The people at Land Rover have been very busy indeed. Not a moment after the release of the 2010 Range Rover and Discovery 4, here's the new Range Rover Sport.

We've been driving it south of Edinburgh on fast and flowing roads, and up, over and through an awe-inspiring off-road course.

Like the Land Rover Range Rover and Discovery 4, the Range Rover Sport has been given such a substantial overhaul it's almost a new model.

Its slightly fussy looks have been smoothed out and simplified, making it a more satisfying car to stare at than before and there is a new 3-litre TDV6 diesel and 5-litre supercharged petrol V8 with an insane 503bhp.

In isolation the exterior changes might be hard to spot, but parked next to the outgoing model they are clear. The grille is now slimmer and has two bars instead of three - a theme repeated in the two side vent blades and LED rear indicators.

And, the new Sport gets LED front running lights - which surround the headlights and give them a sense of theatre - but could be a little too garish for some customers.

Sumptuous new interior

According to Land Rover, current Sport owners' biggest wish for the new model was an improved interior, and they've got it.

The twin-cockpit design remains, but the strong centre console and dashboard are now fitted in tactile and well-finished materials with a designer-label feel to them.

The new combination of interior colours and trim certainly made us wish we were driving one back to London instead of getting the plane, even though we'd been driving it for many hours already.

The cabin is comfortable, relaxing, refined and it has heaps of character.

Mind-altering performance

If you're new to the world of performance SUV's, a blast in the 5-litre supercharged V8 Sport will scramble everything you thought about off-roaders.

With a throbbing blare from the exhausts the bonnet rises in spectacular fashion, the tail squats down and the Sport disappears over yonder.

Immense four-wheel grip helps it reach 60mph from rest in 5.9 seconds, and there are huge 360mm front brakes designed in conjunction with Italian engineering firm Brembo.

The new Sport supercharged is so much faster than the outgoing vehicle, it can accelerate from 0-100mph and brake back to a standstill in less than the time its predecessor took to reach 100mph.

Just don't mention the fuel economy. It might be a six per cent improvement, but 18.9mpg and emissions of 353g/km makes this a very expensive car to run and about as far from an eco car as you can get.

The 3-litre TDV6 is more socially responsible, returning 30.7mpg while emitting 243g/km.

With 242bhp and 443lb/ft of pulling power it doesn't feel slow either. It won't blow your mind like the supercharged Sport, but it does impress with its flexibility and refinement.

No compromise off-road

For those who doubt the Sport's off-road credentials, please click through the gallery. When one journalist-driven Sport disappeared stage left through a hedge and into an impossibly steep ravine, we thought we'd seen a serious crash (see gallery picture five).

That's until a smiling Land Rover Experience instructor popped up from behind the wall just after directing said Range Rover over the brink.

And then it was our turn... Hill Descent Control taking control of the brakes and throttle and guiding us down the treacherous slope.

The Sport really is just as capable off-road as the rest of the models in the Land Rover family, which is to say it's amongst the best in the world.

Like the new Range Rover and Discovery 4, five cameras dotted around the car give the Sport's driver a view of everything around the vehicle.

The optional system proved invaluable in helping us to dodge sharp boulders  during one river crossing, keeping us dry inside the car - instead of knee deep in water checking for rocks.

More conventional around-town applications make the system just as much of  use for on-road driving.

The Sport is a true go-anywhere vehicle, which seems to be able to entertain and impress regardless of the terrain beneath its wheels.

On the road it's agile and smooth and off it there's a depth of all-conquering ability which most owners will only scratch the surface of.

Rivals
Alternatives to the Range Rover Sport:
Volkswagen Touareg
Porsche Cayenne
Toyota Land Cruiser
BMW X6
Audi Q7

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