Range Rover Sport Crosses Empty Quarter Desert in 10 Hours

Land RoverLand RoverUnited Kingdom, 1978 > present15 models
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continues to conquer geographical challenges with its trucks this year. A few months ago, it drove from Solihull, England, to Mumbai, India, in three Range Rover HybridLand Rover Range Rover 3....United Kingdom, 2014 > present test cars. Its most recent challenge on November 3 was to drive a Range Rover SportLand Rover Range Rover Sp...United Kingdom, 2014 > present3 photos
849km along the Empty Quarter of the Arab Peninsula. It accomplished the drive in 10 hours and 22 minutes. It is the first time that Land Rover can find records of anyone attempting to drive across the desert in the fastest time possible and makes it the new record.

Dakar Rally veteran Moi Torrallardona drove from Wadi Adda Wasir, Saudi Arabia to the border of the United Arab Emirates at an average speed of 51.87mph (81.87km/h). The team set off at dawn and arrived in the UAE just as the sun was setting.

The route crossed 849km of the desert

© photo courtesy of: Land Rover

The car was a standard production Range Rover Sport with a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 and standard tires. The only change compared to stock was the fitment underbody protection. The rear was packed with added safety equipment and spare wheels. 

“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,” said Torrallardona.

The Empty Quarter is in the southern portion of the Arab Peninsula and is the largest sand desert in the world and the second largest desert in the world behind the Sahara. The route took them through soft sand dunes, rocky canyons and sand flats. 

Range Rover Sport Attempting to Cross Empty Quarter in Arabia