2006 Range Rover Sport Supercharged

Go three words down on the list of the Truckin' staff's favorite words and you'll find "supercharger." Why? Let's start with the definition of the word.

Supercharger: 1) A blower or compressor for forcing greater amounts of air into an internal combustion engine.
2) Intended only for post-apocalyptic road warriors and anyone else who needs screaming torque and horsepower gains. Etymology: From the Greek word for "Woo-Hoo!"Unfortunately, the Range Rover Sport doesn't speak Greek.

The supercharged Range Rover Sport is the aristocratic adventurer's sport tourer. While it is probably quite capable of trundling through a desert wadi or tackling a rocky mountain slope, that's not what it is intended for. Aimed at a higher income bracket that is not accustomed to driving fast trucks, the supercharged Range Rover Sport's performance is civilized, even restrained. Its ride felt judiciously compliant on the track, in the mountains, and in traffic thanks to its stiff construction, air spring and double-wishbone front and rear suspension, full-time 4WD, and the array of traction and stability control technologies that you would expect from today's better vehicles. Its sound-tight cabin deflected all but the most persistent winds, and its firm leather seats adequately shielded all but the most discerning behinds from unexpected jars in the road. And, of course, it has all the amenities, such as navigation, DVD, heated seats, you name it. In fact, we sometimes forgot that we were driving an SUV powered by a supercharged 4.2L that produces 390 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque.And that's the problem.

Drivers with $70K burning a hole in their pockets and who are looking for a vehicle that provokes a euphoric grimace on their faces every time they floor the accelerator may want to look elsewhere-like at a Z06. But those who prefer a more refined driving experience will get it from the Range Rover Sport, as well as the opportunity to loosen their ties and weave through traffic with firm yet gratifying applications of speed and nimble handling.

On the track, the Range Rover Sport ran almost neck-to-neck with the Intimidator, which has rear-wheel drive, is lighter, and has a larger-displacement engine but less power in comparison to the Range Rover Sport's supercharged mill. The 5,670-pound Range Rover Sport clocked in at 7.36 sec from 0 to 60, and 15.62 sec at 91.17 mph at the end of the quarter-mile. One of our staffers characterized the Range Rover Sport's acceleration down the drag strip as "dignified." Yes, quite. But it is more than adequate for the task of threading between the more pedestrian vehicles that crowd the motorways.