Land Rover, having just launched the fast and sinister all-black Range Rover Sport SV Black, is now giving that car a bigger brother; meet the Range Rover SV Black.
This'll be based on the 'full-fat' Range Rover, then?
Precisely so. The Range Rover Sport SV Black comes with a 615hp version of the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine that Land Rover shares with BMW, and you'll be able to buy it in five-seat standard wheelbase or four- or five-seat long wheelbase configurations.
As you might expect from the name, the Range Rover SV Black comes with a Narvik Gloss Black paint finish, black exterior detailing, and 23-inch black-finished alloy wheels, complimented by black-painted brake calipers. They've gone full Spinal Tap 'None More Black' with this one, but it will also be joined by SV Intrepid and SV Serenity models, too.
Inside, there are 'Ebony' leather seats in a 'near Analine' finish, and for the first time the Range Rover gets single-panel seat covers which feature fewer stitches and seams. There are black birch wood veneers and black ceramic finishers for the likes of the gear shifter.
You mentioned something about disco?
Yes, and we don't mean the Land Rover Discovery. The new Range Rover SV Black comes with something of a breakthrough in in-car entertainment tech - Land Rover has developed what it calls a 'world first' Immersive Sensory Floor technology for the SV's stereo system. Basically, it's a series of under-floor transducers, which create a haptic sensation through the floor mats, which Land Rover says: “creates an expansive and immersive listening experience, allowing occupants to physically feel the music.” You're even encouraged to take off your shoes (not the driver, of course…) and enjoy the luxurious tufted carpets as they reverberate with sound.
The Sensory Floor: “creates precisely synchronised pulsations in the floor, harmonising with RR Meridian Signature Surround System” and there are more transducers (a form of high-end speaker, basically) built into the 'Body And Soul Seats' (rather wonderfully, acronymised to BASS) which pump the beats into your back and, er, backside. The whole system is tied together through some clever AI software.
Hang on, let me break out my AC/DC playlist…
Well, quite. Mind you, Land Rover reckons that this is more about 'wellness' than rock'n'roll. Land Rover says that there are six specific modes for the BASS and Sensory Floor, ranging from Calm to Invigorating, depending on whether you need uppers or downers, musically speaking. According to Land Rover: “The programmes offer measurable benefits for occupants, including reduced stress and anxiety, as well as improved concentration and cognitive response.”
Anything else new for the RR SV?
Actually, yes. Land Rover says that the Range Rover SV also comes with another world-first - recycled tyres. The SV gets Pirelli P Zero tyres with 'more sustainable material content', which includes more than 70 per cent bio-based and recycled materials such as silica from rice husks, recycled steel and plant-based oils and resins. Pirelli also says that the new P-Zero tyres use certified natural rubber, as overseen by the Forest Stewardship Council, a charity that seeks to prevent deforestation and protect the Earth's trees. Initially, these tyres will be available in 22-inch rims.