The fifth-generation Land Rover Range Rover recently arrived. The automaker gave the luxury SUV a thorough redesign, with many changes happening under the familiar-looking sheet metal. A new Archie Hamilton Racing YouTube video pits the new Range Rover Sport against the previous-generation Range Rover SVR in a contest to compare the two in a series of drag races.

The new Sport packs a new engine, featuring a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8. It produces a respectable 523 horsepower (390 kilowatts) and 553 pound-feet (750 Newton-meters) of torque. The SVR packs the larger supercharged 5.0-liter V8. It pumps out 575 hp (575 kW) but only 516 lb-ft (699 Nm) of torque.

Gallery: 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The new Range Rover Sport rides on the automaker’s MLA-Flex platform like the rest of the model lineup. The new architecture allowed the automaker to cram it with the latest technologies, including all-wheel steering and other features. However, the latest Sport does have its work cut out for it in this competition.

While the Sport comes with the latest engine and technology, it’s still down on power by comparison, and it’s a deficit it could not overcome. The Sport’s launches from the start were solid, often beating the SVR off the line, but it did not pack enough oomph to maintain its lead in any of the three races. The SVR was able to catch up and pass the Sport with ease, the extra power making itself quite noticeable on the track.

The final rolling race wasn’t that different from the other rounds. The Sport got an early lead, but the SVR took it back before the two crossed the finish line. The extra power from the SVR’s larger engine was enough for it to keep its crown in the lineup for now.

The new Sport might not have beaten the previous-generation SVR, but it kept up. It’s a good starting point for the fifth-generation SVR that’s already in development. It’ll have the Sport’s smaller engine, but it could make as much as 617 hp (453 kW), more than the old SVR and likely enough to beat it.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport
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