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.
The Empty Quarter – or Rub' al Khali – is the world's largest sand desert and the second largest desert after the Sahara. With daytime temperatures of more than 50C, it is dangerously arid with no reliable water sources and an ever-shifting terrain.
The journey from Wadi Adda Wasir in Saudi Arabia to the border of the United Arab Emirates took 10 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 51.87mph, covering 849km – the route dictated by the conditions on the ground.
The standard Range Rover Sport was a 510PS 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol model, running standard tyres. The only modification was an underbody protection plate.
The vehicle was driven by Land Rover driver Moi Torrallardona, a 47-year-old Spanish off-road racer.
He 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.'
A short documentary of the record attempt will be available to download early next month from www.media.landrover.com
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