A darker shade of luxury: The Range Rover SV Black
In the realm of high-performance SUVs, the Range Rover SV reigns supreme, not only on performance alone, but it’s the only model that can do almost everything that you ask of it. Off-road. Check. Track. Check. Opulence. Absolutely. It’s that good.
Visually, it’s a stunner. Straight off the showroom floor, we’d argue it doesn’t need a single tweak. But RR has added a Black Edition model to the range, which will be offered alongside the Serenity and Intrepid models, which will be introduced to the local market before the end of the year.
As its name suggests, the SV Black swaps all the chrome detailing for black accents, and we agree, not all that glitters is stunning. For starters, it wears a striking Narvik Gloss Black shade, further complemented by a polished gloss black mesh grille, bonnet lettering in gloss black, and a black ceramic badge at the back.
For the first time, the gloss black 23-inch alloy wheels are home to brake callipers finished in the same colour featuring darker branding.
Indeed, the Range Rover has always been a benchmark for luxury, and the interior isn’t short of all that. What the brand has done here is to take an already luxurious interior and make it even better. This was all done by adding what the brand calls Sensory Floor, which is simply an evolution of the Body-And-Soul technology. What the tech does is it incorporates haptic feedback through the floor mats in addition to the seats to allow occupants to physically feel the music. It’s a strange concept on paper but surprisingly interesting in practice and one that’s worth trying.
Apart from that, the SV Black also comes with a range of premium finishes inside, such as soft and satin black, near-aniline Ebony leather, and single-panel seat covers, which have a cleaner, more minimalist finish with reduced stitching and detailing, completed by sleek black birch veneers. Another stylish touch is the finishing of the gear shift lever in satin black ceramic, as well as moonlight chrome detailing at various points.
Its power remains unchanged and still comes from the BMW-sourced 4.4-litre turbocharged V8 engine pushing out 452kW and 750Nm. We’ve recently experienced it for ourselves, and it delivers the kind of effortless punch that makes this behemoth feel surprisingly quick.
If you’ve got a few million lying around (and let’s be honest, most of us don’t), the Range Rover SV Black might just be the one. Available to order from late 2025, it comes in either a 5-seat standard wheelbase at R5,269,200 or a 4-seat long wheelbase at R5,718,700. Sure, it’s not a cheap price tag, but then again, this isn’t just a typical luxury SUV.
It plays in the same league as the Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and Mercedes-Maybach GLS600. And for that kind of company, it just might be worth every penny.
