ONE of the most capable vehicles on the road, the Range Rover Sport setsmany standards which others must live up to.

It is an interesting concept, designed to capture the distinctive DNA of the Range Rover line, but with a bold evolution which makes it a pacemaker in the heady world of high-powered SUVs.

Land Rover set out to make the vehicle the definitive premium sports SUV.

With its more rakish windscreen angle, streamlined profile and sloping roofline, the Sport iseight percent more aerodynamic than the previous model and just shouts that it is a real performer.

Developed alongside the Range Rover and sharing some commonality, the Sport has a performance character all of its own.

‘Relevant, sustainable and utterly desirable' is how Land Rover bosses describe it and they are right.

The Range Rover Sport has given a power-house boost to the image of the British Motor industry and has been a valuable export success.

In terms of styling everything looks more streamlined than the Range Rover making it one of those vehicles that look as though they are going fast when standing still.

This was definitely the case when I drove the 3.0-litre SDV6, one of the super-diesels of the range that can propel the Range Rover Sport to 138mph and zoom from 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds.

And nobody can accuse it of being just another SUV gas guzzler because it features a combined mpg figure of 40.4mpg giving it a commendable range from its 80L fuel tank.

From the commanding driving position which is aircraft like in its design, you feed the power via an automatic eight-speed gearbox.

And on the road, the whole philosophy just flows. Although this is a large and weighty SUV, it winds through corners with the fluidity of a sports saloon and it has few peers when accelerating from traffic lights.

As with other Range Rovers it features four-wheel drive and has a massive off-road capability. Not that I would want to get this £77,850 beauty into a mud bath, but if I did it would get through without hesitation.

This vehicle was the Autobiography Dynamic model which comes with a whole raft of technology and auto-bling including a twin-speed transfer box giving high and low ratios, red Brembo brake calipers, performance enhanced top speed panoramic roof with powered blind and much more.

Strong Range Rover architectural elements are combineda more pared down approach to create a sporting luxury environment that promotes greater driving engagement.

The interior has a sophisticated and modern appearance, incorporating distinctive Range Rover Sport design cues and providing the driver with a luxurious and sporting cockpit. For the new model, Inside, the traditional Range Rover elements have been enhanced by a cleaner, purer surface treatment, executed using top quality materials.

The centre console is mounted higher, positioning the controls closer to the driver and creating a more cocooning sensation for the front occupants.

The sporting feel is enhanced by a smaller diameter, thicker rimmed steering wheel, vertical gear shift and seats with more generous side bolsters.

The Dynamic pack on HSE and Autobiography models offers unique trim options and performance features.

Underpinning the enhanced driving capability of the new Range Rover Sport is a state-of-the-art new lightweight suspension.

Primarily constructed from lightweight aluminium components, the suspension is fully-independent and double isolated, with wide-spaced double-wishbones at the front and an advanced multi-link layout at the rear.