Likely be voted More Likely to Succeed with the image-conscious club-hopping crowd and entrepreneurial set, the 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport is based on Land Rover’s attention-grabbing Range Stormer concept, but with better flow and a more tapered appearance.

From the outside, you’ll immediately notice that several of the 2006 Range Rover Sport’s styling cues were derived from its big brother, the Range Rover, particularly in details such as the intersecting dual-circle headlights, front fender mounted side vents on the Supercharged model, and ‘floating’ body-colored roof. Land Rover describes the roof as ‘floating’ because no body color panels exist between the beltline and the cap. The roofline also tapers back, lessening the “executive effect” created by the Range Rover’s upright and level ceiling. By tapering this contour on the Sport, Land Rover’s engineers say better aerodynamics are achieved; the new model has an impressive .36 co-efficient of drag compared to .39 for a Range Rover.

For us, the profile is attractive and reminiscent of the 80’s Range Rover Classic. Like many other automakers that portray their models as “looking fast,” Land Rover designer Jeff Upex has sketched the Sport to appear like it’s in motion even when standing still. To our eyes, this slickness works, accentuated by the steeply raked windshield, the short front overhang, and the long rear overhang. One differentiator between the Range Rover and the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is the fender vents. The ‘gills’ on the Sport Supercharged are smaller and, we think, more attractive than those on top-of-the-line Range Rover.

Stepping inside the Range Rover Sport, you’ll find your body snugly cosseted in standard power-adjustable seats for both the driver and front passenger, creating command seating that is more race-inspired than patterned after luxury vehicles. Thick bolsters provide lateral support, although seat contouring in the rear is reserved only for the outboard positions. Despite the tapered roofline, the rear headliner has been scooped out to maximize headroom. Four different fabrics in four colors are available for the seats, along with high-grade leather. Unique ‘sparkle’ leather is standard on Supercharged versions of the 2006 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The rear seats split and fold asymmetrically, creating a commendable 71 cubic feet of cargo room to stow bikes and ski gear.

You’ll also notice that while the cockpit retains some of the Range Rover’s upscale design cues and materials to connote luxury and loveliness, you’ll find the Sport’s circular analog gauges, ringed with metallic bezels, grouped into a binnacle and clearly sport-oriented. A large center console sits high and also curves towards the driver, enhancing the driver-centric cockpit feel.