An upgrade during last year further enhanced its popularity and it finished the year as the company's top-selling model worldwide.

Sitting on a wheelbase that is 140 millimetres shorter than the Range Rover Vogue, the Sport variant is differentiated by a lower and sloping roof line, a more angled windscreen, a smoother clamshell bonnet and slimmer headlights and squarer air vents on the front guards.

The Sport shares much of its underpinnings with the current Land Rover Discovery 3 and is far more athletic than the Vogue model.

Four engines are available: 2.7-litre 140kW V6 turbo diesel, 3.6-litre 200kW V8 turbo diesel, 4.4-litre 220kW petrol and 4.2-litre 287kW supercharged V8.

The 3.6-litre turbo diesel V8 is the most popular, it is more frugal and has fewer emissions than the petrol models.

With 640Nm of torque at just 2000rpm, it is the best all-round performer, only marginally slower to 100kmh than the naturally aspirated 4.4-litre petrol V8.

The 3.6-litre turbo diesel V8 has an official fuel consumption figure of 11.1 litres/100km, which compares with 10L/100km, for the 2.7 turbo diesel V6, 14.9L/100km for the 4.4-litre V8 and 15.9L/100km for the supercharged 4.2-litre V8.

Standard fuel tank capacity in all models is 88 litres.

All models link to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The Sport has constant all-wheel-drive via a two-speed transfer case with programmed settings for different surfaces in a system called Terrain Response.

Built with a fully integrated body and frame, the Sport sits on an electronically controlled air suspension, which stiffens at speed and during cornering.

With adjustable ride height and stability control, the car's ability on and off the road is about as good as it gets.

Despite tipping the scales at 2.67 tonnes, it is more agile than regular Range Rover models and the V8 diesel and supercharged models feature active roll control to maintain a level stance during cornering.

Its standard interior appointments are opulent but options come at a high price.