This is the new 2011 Range Rover, which will be launched by mid-September this year. The new Range Rover, dubbed the 2011 model but on sale later this year, gets the faintest of nose jobs, but there are big changes for the diesel powertrain.
A longer-stroke 4.4-litre V8 diesel replaces the current 3.6, and there’s a new eight-speed ZF paddle-shift auto. The combination - plus a series of subtle electronic tweaks like a smart-charge alternator - boosts power by 15 percent and meets the stricter emission norms. The new Range Rover will have improved fuel efficiency, up by 18.5 percent.
The four-cam, 32-valve diesel gets a new cast-iron block and adopts parallel sequential turbocharging like the Discovery’s 3.0-litre V6. Power is 309bhp at 3750rpm (a slightly lower specific output than before, to help control NOx) and 9.4 percent more torque - now 71.33kgm at 2000rpm.
The 0-100kph time is trimmed by 1.1sec to 7.5sec, and passing acceleration is even better. The transmission is now controlled by a Jag-style selector and the Terrain Response system gains hill hold and ‘gradient acceleration control’, which stops the car from running away on slopes, even if you haven’t engaged Hill Descent Control.