Land Rover will shake up the Range Rover Sport range in 2009 with a serious mid-life facelift. The proportions of Solihull’s Tonka Toy sport ute won’t change vastly, but our spy photos confirm that the Sport will gain a fresh face – think new lights and grille – plus that rather natty new alloy wheel design.
But more serious changes are due under the Range Rover Sport’s bonnet. The majority of mainstream Land Rovers (and sister brand Jaguars) will receive heart transplants in the shape of a new family of petrol and diesel engines to replace today’s 4.2 V8 and 2.7 V6 turbodiesel:
Range Rover Sport: the new engines
• New 5.0-litre V8
• New 3.0-litre V6 TD
Both new engines will be announced formally this winter. The diesel is a priority, as it makes up the vast majority of Jaguar and Land Rover sales. It swells in capacity by 10 percent, to answer criticisms the V6 is too slow in the big heavy vehicles it powers.
CAR understands the new engines will eventually be mated to a new eight-speed ZF gearbox, which is compatible with stop-start systems and even mild hybrids.
When can I buy the facelifted new Range Sport?
March 2009. So expect a world debut at one of this winter’s motor shows, probably the Detroit show in January 2009.
