Range Rover updated, but no news on SA pricing yet.

Only a week after the release of the new Range Rover Sport, Jaguar Land Rover have released the updated Range Rover.  Just like the Sport, the 2018 Range Rover will be available in a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle derivative (PHEV) which the British manufacture claims will have ‘’uncompromised off-road capability’’.  Along with the PHEV option, the 2018 models will also be available with a supercharged V6, a turbodiesel V6 and range-topping Supercharged 5.0L V8.

Performance increases are modest, with the 5.0L supercharged V8 SVAutobiography version seeing a 5 kW an 20 N.m. improvement over the previous model to 410kW and 700N.m respectively. 0-100 km/h subsequently drops by two-tenths of a second to 5.1 seconds.

The new PHEV model, named the P400e, is due to become available from 2019 and will feature a 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an 85 kW electric motor. The complete system is good for 297 kW and 640 N.m. which will see you to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 220 km/h, via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The P400e is capable of running for 51km on pure electric power, while CO2 emissions come in at just 64g/km and fuel economy at a frugal 2.8 L/100 km.

The exterior sees very subtle changes, however, the cabin has a handful of new technologies and ‘’heightened comfort’’. The front seats are now 24-way adjustable, thanks to redesigned seat frames, and feature heated arm-rests. Jaguar Land Rover’s latest infotainment system has also been fitted, which combines two 10-inch touchscreens. The rear quarters have been reworked to allow for 40 degree recline of the rear seats without loss of  load space, and a 25 programme massage systems has now been fitted into the rear seats, which, like all seat functionalities, can be controlled through a smartphone app. 17 connection points (plug sockets, USB & HDMI points) have also been placed in the cabin, along with as a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices.

Land Rover SA has stated that the new model will indeed be available in South Africa, but have yet to confirm local launch dates and pricing.