Semi-Autonomous Tech Complements 550-HP Range Rover

WHITLEY, U.K. – The most powerful production Range Rover ever built will roll out of the Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations unit in 2017 boasting a raft of semi-autonomous technology to keep it civilized.

The new Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic will be powered by a supercharged, 550-hp V-8 with 502 lb.-ft. (680 Nm) of torque delivered through an 8-speed automatic transmission with tuned suspension. It claims a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) sprint time of 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h).

Old-school power is only part of the car’s abilities, which include a host of advanced driver-assistance systems.

Beyond the usual suite expected on a premium high-ticket vehicle, the SVAutobiography Dynamic features optional assistance bundles including the range-topping “Drive Pro Pack” with adaptive cruise control with queue assist, intelligent emergency braking and blindspot assist, which automatically applies counter-steering if the driver begins to change lanes into the path of a following vehicle, while lane-keep assist provides gentle, corrective steering input if it detects the vehicle is drifting across the white lines.

Other ADAS features include advanced tow assist using the vehicle’s existing surround camera system to help drivers guide a trailer into position by following the trajectory lines overlaid on an image from the rear-facing camera displayed on the central touchscreen.

This system also is able to automatically steer the vehicle to follow the path selected by the driver using the dash-mounted rotary terrain-response selector.

The car’s advanced infotainment system features InControl Touch Pro with “door-to-door routing,” a multi-device system that navigates users to their destination whether they are on foot or behind the wheel using a route-planner smartphone app.

At the same time, commute mode automatically learns frequently-used routes and recommends the most efficient route, dependent on live traffic data, then shares the driver’s destination, arrival time and current location with friends, family and colleagues through a live messaging system.

“The Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic has been specially developed by the Special Vehicle Operations team to deliver a more engaging driving experience,” says Mark Stanton, director-Jaguar Land Rover SVO. “It delivers the ultimate combination of performance and Range Rover luxury, befitting its unique position in the portfolio.”