I have previously said I didn't think the SV represents good value when compared against the new AB or the previous SV AB (which I owned).

But in the quest to find a colour and design I want, I am considering anything. And here's the thing - I know my favourite interior is the Caraway and Perlino in the SV. So I started to explore a spec that dropped some of the things I was adding to an AB (special paint, wheels, rear screens, tow bars...) and I found the price gap closes. So I am asking myself whether I would prefer an AB fully loaded, or an SV in black with the interior I want. And today I am thinking the SV might and to my surprise be right for me.

Keen to hear your thoughts!

These are the images from the seductive Land Rover video that steer me towards that interior:

Hello

I don't personally 'get' the SV proposition in L460 as there doesn't seem to be any 'value' in the product. On L405 you essentially had a fully loaded car for little more than a full spec AB with a more powerful engine and better residual. On L460, you seem to be paying a huge amount for ceramic detailing and different leather, the latter of which is available on Autobiography.

For me, the best 'value' L460 is a First Edition.

It all depends on what options you want and how much you value them.

Although, even if you drop the options you mentioned there is still a big price gap. Also, I doubt you would get much of the premium of an SV over the AB back on resale. Options such as a tow bar are sought after second hand so you would probably get some of the value back on this.

As Autobiography said, the best value is the First Edition then the AB. But when you are spending this amount on a car it’s not just about value, it’s about what you want and what you value. I went AB because First Edition had some things I didn’t want and I couldn’t have some things I did. So saving a grand didn’t make sense to me when I wasn’t getting exactly what I wanted. The SV trim bits hold no value to me personally and there are some other things about it I really don’t like, so for me the huge premium makes no sense.

Agree with above posts on that SV has been degraded from being a halo model to a pricy trim level with worse residuals.

Nevertheless, no one needs a +$100k car and as much as we try on these chat forums you can’t really rationalize it. We buy them for how they make us feel

Also, the interior is where you spend the vast majority of your ownership experience so I would argue it is quite important for how happy you are with the car at the end of the day. For this reason I tend to spec my cars inside and out. Get the interior right, pick matching exterior color, pick wheels that work with the color and general theme of the car etc…

Our 911 ended up with an Hermes inspired theme. Our Rangie with an Art Deco theme.

This is highly subjective though. I have friends that start with the exterior and don’t really care much about the interior (always go with a black).

Enjoy the process ! _________________
2020 RR AB P400e

Thanks for your thoughts!

And I really like your thought Zion that we buy these things for how they make us feel. Fits with 5.0's point about what we value.

Autobiography I hear you though on the lack of differences to the AB spec for the money. If the L460 had followed in the L405 footsteps the car would be (for example) £10k more than an AB but come fully loaded with cost options on the AB (like rear screens and tow bar), more power and some other goodies. So far as I can figure out it costs roughly £25k more than an AB (I think 5.0 did the same maths in a different thread) but doesn't have rear screens or more power as standard. So the difference is to have the leather in two tone (which I like a lot), access to different wheels (which matters less to me on a PHEV as the 23s aren't an option) and the ceramic touches (which I am not fussed about). And some other paint colours. It does feel like the used market will value these as an AB as a result which makes anyone pause for thought.

Has anyone ordered an SV? And if so what was your rationale? Perhaps you just loved it in which case fair enough!

Here is Michael van der Sande, Managing Director Special Vehicle Operations, explaining the product:

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