James Bond stuntwoman’s mind-blowing test of new Range Rover Sport
Published on May 11, 2022 at 10:52 AM (UTC+4)
by Patrick Jackson
Last updated on Jul 01, 2022 at 5:17 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
There’s a new Range Rover Sport and what better way to show it off than a James Bond-style stunt.
Land Rover decided to demonstrate the 2023’s raw power by having official James Bond stunt driver Jessica Hawkins drive it up the flowing spillway of Kárahnjúkar Dam in Iceland.
When you see the absolute size of the dam, you’ll see why Hawkins’ was called in to take on the stunt.
With 750 tons of water flowing down the spillway per minute and a 90m (195ft) drop at the end of it, Hawkins has nerves of steel and insane ability behind the wheel to pull this stunt off.
Hawkins, who was behind the wheel for some of the wildest stunts in James Bond: No Time to Die, was up for the challenge.
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The details of the 2023 Range Rover Sport
Even with four-wheel steering and electronic diff locks standard on V8 and PHEV models, you won’t want to try this stunt at home.
But for a pro driver, the new model is packing plenty of power to pull off all sorts of craziness.
They had me at twin-turbo V8 and 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in 4.5 seconds.
Yep, that’s right – the rumours were true and the Jaguar Land Rover group is using the 4.4-liter mill you’d find in the likes of the BMW M5. That starts here with the 2023 Range Rover Sport.
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There’s so much more to the new Sport than just that, although the P530 engine option – named such due to its 530PS (523hp; 390kW) power output – has to be among our favorite features of it.
Back to the car – once boxy and blingy, the Range Rover Sport is looking slicker than ever with its smart and surprisingly aerodynamic new design.
The interior is modern as well, with a big curved floating center touchscreen as big as on the average laptop, climate control dials with small screens inside them, and a massive screen ahead of the driver.
There’s also Amazon Alexa as well as Land Rover’s own “Hey Land Rover” voice command system, meaning you’ll never have to take your hands off the wheel or eyes off the road.
Oh, and by using a phone app that can control the car, you can even drive it forwards and backwards like a massive RC car.
To keep it serenely quiet in the cabin, the 2023 Range Rover Sport even incorporates noise cancellation speakers into the headrests of each seat.
As part of a commitment to sustainability, the interior comes lined in two-tone proprietary ‘Ultrafabrics’ materials which are sustainably sourced.
Hopefully it’s enough to offset the brawny BMW-derived V8, although straight six turbo petrol and diesel engines are also available, along with a plug-in hybrid.
Combine the sort of style, luxury, performance, and capability that’s on offer with the 2023 Range Rover Sport, and it’s safe to say Land Rover looks to be onto a winner with it.
Land Rover and James Bond: No Time To Die
Land Rover Defenders had a starring role in the latest James Bond flick, No Time To Die.
The movie was Daniel Craig’s final appearance as 007.
The Land Rovers were used in a crazy stunt scene with multiple Defenders, motorbikes and even a helicopter.
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A car zealot from a young age, Patrick has put his childhood spent obsessing over motoring magazines and TV shows to good use over the past six years as a journalist. Fuelled by premium octane coffee, he’s contributed to Finder, DriveTribe, WhichCar, Vehicle History and Drive Section.
