SVR Sport Gets Sideways On Arctic Ice

As part of its ongoing extreme climate testing, Land Rover took its most powerful model ever, the Range Rover Sport SVR, to a replica of the UK’s famous Silverstone race circuit, carved in full scale out of the surface of an icy lake in Northern Sweden, only 70 kilometers below the Arctic Circle. There they sent Land Rover Ambassador Ben Saunders and Finnish ex-rally driver Minna Sillankorva zipping sideways around the icy piste in a brand new 550 horsepower 2016 Range Rover Sport SVR.

Of course, they captured it all into a nice video for us to enjoy.

While polar explorer and endurance athlete Saunders may be no stranger to ice, there is no arguing that he had a lot to learn from motoring champ and expert helms-person Sillankorva. The interchange between them is perfectly charming and you can see Saunders is a quick study behind the wheel.

But the real enjoyment comes at watching the veteran Sillankorva deftly manipulate the throttle and steering to make the V8 monster slip effortlessly around the curves, getting completely sideways with the 5.0 liter supercharged Jag motor growling in that aggressive, yet polite way that only Land Rover V8s seem to do.

Says Saunders, on driving the SVR: "Obviously, I had an amazing day. It was my first time driving on ice and the most fun I've had on four-wheels. The performance of the Range Rover Sport SVR is simply breathtaking and its poise in the corners was astounding given the slippery conditions."

I’ll take mine in blue, thanks.