Stuffing the F-Type SVR’s 5.0-liter V8 into the Range Rover Sport is easier than it sounds, because the current SVR (pictured) already uses a de-tuned version of the engine whose output checks in at 550 ponies and 502 lb-ft. of twist. The extra power and torque will allow the Range Rover Sport SVR to hit 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds, though its top speed will likely remain electronically pegged at 162 mph for obvious safety reasons.
All models will come standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission controlled by shift paddles and all-wheel drive. Although it’s being primarily designed for high-performance driving, the 5,100-pound Range Rover Sport SVR will ship with an updated version of Land Rover’s Terrain Response technology, and with an air suspension that can be configured to provide a generous 9.3 inches of ground clearance when the going gets tough.
The mechanical modifications will be accompanied by a minor facelift that’s expected to bring a new front bumper with marginally bigger air intakes used to channel air to a pair of intercoolers, and specific alloy wheels. Lesser Range Rover Sports will also receive mechanical and small visual modifications.
As is typically the case, Land Rover has refused to comment on the rumor. British magazine Autocar speculates that we’ll see the 575-horsepower Range Rover Sport early next year, meaning it will likely be presented at a major auto show late this year and arrive in showrooms as a 2017 model. If the rumors are accurate, the most powerful street-legal Land Rover ever built will compete in the same arena as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
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