Range Rover Sport SVR sets Nürburgring SUV lap record

A Range Rover Sport SVR has lapped the Nürburgring Nordchleife in 8 minutes 14 seconds, which Land Rover claims is a new SUV record.

The 550hp 5.0-litre V8 model set the record in completely standard production spec, confirms the British firm, in the hands of a Land Rover development driver.

Vehicle integrity chief engineer Mike Cross, who may or may not have been that driver, said Land Rover “wanted to see whether an SUV could be handle like a performance car.

“The results are spectacular and the Range Rover Sport SVR has demonstrated outstanding on-road performance capabilities.”

After filming the SVR at the Ring back in May, Cross revealed the team returned there this month to carry out further testing on the 13-mile, 70-corner course, setting the 8:14 SUV lap record while it was there.

It means the Range Rover Sport SVR is faster than hot SUV luminaries such as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, BMW X6 M and Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG. The latest rumoured hot lap is by the Porsche Macan Turbo, with moles claiming an 8:15 lap time…

Remarkably, it’s not compromised off-road either, promises Land Rover: the all-terrain abilities are retained, and it still has a twin-speed transfer case for high- or low-range gear ratios… it even has the same heady 850mm wading depth as other Range Rover Sport, which really is amazing.

It’s still some way off, though. Land Rover says showroom deliveries will begin in 2015.