Range Rover's impending high-performance Sport SVR model has pummelled the Nürburgring Nordschleife into submission by posting the fastest lap yet by a production SUV.
The SVR, one of the first creations to issue forth from Jaguar Land Rover's new Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division, was seen on this year's Goodwood hillclimb in disguise and has been at the 'Ring testing ahead of a proposed 2015 on-sale date.
The monster 550hp machine - 40hp up on the existing RRS V8 Supercharged - walloped round the track in 8 minutes and 14 seconds, putting it amongst some illustrious road car company: it's as quick as the current Volkswagen Golf R and faster than a 2004 Porsche 911 Carrera in the hands of no less a luminary than Walter Röhrl. It's actually also faster than the pole-setting lap Jim Clark posted in his Lotus 33 during qualifying for the 1966 German Grand Prix, and the 'Green Hell' was marginally quicker back then thanks to the absence of the Hohenrain chicane just before the start-finish straight.
Land Rover claims the record-breaking SVR was a standard production example with no aids added to try and make it quicker round the 'Ring. The company insists that chasing Nordschleife lap times is relevant to customers, as the undulations of the circuit represent the 'ultimate test for high-performance vehicles'.
Anything else?
On that final point, over to Mike Cross, chief engineer vehicle integrity, who added: "The Nürburgring is a benchmark for vehicle development and testing, and cars become stronger, more durable and faster over its 13 miles and 70-plus corners. We wanted to see whether an SUV could behave like a performance car in this challenging environment. The results are spectacular and the Range Rover Sport SVR has demonstrated outstanding on-road performance capabilities."