For 2006, Land Rover’s ace card is the all-new, blower-fed, performance-tuned Range Rover Supercharged. Not that long ago, SUVs were all about 4WD, safety, and cargo-carrying prowess. Today, performance is an attribute that has been added to the equation. Consider the Mercedes-Benz M-Class AMG, the BMW X5 4.8is, and the Porsche Cayenne.

The essence of Range Rover’s top-of-the-line model is a Jaguar-sourced 4.2-liter V8 engine, with a Roots-type supercharger attached. For this application, the displacement has decreased from the normally aspirated HSE version – equipped with a 4.4-liter – as a result of different cylinder liners meant to withstand the extra boost. The bore has been narrowed, but the stroke of the cylinders remains the same. Output is 400 horsepower at 5,750 rpm, with 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm. This amounts to 35 percent more power, and 25 percent more torque than the current BMW-sourced V8, a relic from the time that Land Rover was owned by that Bavarian marque. The new supercharged version’s zero-to-60 mph time is 1.5 seconds faster, getting the Range Rover Supercharged to 60 mph in just 7.1 seconds, and its 60-100 mph acceleration is 25 percent quicker than before.

The base Range Rover HSE’s 4.4-liter engine is also a Jaguar unit, featuring variable camshaft phasing and producing 305 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 325 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. It is now half a second faster, with a 20 percent increase in its 8.3-sec. zero-to-60 time, and its maximum power is increased by 20 bhp, or 7 percent.

Both engines are lightweight, with advanced torque-based engine management systems and drive-by-wire throttle control, and boasting improved emissions and fuel economy. The Range Rover Supercharged returns an estimated combined rating of 17.5 mpg and the HSE gets 18.3 mpg. In comparison, the previous Range Rover offered between 14 and 16 mpg in mixed driving.

Because of Land Rover’s legendary 4WD heritage, these engines were upgraded from their applications in Jaguar sedans with a bias for both on-and-off road capability. As a result, they build more torque at lower revs and are able to operate at extreme vehicle angles and while wading through water, important ingredients for the serious off-roader. However, Land Rover’s engineers point out that low-end torque is not only for off-road driving; it also provides better throttle response from a stop, and during low-speed driving maneuvers. Matched to both of the Range Rover's engines is a six-speed automatic transmission. This electronically controlled, “intelligent” gearbox includes adaptive mapping to accentuate performance, as well as a CommandShift feature, which gives you clutchless manual control.