The new Range Rover Sport has set the fastest recorded time for a land vehicle crossing of the ‘Empty Quarter' – one of the harshest and most challenging desert environments on the planet. The Empty Quarter - or Rub' Al Khali - is the largest sand desert in the world and the second largest desert after the Sahara. Intensely hot by day with temperatures exceeding 50°C, it is also dangerously arid. With no reliable water sources and an ever-shifting terrain, it provides a true test for man and machine. The drive team completed the journey from Wadi Ad Dawasir in Saudi Arabia to the border of the United Arab Emirates in 10 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 81.87 km/h (51.87 mph), covering a distance of over 849km – the route dictated by the conditions on the ground. The time was set by a standard production new Range Rover Sport with a 510PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine, running standard tires. The only modification to the vehicle was the fitment of an underbody protection plate. The vehicle was driven by Land Rover driver Moi Torrallardona, a 47 year-old Spanish off-road racer with extensive experience of the Dakar Rally, in which he competed for 10 successive years. Torrallardona said: “The challenge of the desert is like nothing else, it is a brutal, unforgiving and sometimes deadly environment. Desert driving requires a unique combination of speed, finesse and technical skill. It is crucial that you tackle the dunes with precision. Knowing the right time to go full throttle and the right time to slow down, takes experience and clear judgment. This unique way of driving requires a vehicle which has the same skill set – it must be both incredibly fast but also agile, responsive and well planted. The Range Rover Sport is exactly that. It is massively capable and is truly the best tool for conquering the desert.” The team encountered a constantly challenging landscape including vast sand flats, soft dunes and epic canyons. They set off at first light on Nov. 3 and finished the challenge 10 hours later on the border as the sun was setting. Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors, the authorized dealer for Jaguar and Land Rover in Saudi Arabia, contributed to the success of this adventure by providing logistical and technical support to the team throughout the planning and actual stages of this race. Commenting on the event, Amr Badghaish, Marketing Director at Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors, said: “We are proud that our Empty Quarter was chosen for such a challenge and we spared no effort to provide the team with all needed support to make this a successful mission. This event confirms the advanced technologies and high performance of Land Rover vehicles.” The challenge is the second that the new Range Rover Sport has completed in recent months, following its record hill climb for a production SUV at Pikes Peak back in June. These feats are part of a series of global driving challenges in which the Range Rover Sport is pushed to new limits. — SG
