Henry Ford is said to have offered his customers the Model T in any color, as long as it was black.

With the Range Rover Sport SV Black, the color question does not even arise: paint, emblems, wheels, brake calipers, exhaust tailpipes and even the carbon fiber hood are all bathed in glossy black.

Power and Dynamics...

finews tested the Range Rover Sport two years ago as a "First Edition" with 530 hp and experienced a "captivating interplay of power and dynamics."

Now comes the Range Rover Sport SV Black as the next step up: 635 hp, a bespoke chassis and a presence that leaves no doubt about its intentions.

... in Superlative Form

Much of what we liked about the base model remains and is taken even further: The body would still pass as a spaceship in any futuristic sci-fi movie; the sculpted front end showcases the ultra-slim headlights, and the sloping roofline gives the car its distinctive shape.

At just under five meters in length, the Sport remains more compact than the larger Range Rover and is therefore easier to handle in city traffic as well.

Spaceship in Narvik Black: the Range Rover Sport SV Black. (Image: provided)

Dress Code: Black Tie

In our first test, we described the Range Rover Sport as a SUV turning up in formal evening wear. The SV Black now, in a sense, wears a tuxedo.

The Narvik Black paint finish is complemented by glossy black accents, forged 23-inch wheels and, for the first time, an SV emblem made of black ceramic on the tailgate. At the launch, Range Rover chief Martin Limpert rightly described the model as an expression of bold rebellion wrapped in sporty luxury.

Black To The Fingertips

On Bahnhofstrasse, the SV Black looks like a guest in a flawless evening suit, about whom one cannot quite shake the suspicion that he did not come just for the canapés. The car is not discreet, but it is all the more stylish.

The concept continues consistently in the interior. The performance seats are upholstered in Ebony Windsor leather, the controls are made of satin-black ceramic, and the trim is finished in Grand Black.

Black instead of chrome: the grille and emblems are dressed for the evening too. (Image: provided)

Body-and-Soul Seats

When the doors are opened, illuminated treadplates with the "SV Black" lettering light up. Unchanged and still excellent is the Pivi Pro operating system, which communicates intuitively and obediently with the driver via the 13.1-inch touchscreen and connects seamlessly with the smartphone.

Another unique feature is the so-called Body-and-Soul seats. A technology developed by Subpac translates the bass in the music into finely graded vibrations in the seat. There are also six wellness programs designed to soothe or energize as needed: a nice gimmick, but probably not the reason to buy this car.

Engine from Munich

About the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 in the base model, we wrote that it delivered exactly what you needed to move the car briskly, but not all that much more.

At the heart of the SV Black is also a BMW twin-turbo V8, though in a sharper M Division tune and combined with mild-hybrid technology. It now produces 467 kilowatts, or 635 hp, and delivers 750 newton-meters of torque, briefly even 800. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h now takes 3.9 seconds instead of 4.5. Top speed is electronically limited to 290 km/h, up from 250 km/h.

Command center for 635 hp: gear selector in satin-black ceramic. (Image: provided)

Hydraulics Instead of Stabilizers

However, a key difference from the base model lies in the chassis. In the regular Range Rover Sport, we found that the mass and high seating position dampen the forces of motion.

The SV instead uses the 6D Dynamics system: traditional anti-roll bars are replaced by a hydraulically linked circuit that largely suppresses body roll in corners as well as pitch under acceleration and braking. In SV mode, the car also lowers itself by 15 millimeters.

The cockpit of the SV Black. (Image: provided)

Considerably More Driving Fun

All of this makes a noticeable contribution to driving pleasure: On the highway, the 2.8-ton SUV proves itself a high-performance machine with impeccable overtaking prestige; on country roads, it can be driven much more agilely than the base version. 

In terms of fuel consumption, the Brit remains true to form: The factory figure is 11.9 liters per 100 kilometers, while our test was closer to 15 liters (with plenty of German autobahn driving).

In short, finews finds: The Range Rover Sport SV Black takes everything that defines the base model and turns it up a notch: in presence, in performance and above all in driving dynamics. Anyone looking to combine an elegant gala appearance with a hint of rebellion will find the right outfit here. It is available from 229,400 francs. If you really want to venture off-road over hill and dale, you are better off with the Land Rover Defender OCTA, which we recently tested. That said, you don't go hiking in the mountains in a tuxedo either.