THE BEAST - Range Rover Sport SVR
Bespoke Springbok-inspired alterations make for a one-of-a-kind Range Rover Sport
With the 2019 Rugby World Cup set to kick off in Japan this September, Land Rover, the Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup, opted to demonstrate the bespoke commissioning capabilities of their Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) in the UK by developing a one-of-a-kind Range Rover Sport SVR as a tribute to the Springbok rugby team.
Land Rover, who are also South African sponsors of the Springboks, worked hand-in-hand with the SVO team and the South African Rugby Union (SARU), to further spotlight its commitment to being the number one automotive brand in rugby, by creating a very unique Range Rover Sport that is the first and only vehicle to be completely finished in the Springboks’ very specific green hue. The exact Pantone colour match was applied to the Range Rover’s bare shell at the very start of its build process at SVO’s dedicated paint facility. Custom Springbok logos and bespoke yellow brake calipers finish off the exterior’s visual enhancements.
Normally reserved for Land Rover’s own trademark logos, the circular plaques on the Sport’s B-pillars and front and rear treadplates now also feature Springbok insignias and script. Custom touches inside include special yellow shift paddles, and contrast yellow stitching on the seats and door panels. The interior mood lighting has also been adapted to radiate a green glow.
Tina Pienaar-Smit, Jaguar Land Rover PR and Sponsorship Specialist, said: “Land Rover and rugby go hand-in-hand so it only made sense to demonstrate the allegiance in automotive form. We have a great resource in SVO, and its capabilities are ideal to make the connection between the Land Rover and Springbok brands a tangible reality. We hope each member of the Springbok team appreciates the final product as much as we do.”
Opened in the British Midlands in 2016, the SVO Technical Centre specialises in manufacturing, personalisation and commissioning programmes for Jaguar Land Rover vehicles. Interested customers are encouraged to participate in the design of their own cars with near endless possibilities for custom schemes.
South African customers can contact any Jaguar Land Rover dealer for potential bespoke commissions to be fulfilled by Special Vehicle Operations in the UK.
The Springbok tribute Range Rover Sport SVR will makes its public debut at the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb on 4 and 5 May. Race fans can watch the 10thanniversary edition of the Jaguar Simola Hillclimb via livestream at http://www.youtube.com/user/JaguarSA1
