First Look: 2027 Land Rover Range Rover SV Ultra Is Fit for a King

• What's new: The $255,250 Range Rover SV Ultra sits at the very top of the luxury brand's range.
• Why it matters: It introduces the first automotive use of electrostatic speakers, along with super-premium trim materials.
• Edmunds says: The new audio system and numerous luxury details make this class act even classier.

I wasn't allowed to take my own pictures since we were at Land Rover's Gaydon Center research and development facility. But the photos Range Rover supplied do a good job of capturing the Titan Silver paint's luster. It's an exclusive color for the SV Ultra, and in person, it has a shimmer and depth that stands out even under unflattering studio lights. The grille and wheels are trimmed in Satin Platinum, a slightly darker metallic shade. The wheel center caps use the new "RR" logo, the first use on an actual production vehicle. 

And that's about it. You won't find a big "Ultra" badge on the grille or any logos embossed into the sheetmetal. For my money, I like that it just subtly hints that you're looking at the most expensive version of this SUV.  

Subtle, soft and ... sustainable?

The restraint continues inside. When I opened the door, I was nearly blinded by the Orchid White upholstery. However, it's not leather. On the seats, dash, doors, headliner and elsewhere is what Range Rover calls "Ultrafabrics," and it's one of the most convincing faux leathers I've encountered. Instead of the peculiar stretchiness this type of material usually has, it just felt like exceptionally soft and supple leather under my fingertips. Plus, it looks cool. The ventilation perforations on the seats are laser-etched into a three-dimensional mosaic pattern that's impossible to capture in pictures. It extends around to the seatback as well. Even in the short time I explored the interior, I could tell the seats were comfortable and supportive. 

Rather than the usual burled walnut or other glossy wood trim, the SV Ultra uses rattan wood, but not the kind you'll find woven onto seatbacks at World Market. Instead, it's carefully dyed and shaped to fit with the SV Ultra's luxurious character while remaining very sustainable, since the source plant grows quickly. It has a texture that feels good, and the subtle dye job matches nicely with the glossy "piano white" on the shift handle, volume knob and Terrain Response knob. 

Since many Range Rover customers let someone else do the driving — King Charles III, for example — it's not too surprising that the rear seats are really where it's at. I sat in back, sank into the soft Ultrafabrics, reclined the seat back and extended the footrest. I couldn't help but indulge in the fantasy that I'd made it and was being chauffeured around as my reclined seat massaged and heated or cooled me to the optimum temperature while I grabbed a beverage from the refrigerator between the rear barcaloungers. The screen in front of me would, if I wanted it to, show me how my stock portfolio was doing, and the fold-out work table is in easy reach, letting me jot down notes whenever I may need. 

Crystal-clear audio

Once I was done fantasizing, I was ushered into another room to experience the new audio system. A $12,570 upgrade, Range Rover calls it SV Electrostatic Sound. Speaker nerds will drool over the name, because it's the first time an automaker has used electrostatic speakers in a car.

For us non-nerds, they're drooling because electrostatic speakers are very cool, and very pricey. Conventional speakers create sound by rapidly vibrating a cone, which compresses the air to make sound. The result is good sound, but the speakers are big and heavy due to the magnets used to control that vibration. The electrostatic speakers in the SV Ultra sandwich a thin membrane between two layers of metal, and the membrane vibrates to create sound without the cone. Without the magnet, the speaker is thinner and lighter, plus it can react up to 1,000 times faster than older cone-type speakers. Range Rover uses upcycled materials to make the electrostatic speakers, so they're eco-friendly as well. 

Of course the proof is in the sound, and holy moly, does it sound good. I was given a demonstration that included favorites like Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and Pink Floyd's "Money." Both are among my go-tos for testing an audio system, but this is the best I've ever heard both pieces. I felt like I could hear the tip of each drumstick when Lars Ulrich comes in on "Sandman" and could count the individual coins falling into the tray at the beginning of "Money." The clarity was remarkable, but not harsh.

Enhancing the experience is Range Rover's Body and Soul Seat and Sensory Floor. Like in the Audi Q9, it enhances the listening experience using drivers built into the seats themselves, and it goes a step further with additional drivers in the floor. They act as additional bass drivers, enhancing the listening experience without forcing you to crank the volume to hearing-loss levels. My thick-soled shoes muffled the floor part of the experience to the point where I couldn't feel anything — this is one area where intensity should overrule subtlety — but I could definitely feel it in the seats. I'm still not sure if I'd enjoy it all the time, but it's certainly an interesting addition to the listening environment.  

High-end eco-friendliness

I appreciate the lack of gaudiness in the Range Rover SV Ultra. It feels incredibly luxurious, but it doesn't beat you over the head with it either. On top of that, there's an almost incongruous environmental friendliness, and not just from the upcoming all-electric powertrain. The faux leather, sustainable wood trim and lightweight speakers all help make the SV Ultra a bit more green-conscious than you might expect. I'm not going to call a big, heavy, off-road-capable SUV an eco warrior, but I'm impressed Range Rover can pull it off while maintaining an uncompromised luxury feel.

The Range Rover SV Ultra with the fancy-pants audio system costs $267,820, or $290,020 for the long-wheelbase version for maximum rear-seat comfort. It's not hard to add a couple of options to push the price over the $300,000 mark. That's some serious walking-around money, but if that's the kind of world you live in, I think you'll be satisfied, my liege.