On a sunny, blustery day on Paris’ Place Vendôme, I am about to see a real treasure. I enter a former bank-turned-exhibition space, and a hostess escorts me down a spiral stone staircase into the basement. Before me stands a massive steel door that leads to a vault. Inside that vault is neither gold nor diamonds, but for a certain type of buyer, it is something equally precious: one of only 999 special-edition Range Rover SV Coupes. A waiter hands me a glass of champagne, and I step through the vault door.
The experience of buying a limited-edition car like the SV Couple feels less like a trip to the local luxury dealership and more like an invite-only gathering of like-minded enthusiasts. And, though this exclusive process may be familiar to buyers of certain high-priced sedans and sports cars, the VIP treatment for an SUV goes above-and-beyond—perhaps an indication of just how dominant the SUV has become in general.
However, The SV Coupe, which is hand-built by Land Rover’s Special Vehicles Operations unit, is indeed worthy of the attention. Thanks to a turbocharged V8 engine with 557 horsepower, the car has a top speed of 165 mph and the ability to reach 60 mph in five seconds, making it the fastest Range Rover ever.
The SV Coupe also boasts eye-catching design. First, Range Rovers usually have four doors, so this two-door variant already makes the car special. The SV Coupe’s side vent is also located more toward the front of the car so that the door itself looks more prominent than it might otherwise, a visual reminder that egress in and out of the car, especially the rear seats, is easy. The car’s rear also tapers slightly, giving it the appearance of moving even when it’s stationary.
Meanwhile, the SV Coupe’s interior channels the comfort and look of a yacht or private jet. There are multiple design packs available so that customers can tailor the car to their liking, but I’m gobsmacked by the model on display in the vault, which features leather seats in two colors (white in the front and blue in the rear); A Nautica veneer, handcrafted with sustainable walnut and sycamore, curves through the cabin.
Still, I’m excited to sit down and design a Range Rover to my own liking. My dream SV coupe has a bespoke luxury green gloss exterior, glossy black brake calipers, and 22-inch wheels. Inside, I would opt for an ebony leather headliner and a walnut veneer, which would complement vintage tan front seats and ebony rear seats (both with a bespoke quilt pattern). I love the concept of contrasting front and rear seats with the darker shade in the rear, which is the opposite of what might be found in a chauffeured luxury car. Overall, the SV coupe will look splendid on a Parisian street, but will also thrive when it takes to the hills—a true rarity among limited-edition vehicles.
From $295,000; landroverusa.com.
