Two engines will be available at launch: a 395-hp 3.0-liter Ingenium inline six-cylinder, and a 523-hp BMW-built twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8. It can propel the Rover to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Both engines are mated to eight-speed automatic transmissions.
An extended-range plug-in hybrid powertrain is expected late in 2022. The six-cylinder engine and electric motor are rated at 434 hp, can reach a top speed of 87 mph on electricity alone and can drive as far as 62 miles on a charge.
The four-wheel steering system pivots the rear wheels up to seven degrees in low-speed city driving and improves handling at faster speeds, said Nick Collins, Range Rover vehicle line director.
Range Rover traditionalists may not like the fact that the new model will sometimes have two wheels driving the vehicle. But Jaguar Land Rover, like all other automakers, is under pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Collins says when the vehicle detects a loss of traction, it takes just milliseconds for the Rover’s awd system to engage.
“We do one of these about every 10 years, and you’ve got to move the car on. This car in its lifetime is going through an electrified journey and efficiency plays a role in that,” Collins said.
Jaguar Land Rover officials are expecting the number of custom orders, where buyers select their own interior materials and colors, to increase with the fifth-generation model. Land Rover’s interior designers have created a palette of custom upholstery, paint and trim options that will enable buyers to have a vehicle built to their tastes — much like Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
The new Range Rover is expected to arrive at dealerships in April. The current version will also spawn a 2022 model, but production of the fourth generation will end when Land Rover workers start assembling the new model.
