Padstow is fast becoming a pilgrimage destination for car testers, thanks to Mazda. For the second winter in succession, the Japanese maker has chosen the home of Rick Stein's seafood empire as its launch HQ, in this instance for the latest genteel but jaunty MX5. Small roadsters are wonderful fun, of course, but my choice of wheels for the long drive to Cornwall couldn't have been more different: the new Range Rover Sport.
Isn't this more of a school-runner than a cross-country cruiser? You're thinking of bigger brother, standard Range Rover (and in the flesh, they really don't look that dissimilar). However, this slightly smaller variation, launched in April this year, is aimed at younger drivers whose pursuits are a little more hedonistic. If Land Rover had stayed under BMW's ownership, the Sport would never have been let loose, but with Ford now at the helm, this lighter and niftier version of the Range Rover is the perfect weapon to send out to clout BMW where it hurts: straight between the headlamps of the X5 SUV.
Is diesel right for this car's image? It's certainly very bling and is more geared for social than mountain climbing, despite the derv unit and strong off-roading credentials. David Beckham was first in the line for a Sport when it arrived in April and Land Rover puts much stress on the machismo of the V8 and V8 supercharged petrol versions. This option though, which was not available initially for press testing, was tipped as the chief seller - it's the entry-level choice, priced at �34,995, which is a real snip when you consider that the supercharged petrol blusters in at a gobsmacking �57,495. One more clear reason for this model's inevitable popularity is that it averages an official 27.6mpg - not quite a miser's fantasy but consider the alternatives: the V8 glugs petrol at 18.9mpg while the supercharged version gulps it at 17.8mpg.
So how's it go? Land Rover chose wisely when it came to ensuring that the diesel didn't stand out like a donkey at the grand national. It chose Ford's 2.7-litre V6 twin turbodiesel unit, developed in tandem with Ford and already assigned to cousin Jaguar for the S Type and XJ saloons. It's a unit that makes little fuss - just gets on with delivering long swathes of deliciously smooth torque and ensuring that the car never slouches.
Isn't it much slower than the other choices though? Well, the paperwork doesn't hugely impress. While the V8 blasts to 60mph in a respectable 8.2 seconds and the top version does it in just 7.2, this V6 only just breaks the 12 second barrier, coming in at 11.9. Ignore this though, in the flesh the diesel Sport feels entirely worthy of its sporting claims; for a car of such stature it's amazingly precise and poised. It handles with accuracy and the ride, on all but the bumpiest of country lanes taken at low speed, is calm and relaxed. If you'd like the surefooted stance of the bigger Range Rover and none of the slightly ponderous floatiness of the Discovery, this is your optimum RR badge.
How does it go without tarmac though? Don't be fooled by the urban plumage, the Sport comes with Land Rover's special Terrain Response system. A dial on the centre console allows you to dial in the under-tyre conditions - you can choose between snow and ice, slippery sand and normal tarmac. The car's offroading brain then chooses how to proceed, selecting ride height, engine torque response, hill-descent control and electronic traction control.
And for family use? Shearing six inches off the Discovery's floor has to spell some drawbacks and they amount to this: the cabin is great for four, and pretty damn good for five, but if you have any greater needs, you'll find the Discovery more useful.
What else do I get? Aside from the impeccable cabin which is impossible to fault for fine details? The very smooth auto box is standard, as are 17-inch alloys, electronically damped air-suspension, alarm, automatic climate control and ABS. Go for SE trim (�39,995) and you get 18-inch alloys, parking bleepers, bi-xenon lights, heated seats and a six-cd Harman Kardon system, while the full-cigar HSE (�43,995) has 19-inch alloys, sat nav and metallic paint.
Tiscali verdict: 8/10 Gives you a nice warm feeling, like global warming.
