2014 Range Rover Sport Sets Fastest Recorded Time For 'Empty Quarter' Desert Crossing

Even with temperatures exceeding 120 degrees, the 2014 Range Rover Sport was able set the fastest recorded time for a land vehicle crossing of the Empty Quarter.

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The Empty Quarter – or Rub’ al Khali – is the largest sand desert in the world and the second largest desert after the Sahara. It’s also one of the harshest and most challenging desert environments on the planet. Even with temperatures exceeding 120 degrees, the 2014 Range Rover Sport was able set the fastest recorded time for a land vehicle crossing of the Empty Quarter.
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The drive team completed the journey from Wadi Adda Wasir in Saudi Arabia to the border of the United Arab Emirates in 10 hours and 22 minutes at an average speed of 51.87 mph, covering a distance of 527 miles – the route dictated by the conditions on the ground. The best part is that the supercharged Range Rover Sport was did not have any modifications other than a underbody protection plate.

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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 ten successive years with a best finish of 6th overall.
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 judgement. This unique way of driving requires a vehicle which has the same skillset – 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.”

Source: Land Rover