Speeds of 96mph, 75 per cent gradients and a 2,170 metre descent, the Range Rover Sport has conquered it all on an Alpine ski course that has been the downfall of many skiers.
The Range Rover Sport is the ultimate luxury performance SUV and the first-ever production vehicle to attempt the fearsome ski run. Piloted by renowned race and stunt driver Ben Collins, the all-terrain super-SUV tackled the treacherous terrain on the 14.9km downhill route at Mürren in Switzerland, completing it in 21min 36sec.
During the 2,170m descent, the Range Rover Sport followed the route used by skiers on the tough Inferno Mürren, one of the oldest and most challenging downhill races. It tackled snow, ice, loose rock, mud, broken asphalt, grass and gravel, helped by Land Rover’s pioneering Terrain Response technology.
Introduced in 2013, Range Rover Sport is a genuine Land Rover success story, delivering all the refinement and capability expected from a large SUV with the performance normally associated with a sports car. Land Rover’s latest InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, Advanced Tow Assist technology and efficient 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel engine were all introduced to the nameplate in August.
British racer Ben Collins, famous for his role as ‘The Stig’ on Top Gear was pushed to the limit by hairpin bends and the danger of sheer drops. The treacherous yet beautiful mountain course tested the Range Rover Sport’s capability with ice and sleet at the top, where Collins reached 75mph (120kmh), and fog and wet grass at the bottom, where he hit 96mph (155kmh).
The pioneering Terrain Response technology features six modes that will adapt the vehicle’s settings to the appropriate surface. For example, in Dynamic mode the Anti-Roll Bar is stiffened to reduce body roll, the Grass/Gravel/Snow mode reduces under and over steer by engine braking, while in Mud and Ruts, the rear differential is locked to allow controlled wheel slip for better traction.
On its way down the ultimate performance SUV tackled perilous gradients of up to 75 per cent – steeper than many black runs at famous ski resorts such as Chamonix – in freezing temperatures. The feat was achieved in a Range Rover Sport with a 510PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine, standard apart from the essential safety additions of a roll cage and reinforced tyres.
