylish new appearance signals the transformation under the skin, which includes two powerful and efficient new engines - the LR-V8 naturally aspirated and
LR-V8 5.0-liter Supercharged, enhanced levels of interior craftsmanship and refinement, and significant improvements to both on-road and off-road driving dynamics.
A comprehensive program of chassis system modifications has transformed the Land Rover Range Rover Sport's on-road dynamics, while also delivering a substantial improvement in its off-road capabilities.
The introduction of new systems such as Adaptive Dynamics, working in conjunction with existing Dynamic Response on Supercharged models, and the addition of the road-focused Dynamic program to the Terrain ResponseTM system help enhance agility and ride quality. Further improvements to the Terrain ResponseTM system ensure that off-road capability is kept at the expected class-leading level.
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport's stylish, muscular exterior has been updated to provide a cleaner, more sculpted feel. Striking signature LED headlamps combine with a new two-bar grille, front bumpers and fenders to create a more sporting and aerodynamic stance. At the rear, new light clusters and a revised bumper design mirror the smoother front-end.
The interior has been comprehensively redesigned, using higher quality materials, soft-touch finishes and superior craftsmanship to create a premium environment which is truly worthy of the Range Rover brand.
"The Land Rover Range Rover Sport has generated a passionate following among customers who require the performance and refinement of a true sports tourer, but who value the formidable off-road ability of a Land Rover. Now that we have widened its range of capabilities even further, the following for the Land Rover Range Rover Sport looks set to grow stronger still," says Phil Popham.
"Both the new LR-V8 engines are suited to the sporting character of the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, providing generous low-end torque and spirited performance along with levels of refinement worthy of the Range Rover name." says Phil Hodgkinson, Product Development Director.
Direct injection - increased power and torque, low emissions.
One of the key features of the new LR-V8 is an industry first, centrally-mounted, multi-hole, spray-guided fuel injection system, delivering fuel at a pressure of up to 150bar (2175 psi) directly to the cylinder. The positioning of the injectors ensures fuel is precisely delivered to the center of the combustion chamber, maximizing air-fuel mixing, and improving combustion control.
Fuel is delivered by twin, high pressure fuel pumps driven via an auxiliary shaft in the all new engine block. Delivery of fuel direct to the cylinder has substantially contributed to improved low speed, dynamic response which is particularly useful off-road while adding to driving pleasure on-road. The charge cooling effects of the direct injection fuel system have allowed the compression ratio of the naturally aspirated engine to be raised to 11.5:1, further improving the engine economy.
During the engine warm-up phase, the combustion system employs multiple injection mode strategies to deliver 50 percent more heat for fast catalyst warm-up and reduced emissions.
New variable camshaft timing system boosts engine torque, saves energy.
A new type of variable camshaft timing system (VCT) introduces another industry first. The four VCT units are activated by the positive and negative torques generated by opening and closing the intake and exhaust valves, instead of by oil pressure. This has allowed the engine oil pump to be reduced in size, saving energy and reducing fuel consumption.
VCT units work independently on all four camshafts with 62 degrees of authority on the inlet cams and 50 degrees of authority on the exhaust cams. Timing is optimized by the engine control unit for torque, power and economy at every point in the engine's speed range.
The response rate of the new VCT units is 25 percent higher than before with actuation rates in excess of 150 degrees per second. This delivers a more immediate engine response to the driver's demand.
6th generation supercharger - quieter and more efficient.
A sixth generation, Eaton™ twin vortex system (TVS) supercharger is fitted to the 510 bhp engine. A compact Roots-type unit it feeds air through twin intercoolers which in turn are water-cooled by their own cooling circuit. The high helix rotor design both improves the supercharger thermodynamic efficiency by 16 percent. It also improves noise quality to the point where the unit is now almost inaudible. The intercoolers reduce the temperature of the pressurised intake-air and so optimize power.
The air intake has been radically redesigned compared to the previous V8. The intake air path is a direct feed to the supercharger inlet from the centrally mounted front throttle body. Air is delivered through twin air boxes which reduce flow loss and further increase efficiency. Mechanically, the new supercharger and its intercoolers are efficiently packaged in the V of the engine to deliver a low overall engine height.
Warm up quickly with reverse flow cooling.
The search for greater efficiency has in some areas led to a complete rethink of fundamental engine design concepts. An example is the innovative reverse flow cooling system which delivers thermodynamic and friction improvements. The new design means coolant is pumped through the cylinder heads before flowing through the block and returning to the radiator. Since the cylinder heads remain cooler, the knock threshold is pushed back allowing greater optimization of ignition timing for improved efficiency.
In addition, the 22 kW oil to water heat exchanger, packaged at the core of the engine, transfers heat from the coolant to the lubricating oil during warm up, bringing the oil up to operating temperature 14 percent faster than the previous cooling system. This 'reverse flow' approach substantially improves fuel consumption in the crucial engine warm-up period and helps warm the cabin more quickly.
Strong and compact.
The new LR-V8 engines are built around a stiff, all new, aluminium block with cast-in iron liners and cross-bolted main bearing caps, to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. For the first time at Land Rover, the blocks are high pressure die-cast rather than sand-cast, providing a superior finish and dimensional greater accuracy. The engines also have aluminium heads, with four-valves per cylinder and strong, spheroidal-graphite cast-iron crankshafts and steel connecting rods. The cylinder heads and blocks are manufactured using recycled aluminum alloy for the first time, thus reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing the new engines.
The new direct injection engine is more compact than its predecessor. Overall engine length has been reduced by relocation of the oil pump within the engine architecture.
Reduced internal friction combats CO2.
Internal friction, a major contributor to increased fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, has been targeted by careful design of the engines' components. As a result, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport's new LR-V8 achieves another best in class, for crank train friction.
All engine bearings were the subject of an extensive optimization, reducing friction without compromising reliability. Diamond-Like Carbon coating (DLC) has been used to reduce friction on the fuel pump tappets and a solid film lubricant has been used to coat the piston skirts.
Land Rover has developed a unique, intelligent oil-pump pressure relief valve (PRV) which senses oil pressure deep in the engine's oil galleries to more accurately control oil pump delivery. As a result, oil pump frictional losses are reduced during the warm-up period.
The engine has also been designed around a 5W-20 semi-synthetic oil. The new oil has a lower viscosity, primarily at low temperatures, reducing parasitic losses in the engines and contributing to an extension in service intervals from 7,500 miles to 15,000 miles or 12 months. The new LR-V8 engine is also fitted with an electronic oil level indicator for added peace of mind.
Greater driver involvement through the wheel.
Steering response is improved on the Land Rover Range Rover Sport with the stiffening of the front suspension lower arm forward bushing, enhancing the sense of driver involvement with the vehicle at higher speeds.
The revised variable ratio steering rack complements this by improving stability at high speed cruising - and increasing sensitivity at higher lock angles.
Braking system gets more power and feel.
The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is equipped with a new braking system which has been comprehensively updated to provide enhanced stopping power and improved driver feel.
The brakes for the naturally aspirated vehicle are modelled on the 4-piston opposed caliper performance system from the outgoing Supercharged model. The updated system employs 14.2-inch (360mm) ventilated front discs with new twin piston sliding cast-iron calipers for enhanced pedal feel. The rear features 13.8-inch (350mm) ventilated discs with lightweight aluminum single piston sliding calipers.
The braking system for the Supercharged model has been developed in conjunction with performance brake specialists Brembo™. This system employs 15-inch (380mm) ventilated front discs with unique lightweight aluminum six-piston opposed action monoblock calipers. 14.3-inch (365mm) ventilated discs with single piston sliding calipers are fitted at the rear.
Enhanced emergency braking.
Models fitted with the Adaptive Cruise Control option also benefit from a new Advanced Emergency Brake Assist system, which is designed to detect the driver's responses to a potential emergency situation.
Working in conjunction with the Forward Alert System's radar, Advanced Emergency Brake Assist primes the vehicle's braking system, and even initiates braking in extreme circumstances if a collision is judged possible. Valuable improvements in braking distances have been recorded in the testing of this system.
Greater control and safety around corners.
A refinement to the dynamic stability control system helps automatically slow the vehicle if taking a corner too fast, thus enhancing driver control.
The system operates according to steering inputs from the driver. In extreme cases, automatic braking intervenes to help reduce the vehicle speed, with the braking pressure level applied according to the steering inputs.
This feature is complemented by the new Roll Stability Control system, which is designed to intervene in the unlikely case of an extreme situation in which the possible onset of a rollover is detected. In such situations, the system is designed to take over and perform very rapid, wheel specific braking, to help reduce speed and marginally widen the cornering radius.
In more extreme cases the system is designed to initiate marginal understeer by sharply increasing brake force on the outer wheels, again widening the turning radius.
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