2014 Range Rover Blasts through Pikes Peak

The new Range Rover Sport is not only a good off-roader, it's also wicked fast as it just set a new Pike's Peak record.

While some may have been concerned that Land Rover has been giving up some of its heralded off-road mojo lately in favor of making its models more luxurious, perhaps it’s time to put some of those fears to rest - at least in the speed department. The UK-based automaker has just announced that its 2014 Range Rover Sport has just set a new record at Pikes Peak, setting a new hill climb record time for a production SUV of 12 minutes and 35.61 seconds.

Traveling at an average speed of 59.17 mph, the Range Rover Sport completed the 12.42 mile-long course faster than other standard production SUV. The Pikes Peak course itself is composed of 156 corners as it ascends beyond the treeline from 9,390 feet above sea level to 14,110 feet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WhHFhVrs9BM

That altitude is so high that the air contains only 58 percent of the oxygen it does at sea level which diminishes engine performance. Additionally, driver Paul Dallenbach had to deal with the effects of what less oxygen does to one’s physical and mental performance, a major factor when considering how dangerous the Pikes Peak course is. The Range Rover Sport itself is equipped with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 that pumps out 510 horsepower and the only modification allowed for Pikes Peak was the fitment of a roll cage and harness seatbelts to meet safety requirements. 

Top 5 Hamann Tuned Motors

German tuner Hamann has been in the business since 1986. Here are five of its best aftermarket packages in recent years.

With over 20 years of motorsport experience, owner Richard Hamann eastarted out tuning BMWs under the name Hamann Motorsport. That was back in 1986, and since then the company’s portfolio has expanded to include the likes of the McLaren 12C and Mercedes SLS AMG. Richard Hamann died two years ago, but his legacy lives on with a constant stream of aftermarket packages being released that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. The following five represent a cross-section of what the company can deliver.Hamann’s "Mirr6r" package for the BMW M6 was one of the more head-turning examples on display at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The M6's aggressive new facade is equally as eye-catching as the chrome finish, with the new carbon-fiber aero package adding wider wings that extend the width of the M6 by 40 mm, plus a rear spoiler, air intakes, side skirts and a built-in rear diffuser housing a pair of dual stainless-steel tailpipes. Rounding out the exterior mods is a set of 21-inch forged alloys. Alcantara has been used throughout the cabin, which also gets aluminum pedals, while illuminated chrome trim pieces are among a host of optional interior accessories.

If you can stand to look at the car for longer than two seconds, you’ll notice the new Range Rover-based Mystere that Hamann also brought to the Geneva Motor Show (as a bit of a laugh) comes with a special body kit made up of custom-made front fenders, bumpers and sills that widen the car by a full 80 mm. A lowered suspension has also dropped the ride by 40 mm and it comes with a choice of 23-inch alloys, so not only does it look frightening, but the ride and handling are also bound to be far worse than a stock Range Rover. That said, buyers in the ilk of Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj will be falling all over themselves to get behind the wheel of the Mystere ASAP... fuschia chrome and all.

The tuning specialist's remit for the MP4-12C was to reduce the concave surfaces, implement essential F1 features, adapt GT3 elements both aesthetically and functionally, and create a relief with exciting light shade contrasts. The result is a complete remake of the supercar, thanks to a large front splitter, upper and side wheel-arch vents, ground-effect door sills, an extended rear diffuser with large rear wing, a triple exhaust and two different wheel sets. The interior was modified without detailing to what degree. No performance upgrades to the supercar's 3.8-liter V8 was made, with its 592 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque deemed sufficient.

Hamann's Cyrano tuning kit for the Porsche Panamera begins with recalibrating the ECU of the 4.8-liter turbocharged V8, increasing output from 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque to 580 hp and 605 lb-ft, enabling the super sedan to sprint to 62 in four seconds flat and hit a top speed of 197 mph. Handling was improved by fitting a new 30mm lowered air suspension and 22-inch Unique Forged gunmetal alloys. A custom body kit - consisting of larger air intakes, a carbon fiber hood, 60mm wider fenders, new side skirts, a rear diffuser and a GT rear wing - is complemented by a set of daytime running lights integrated into the air intakes.

Based on the Roadster variant of the SLS AMG, Hamann’s Hawk package includes aero components made up of a front apron with new LED lights, enlarged air inlets, a checkered-flag carbon-fiber hood with air vents, side skirts, and a rear bumper fascia with diffuser and carbon-fiber wing. A high-performance stainless-steel exhaust with four massive end pipes, combined with a sports air filter and remapped ECU, help the 6.3-liter V8 engine to produce 628 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. In race start mode, the two-seater can now accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds on way to a top speed of 199 mph. Handling is enhanced via 21-inch Unique Forged Anodized light alloys and a 30 mm lowered suspension.

Land Rover Kills Evoque Cabrio

Land Rover is apparently rethinking the idea of following down the same road as the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet.

If you read our Top 5 list from a few weeks ago on convertible crossovers and thought, “this has got to stop”, we’ve got good news for you. According to reports, Land Rover has nixed the idea of putting its Range Rover Evoque convertible concept into production. The concept debuted in Geneva in 2012, ostensibly to gauge public opinion, but it evidently was not favorable. Instead, according to Car and Driver, Land Rover may introduce a large opening sunroof to the Evoque, letting the air and sun in while keeping the roofline in tact.

Range Rover Sport revealed in New York by James Bond

They're calling it the fastest, most responsive model ever from Land Rover. That's the new all new second generation of the Range Rover Sport from the British car maker, a part of India's Tata Group. Since the massive turnaround of JLR under Tata, Land Rover has launched three all new products and one significant refresh. The Evoque was the first and has been a runaway success, making 2012 a very successful year for the company with 36 per cent sales increases over the previous year.

In 2012, the company also launched the new generation Range Rover flagship SUV, and now comes the third member of the Range Rover family. The new Range Rover Sport uses the same platform as its older sibling, and also uses similar all-aluminum construction. But despite this the company says nearly 75 per cent of its components are not shared with the Range Rover. The new Sport aims to be a more agile, and sporty offering, with greater dynamics, and tauter handling than before. It is too premature to speak about prices, but given the positioning and feature list, the Range Rover Sport is likely to be very premium. The aluminum construction makes it significantly lighter, and therefore a lot greener than the outgoing car too.

JLR chose New York to launch the car - symbolic of the fact that the US has been the largest market for the Range Rover Sport. In fact, the NYC area also stands for the largest single metropolitan market for this model globally too. So it was a fitting debut location. JLR also cashed in on the recent association that it had with Skyfall - the most recent film in the James Bond franchise. And although this wasn't about Bond as much as it was about Daniel Craig in his individual capacity, Mr Bond was on hand to help unveil the car, as he drove through the streets of New York - with the city's police department shutting down traffic on some roads during rush hour. Mr Craig arrived at the venue of the debut with much fanfare, as he drove on to the stage.  

The new Range Rover Sport will compete with the likes of the Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Volkswagen Touareg. It is expected to be made available in India in the second half of this calendar year, and will likely be imported for starters.

2014 Range Rover Sport Starts at $63,495, Tops Out at $93,295

The word is out at the New York auto show; The revamped, lighter-weight 2014 Range Rover Sport will start at $63,495, which reflects a bump of about $2000 from the outgoing model’s MSRP. New for the 2014 Range Rover Sport, a small third-row seat is now available.
Boasting a new aluminum structure that shaves off about 800 pounds compared to the outgoing model, the base Range Rover Sport SE is powered by a 340-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine. Upgrading to the Sport HSE model, which also uses the same engine but adds more luxurious bits, commands a $5000 premium over the SE model for a total of $68,495. The prices jump significantly, should buyers opt for the 510-hp supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that powers the Supercharged and fully loaded Autobiography models, which get a new Dynamic mode in the Terrain Response system, and new Adaptive Dynamics that feature continuously variable dampers. The 510-hp 2014 Range Rover Sport SC starts at $79,995, while the Autobiography will set you back $93,295. A Black Package that removes all the brightwork is available for all models, while a Dynamic package on V-8 powered models adds a gloss black grille, body-colored lower bumpers and side sills, unique interior color themes and finishes, 21- or 22-inch alloy wheels, and red Brembo brake calipers. An 8-inch high-resolution touch-screen display on the center console is also standard. Optional safety features include lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring, close vehicle sensing, adaptive headlights, and park assist.
All engines are paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and every 2014 Range Rover Sport has engine stop-start technology. A power-folding occasional-use third row that folds flat into the cargo area is also a new option for the 2014 model, as are reclining second-row seats with climate control. The 2014 Range Rover Sport is 2.5 inches longer than its predecessor, but retains the signature clamshell hood and floating roof that can be had in a contrasting color. Inside, the center console is mounted higher, and rear-seat room grow. Suspension and steering system are also new.