Range Rover picks up new diesel hybrid power

NOT one to do things in parts or halves, Land Rover has not only updated its Range Rover Sport, but its larger sibling as well with the big premium SUV scoring two of the three new hybrid powertrains as the Sport.

Replacing the twin-turbo diesel V8 mill, the new hybrid setup is available in two guises, revolving around the same turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine and 48V mild-hybrid system.

In D300 guise the system churns out 221kW of power and 650Nm of torque while the gruntier D350 produces 258kW and 700Nm with the latter being available between 1500 and 3000rpm.

Official fuel consumption for the pair is rated at 8.6 litres and 9.2L/100km respectively on the WLTP test cycle while CO2 emissions are pegged at 225g/km for the D300 and 241g/km for the D350.

“The new six-cylinder diesels feature advanced technologies, such as sequential turbos which produce 90% of peak torque in just over one second, and a new high-pressure fuel injection system, which ensure stunning response and refinement,” Jaguar Land Rover product engineering executive director Nick Rogers said.

With all that low-end torque and mid-range power on tap, the D300 will get from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds while the even gruntier D350 shaves another three-tenths off to stop the clock at 7.1s, making it both faster and more efficient than the outgoing V8 oil-burner.

In terms of petrol offerings, all of the established powertrains have been carried over for the 2021 model year with the familiar six-cylinder, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and V8 duo all set to return.

As before, the P400 six-cylinder turbo unit opens the petrol account, producing 294kW/550Nm.

Next in line in terms of power and performance is the P400e PHEV which pairs a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a 105kW electric motor to produce a combined 297kW/640Nm, all while consuming just 3.3 litres of fuel per 100km and emitting 75g of CO2 per kilometre.

Up to 40km of electric-only range is on offer in the PHEV and its performance undercuts the diesel MHEVs by up to half a second, accelerating from 0-100km/h in 6.8 seconds.

For those less concerned about efficiency, the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 will continue to be offered in two versions – the P525 and P565 – still producing the same 386kW/625Nm and 416kW/700Nm with the more powerful version darting from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds.

All versions of the Range Rover send their power to all four wheels all of the time and rely on an eight-speed automatic transmission, just like the Sport.

Despite the new engine line-up, no changes have been made to the Range Rover’s styling for the new model year.

While Australian specification, pricing and arrival times are yet to be confirmed, Jaguar Land Rover Australia has confirmed that 37 exclusive 50th Anniversary “Fifty” special edition cars will be making it to our shores.

Only 1970 ‘Fiftys’ will be produced globally with the top-spec Autobiography trim-level set to be used as the donor vehicle.

To distinguish it from its regular stablemates, the Fifty will brandish Auric Atlas grille surround, bumper and side vent accents, tailgate finisher and Autobiography badge while the whole package will roll on the choice of two unique sets of 22-inch alloy wheels.

Completing the look will be exclusive ‘Fifty’ badging smattered both on the exterior and interior along with unique, individual vehicle number badging on the centre console.

As for the normal line-up, global standard equipment will include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, built-in 4G WiFi hotspot, 12-inch digital instrument cluster, 10-inch head-up display, dual infotainment touchscreens, 10-inch rear entertainment screens, Meridian audio systems and up to 17 electrical sockets including USB plugs, HDMI connectors and 12V charging points.

Standard safety gear will include a rear camera, lane departure warning and emergency braking, front and rear park distance control, cruise control and a speed limiter while a series of optional driving packs including blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, automated parking and traffic sign recognition will be available.

In keeping with its off-road heritage, all Range Rovers ride on adjustable air suspension and come with two-speed transfer cases and the Terrain Response 2 drive modes.

“Over 50 years, the Range Rover has established a reputation for stunning refinement and pioneering capability, and the latest model takes this heritage to the next level with technologies like Adaptive Dynamics and Terrain Response 2,” Mr Rogers said.

“Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our Jaguar Land Rover family, our luxury SUV has an awesome breadth of capability, both on-road and off-road, in any environment.”

So far this year ending June, JLR Australia has sold 112 Range Rovers, accounting for 5.6 per cent of the $100,000+ upper large SUV segment.

These figures signify a 49.3 per cent sales drop compared to the same period last year and are well off the pace of the segment leading Mercedes-Benz GLS (503 sales, 25% segment share).