Land Rover drops Range Rover SV Coupé launch plans

Land Rover has dropped its plans of producing the Range Rover SV Coupé – the most expensive and exclusive Range Rover model yet. The ultra-luxury two-door model – set to be priced at £2,40,000 (approximately Rs 2.2 crore, before tax) – was due to go up against the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and the Bentley Bentayga.

The decision has been taken as Land Rover instead chooses to divert resources towards regular production models, including the next-generation Discovery Sport and Defender models it plans to reveal this year.

The 5.0-litre, supercharged V8-powered SV Coupé was set to be a limited-run model, with only 999 units to be produced. None of those ordered were ever made or delivered after the model was revealed and confirmed for production at the Geneva motor show last March.

A Land Rover statement read: “We have taken the difficult decision to inform our customers that the Range Rover SV Coupé will not proceed into production. Instead, Land Rover is focusing its resources and investment on the next generation of world-class products. With exciting plans for electrification, enhanced craftsmanship, innovation and technology we are working to ensure that we continue to offer our customers a choice of world leading SUVs.”

The decision is a blow for JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations unit: the car was due to be the first model to be built from the ground up at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry. While the XE-derived Jaguar Project 8 SVO builds started with a standard XE body before being modified, SVO created a unique body for the SV Coupé.

It was to use the platform of a standard Range Rover with minor modifications, and then its own body shell on top of that. The only remaining parts from a standard Range Rover were the bonnet and the lower half of the tailgate.

“Our Special Vehicle Operations division is continuing to develop exciting cars that push the boundaries of luxury, performance and capability – the all-new Jaguar F-Pace SVR is weeks away from its first deliveries and we have many more new models in development,” the Land Rover statement continued.

MARK TISSHAW