Range Rover undercuts X5

20 January 2005

Land Rover is undercutting the BMW X5 by more than £2000 with entry-level diesel versions of its new Range Rover Sport model, although the cheapest petrol versions are £1300 more than a Porsche Cayenne.

New Range Rover Sport starts at £34,995

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Land Rover is undercutting the BMW X5 by more than £2000 with entry-level diesel versions of its new Range Rover Sport model, although the cheapest petrol versions are £1300 more than a Porsche Cayenne.

Land Rover has used both of these rivals as benchmarks for the Sport, which is the most driver-focussed model the company has ever built.

Prices start at £34,995 for the 187bhp 2.7-litre S V6 turbo diesel, some £2,180 less than a similarly specified 3.0d X5 with 231bhp. Equipment includes electric windows, climate control, cruise control and an automatic gearbox.

Upgrading to a Range Rover Sport SE costs £5000 and adds a leather interior, 18-inch wheels, parking sensors, and an upgraded sound system. HSE trim costs a further £4000 and provides 19-inch wheels, satellite navigation and metallic paint.

Petrol models start with the 300bhp 4.4 V8 SE, which costs £44,995, £1300 more than the more powerful 340bhp Porsche Cayenne. Specification is identical to diesel models, but the premium for an HSE car increases to £5000.

Top of the tree is the 390bhp 4.2 V8 supercharged version at £57,495. This is significantly cheaper than the £70,680 Cayenne Turbo, but the Sport does offer 60bhp less than the Porsche.

Specification for the 4.2-litre is based on HSE but includes 20-inch wheels, uprated brakes, adaptive headlights for better illumination around corners, cooler box, sports seats and top of the range stereo system.

Full performance figures will be released at the end of February 2005, but the manufacturer has revealed that the 4.2-litre Sport can exceed 140mph.

Cars are available to order now with first deliveries anticipated by the middle of 2005.