Range Rover SC

Getting there would test the boring stuff - acceleration, braking, cruising long straight roads - and yes, there were no disappointments. The 4.2 liter supercharged V8 is a superb engine and provided effortless, quiet, high speed cruising in the comfort of well sculpted leather armchairs for which Range Rover is renowned. Even violent braking was practically effortless, given all of the modern technology that is built in.

There were only two of us on our test drive but we could have taken another three big ones in the rear seats, plus more than enough luggage for a week away. Entertainment came through playing with the Satnav system but the quality of the sounds delivered by the Harmon Kardon CD and radio is just phenomenal. DVD is an optional extra.

There is TV in the front, displayed on the central console through which you can display all your driver and entertainment functions. When you engage reverse gear, a tiny camera mounted in the tailgate cuts in automatically. Here is a wonderful parking assist that, combined with automatic down-tilting rear view mirrors, which also operate when you select reverse, make parking impressively easy for such a bulky vehicle.

In the rough stuff - well, just a little - it is clear that the ground clearance of this truck is a major factor in its appeal. Yes, you have to be careful where you 'tread' but the overall sense of control and visibility is very much matched by the SC's ability to climb rugged rock formations with just a little application of its formidable power.

By the time we had finished playing in the foothills it was dusk and night was closing in. Time for a shisha, a cup of cardamom tea and a return to 'civilization'. This produced a surprise, for I had forgotten that this latest generation is equipped with adaptive headlamps that swivel in response to the steering wheel's movements to throw extra light into the corners. In the Gulf, it's a nice gimmick and not entirely necessary on the open road because, in general, there is plenty of visibility. In Europe and North America, however, where roads are often defined by high banks, hedgerows and trees, they are a serious aid to night driving.

And so to the sternest tests of all - city gridlock and ever-smaller parking spaces!
With so much power at your disposal you might think that controlling the Range Rover SC at low speeds could be a problem but this turned out not to be the case. The supercharger does not kick in until you need serious acceleration, so low speed control is precise and easy. And parking - well, with that camera and the tilting mirrors, it has never been simpler. This is a wide car, however, so don't forget to hit the 'fold' button when you leave it so that other drivers cannot swipe the mirrors off!