MOAB, Utah – Land Rover is known worldwide for creating trucks that handle the toughest-of-the-tough, from the greenways and thick mud of England’s Eastnor Castle to the bone-jarring tracks and inhospitable outback of interior Australia. To date, automakers that specialize in cars rather than trucks have created the niche-oriented high-performance sport-utility vehicles craved by American up-and-comers, companies like BMW and Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. With the new Range Rover Sport, however, it could be said that Land Rover has taken a different approach to the performance-utility market by first gaining a master’s degree in off-road prowess and later a Ph.D. in premium luxury. Now, this British company, known for some of the most capable and confident bush wackers and a member of Ford Motor Company’s Premier Automotive Group (PAG), is ready to enter the rapidly growing luxury-sport segment of the SUV marketplace that is dominated by BMW and Porsche, with its all-new 2006 Range Rover Sport.

Our evaluation of the new Range Rover Sport included an intense four-wheel-drive trail in Moab, Utah, one of the best-known locations for four wheeling in the U.S. The course included a rich mix of off-pavement terrain, along with an aggressive and technical rock hill climb known as “Wipe Out.” But what blew our backcountry boots off our test-driving feet was the 275-mile drive from Aspen, Colorado to Moab. For it was throughout this drive day that we were able to evaluate and push the limits of the two versions of this new model – the naturally aspirated and sprightly Range Rover Sport HSE, and the higher-powered Range Rover Sport Supercharged.

Land Rover offers two 2006 Range Rover Sport models: the HSE and the high-performance Supercharged, each powered by a V8 engine. Standard amenities for the HSE include eight-way power adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, a six-airbag supplemental restraint system including side curtain protection, bi-xenon headlights, DVD navigation, a power sunroof, and a Harman/Kardon six-disc stereo system with 13 speakers.

Supercharged models get a boost, literally, from a Roots type supercharger bolted to the V8 engine. Adaptive front lighting, a unique grille, different seating surfaces, chrome exhaust outlets, power vents on the fenders, and a standard Cold Weather Package distinguish the Supercharged Sport from the base HSE.

Notable options on each include adaptive cruise control and a Rear Seat Entertainment Package, which adds a six-disc DVD player and two 6.5-inch LCD screens embedded into the rear of the front seat head restraints. Other available packages include a Cold Climate Package (heated front and rear seats, heated front windshield, and heated windshield washer jets) and a Luxury Interior Package (Cold Climate Package plus premium leather seats, adaptive front headlamps, and wood trim).

The Range Rover Sport is available in ten exterior colors, plus the Limited Edition Vesuvious (a burnt orange, like in the top photo, in case you’re wondering), and four interior schemes that Land Rover insists on calling ‘colorways,’ including an Ivory seats/Ebony carpet interior that’s available only in the Supercharged model.

Within the Land Rover family, the Range Rover Sport fits – at least in terms of price– squarely between the Land Rover LR3 and the recently updated, full-size Range Rover. The HSE starts at $56,750 and the Supercharged runs $69,750. And though you might think the Sport looks the same size as these models, it is shorter than both, trailing the LR3 by 2.4 inches and the Range Rover by 7.2 inches. Likewise, the Range Rover Sport’s wheelbase is more than five inches tighter than its family members.

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