The Range Rover and Range Rover Sport’s engine lineup have been shufled thanks fo the introduction of a new six-cylinder mild hybrid diesel for the 2021 model ranges. Land Rover‘s latest 48v mild-hybrid diesel engine is cleaner, more efficient and powerful than the outgoing 3.0-litre V6 and 4.4-litre V8 diesels.
Several new special editions join the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport price lists, which add both luxury and sportiness to the lineup. A number of other tech changes are introduced with the model updates, which are available to order from £83,465 for the Range Rover and £65,295 for the Sport.
New tech, new special editions
The Range Rover and Sport get more equipment as well as standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and it’s far more connected than before, with an inbuilt wifi hotspot that can support eight connections. There’s a new air filtration system, too, that improves driver alertness and passenger comfort.
The special edition Range Rovers are the the Westminster Edition and SVAutobiography Dynamic Black join the Range Rover Fifty, launched to commemorate the model’s half century. The Sport’s model range expands to include the new HSE Dynamic Black and Carbon Edition trims.
First details: new six-cylinder engine
Land Rover’s new 3.0-litre mild hybrid diesel is offered with two power outputs – the entry-level D300 develops 300hp and 650Nm of torque, while more powerful D350 pushes out 250hp and 700Nm of torque. That’s more outright power and a little less torque than the outgoing V8 diesel.
That useful uplift in power is reflected in the performance figures. The D300 Range Rover posts a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds, half-second improvement over the old SDV6 engine. The D350 is quicker at 6.9 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than the outgoing V8 diesel unit, and impressive for such a large SUV. That drops to 6.5 seconds for the similarly-powered Sport.
The mild hybrid system improves efficiency as well as performance. Land Rover says the Range Rover returns up to 33mpg combined on the WLTP ‘real-world’ test in D300 form. That falls to a claimed 30.8mpg for the D350. CO2 is down 37g/km compared with the outgoing unit for a emissions rating of 238g/km.
What this means for you
The lower emissions and promised improvements in refinement extend the appeal of Land Rover’s two senior model lines. If these aren’t clean enough for you, the P400e plug-in hybrids are available as before.
However, if you’re after an all-electric Land Rover or Range Rover, you still have some time to wait – which places premium market rivals in a better place to take your money if you’re looking to buy an EV.
>> Read more: The Parkers guide to SUVs
>> Read more: The best hybrid SUVs 2020
