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Driven: Range Rover Sport Autobiography Supercharged

A good few months ago we reviewed the Range Rover Supercharged, and then said that we found it difficult to see how Range Rover managed to take something that was perfect and make it even better.  Well now they have gone and done just that again with a new variant of the Range Rover Supercharged, dubbed the Autobiography RRS. 

I first had a glimpse of this machine from a snapshot I saw at the Geneva 2011 Motorshow, but due to its exclusiveness I kind of put it out of my mind not thinking it would come to our shores, so one can understand my excitement when I got a call to say they were dropping one off in 10 minutes.

Most importantly, and most noticeable is they have not played with the motor and the more powerful 5.0 litre, supercharged V8 with around 375Kw on tap is still with us.  Torque is still at an incredible 625Nm from only 2500 Rpm, but surprisingly this time round the RRS felt more athletic, as though it had more to give than before.  Even the exhaust tone was something of a melodramatic over-eager orchestra with all the instruments fighting for sound supremacy, it just sounds fantastic.

On the official Land Rover ‘blurt’ sheet, the RRS is claimed to blister a tire and flatten the zero to 100km sprint in just 6.2 seconds.  Although I did not get to the same figures, my equipment recorded something just a little over meaning that this 3-ton monster is out to thrill, but that does come at a hefty price.  22.9 l/100km during the sprint test and 14.8l/100km during normal everyday driving at our local speed limits meant it cost me an extra few hundred rand to evaluate the Autobiography accurately on the long distance test around KZN, but for the exclusive experience it made it every cent worth it.

So most of this sounds pretty much the same and I have been asked what’s new? Mostly cosmetic, both for the interior and the exterior where they now have just “blinged” the current Range Rover into something a little more exotic.  Land Rover are offering a variety of styles each with a combination of options to choose from, but it seems like you cannot customize the Autobiography as you would with most other motorcars. 

But by the same token, each option is exclusive to the RRS and so instead of just driving another Range Rover, you will be in something more special or that’s the theory anyway.  The interior sports a superb variety of excellent hand stitched steering, dash and seats, with just a little chrome added for visual effect similar to that of the Jaguar XF and XJ models.

The exterior is however a little more dramatic with bigger wheels, lots and lots of chrome add-ons and revised and bolstered bumpers giving the Autobiography a more street racing stance.  Round the back they also reinforced the supercharged street credit with two squared off trumpets the size of watermelons.  Although this all sounds extreme, it is however a perfect match for the Range Rover Supercharged giving it an all new personality.

The Range Rover offers the best comforts and very personal interaction with each occupant no matter where you sit.  The build quality and overall design layout is near perfect and time has been spent on the driver seating position. With the dash that now slants away from you it seems more motor car salon than off-roading behemoth. 

There are improved dynamic steering controls so customizing your ride even more when on the move, but the climate control and entertainment as well as Satnav are still the same, and not the easiest to manipulate. 

The chassis and suspension seems to be much the same, but there are improvements in handling due to better and bigger road going tires, but this has done little in messing with the off-roading performance which is surprisingly still as impressive, although rocky terrain, and in some cases some sand driving may be compromised

Unfortunately, and as usual this always comes at a price but with improved support such as 5yrs / 100 000km care plan, it is almost worth it, however, a little over R1.1 million is a lot of money for something I would not dare take off road if I had one.