As the Springboks prepare for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, Land Rover has revealed a unique tribute vehicle, a patriotically green Range Rover Sport SVR.
Billed as the most potent Range Rover on sale, the Sport SVR, with its 423kW 5-litre supercharged V8 and 0-100kph time of only 4.5 seconds, is true to the athletic prowess which defines Springbok rugby. But why has Land Rover South Africa commissioned this one-off Range Rover SVR?
The reason is charmingly simple: marketing. For those Range Rover customers who want something special, to underscore the individuality as vehicle owners, the company has a dedicated team of customising technicians at its U.K. headquarters. These technical specialists form what is known as the Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department and for an appropriate cost escalation, they can assemble anything you could imagine from the company’s parts inventory.
For the Springbok tribute Range Rover, colour was always going to be crucial. Land Rover’s SVO staff wanted a true exterior colour match of the current Springbok jersey, and after the correct hue was mixed, the customisation project started with a green paintjob. Thereafter Springbok logos were added and finishing off the tribute Range Rover’s external modifications, are gold brake callipers.
As you step aboard this unique Range Rover, you step on Springbok logo treadplates to get inside, and then sit on leather seats which are stitched tighter with yellow thread. Another symbolic colour touch inside, are the gold paddle shifters, located on the steering column.
Many contemporary luxury vehicles feature cabin mood lighting and the Springbok tribute edition Range Rover has a specific green glow to its cabin lighting.
All told, this Springbok edition Range Rover Sport SVR is a fitting tribute to the national team and perfectly illustrates the dedication and obsession with detail that characterises work commissioned to Land Rover’s SVO build team.
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