Range Rover V8 Supercharged

Most new Range Rovers in the UK will come with diesel power under the bonnet (either the fantastic V6 or brutish V8), with just a handful of buyers opting for this range-topping supercharged V8 petrol version.

In other markets – like the US – a diesel Range Rover isn't an option, and it was in the plush Beverly Hills that we got our first taste of the 503bhp V8.

At a standstill, you’ll barely notice the difference between the petrol and diesel models. The supercharged car is a little more hushed at idle, while there’s a supercharged graphic in the middle of the animated rev counter. But it’s only when you hit the throttle that you can really tell the two apart.

Response is instant, as is the delicious growl that rises to a full battle cry if you’re heavy on the accelerator. Do that and you’ll be heavy on the fuel, too – you’ll struggle to get near the 21mpg claimed average. But with performance figures of 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds – real sports car stuff – you can’t expect small petrol bills.

Driving around Beverly Hills in the latest Range Rover makes you feel like a million dollars. The evolved shape really turns heads from its ‘tic-tac’ LED driving lights to its stunning, jewel-like ‘squircular’ tail-lamps.

The old Range Rover was pretty special, but this model moves the style and quality up a few notches – the interior is more spacious, less cluttered and more coiffed than before, with all the tech on board you could ever wish for.

Over the ropey roads in LA the Range Rover glides, yet it also takes bends deftly. But the buying and running costs limit its appeal in the UK – as do the diesels, which are almost as quick and much cheaper to run.