Range Rover ditches V8 diesel
New inline six-cylinder diesel engine headlines mid-life update for MY21 Range Rover luxury SUVThe 2021 Range Rover has been revealed in the UK and the updated luxury SUV will be available in Australia from December, brandishing a new six-cylinder twin-turbo diesel engine.
Pricing details have not yet been finalised and while the introduction of the new diesel engine is the only meaningful change to the pioneering British SUV, there are a few other changes.
Upgraded ‘executive class’ reclining rear seats on top-spec models have been added, along with improved semi-autonomous driving aids and an enhanced Nanoe cabin filtration system.
So let’s take a look at the engine and what it means for the eponymous Rangie.
The all-new ‘Ingenium’ 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesel inline six-cylinder engine “…provides the power and performance of a V8 with the efficient and economy of the six cylinder engine,” according to the chief engineer for engines at Jaguar Land Rover, Jonathan Harris.
Available with in two different tunes – mild (D300) and spicy (D350) – the new 3.0-litre biturbo diesel replaces the 4.4-litre TDV8 diesel.
The D300 bangs out 221kW of power and 650Nm of torque – enough for Range Rover to claim a 7.4-second 0-100km/h acceleration sprint time, while the D350 is good for 258kW/700Nm and a claimed 7.1sec 0-100km/h dash.
“The perfectly balanced inline engine has been designed to deliver world-class refinement and free-revving, smooth driving experiences,” intoned Harris during the COVID-friendly online reveal.
Fuel consumption is rated at 8.6L/100km for the D300 and 9.2L/100km for the D350 under WLTP testing, with CO2 emissions of 225g/km and 241g/km respectively.
“The gains are even more pronounced when you compare the new D350 to the 4.4 V8 diesel it replaces. Despite its smaller capacity, the 3.0-litre D350 provides an extra 11PS [8kW] and sharper acceleration. At the same time it’s reducing CO2 emissions by an impressive 37g/km.”
Harris also noted that the new engine achieves a “…52 per cent reduction in NOX emissions,” compared to the outgoing TDV8, which will see the engine “meet the world’s most stringent emissions standard.”
Of course there is still a dizzying array of petrol engines to choose from, including the P360 and P400 straight six-cylinder petrol engines, plus the supercharged 5.0-litre V8.
There’s also a P400e plug-in hybrid powertrain that offers 40km (25 miles) of silent driving thanks to its 105kW electric motor and 13kWh lithium-ion battery cell, while offering a potent 297kW power punch.
While there are no major design changes inside or out, the Range Rover gets sophisticated cabin visuals at night thanks to a new three-zone ambient lighting system that allows occupants to change colours and luminosity levels.
The Rover Rover also gets 6mm laminated glass to reduce wind, road and engine noise, while rear passengers can take advantage of a power-deployable centre console to get work done.
All Range Rovers now come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, not to mention eight 4G Wi-Fi connections simultaneously.
Driver assistance system have been improved as well, with lane departure warning, autonomous emergency braking joining the safety suite.
Stay tuned for Australian pricing and specifications for the updated 21MY Range Rover.
Range Rover Sport upgraded
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