Range Rover Sport Goes Where Very Few Skiers Dare in Inferno Downhill Challenge

That's why the manufacturer tries very hard to remind people that underneath all that poshness, the Range Roves Sport is still a Land Rover. The British brand is using its legacy as a differentiator, making its products stand out from a growing number of luxury SUVs that advertise using sumptuous Beverly Hills mansions as backdrops.

The Range Rover Sport can do that too, but it wants more. It has already set the record at Pikes Peak back in 2014 for a production SUV, and now it seeks to prove a 14.9-kilometer (9.2 miles) extreme ski slope in the Swiss Alps is no match for its off-road abilities.

With British race and stunt driver Ben Collins at the wheel (also known for his role as the Stig in BBC's Top Gear show), the red SUV lined up at the top of the Inferno Mürren route, one of the oldest and most challenging downhill races. The trial would take the V8-powered car through a 2,170 meters (7,119 feet) descent filled with rocks, snow, and ice, as well as 75 percent gradients.

"One of the secrets of Inferno is never brake," says a voice with an obvious German accent as the Range Rover gets ready to dive into the abyss. OK, you think to yourself, that makes sense: use engine deceleration instead, as applying the brakes could affect the grip. And then you see Ben Collins go, and you realize that's not how he interpreted this advice. His take was "there's only one pedal that matters, and it's the one on the right."

The way the Range Rover handles itself is remarkable. Could other SUVs have done just as well? Maybe, but they haven't tried it, so it's completely irrelevant now. The Range Rover Sport did, and it looked absolutely fabulous. Good choice of color as well.

"This was genuinely one of the hardest tests I’ve faced in my driving career," commented Ben Collins. "The route was insane and certainly the toughest course I’ve ever completed. It challenged you with every kind of obstacle this side of molten lava and as conditions go, it was about as bad as it gets – torrential weather mixed with cliffs, trees, all kinds of stuff you don't really want to crash into." It sure looked that way from outside too. Have a look for yourself below and check out the image gallery on the right as well.