New V8 Diesel extends Range Rover Sport range

Since its debut in 2005, Land Rover’s most performance-oriented vehicle yet – dubbed a ‘sports tourer’ by the company – has been consistently in high demand, leading to waiting lists in many markets. Announced yesterday, a new and powerful, state-of-the-art TDV8 turbo diesel will become the fourth engine option for the Range Rover Sport, no doubt exacerbating the wait. With power and torque over 40 per cent greater than the TDV6 turbocharged diesel engine, but still achieving 25.5 mpg (11.1 litre/100 km) on combined fuel cycle, the new TDV8 is expected to extend the Range Rover Sport’s appeal still further.

“The new TDV8 engine is a tremendous achievement, with performance, outstanding refinement and exceptional efficiency. It extends choice still further for our customers, and we expect it to help maintain the vehicle’s outstanding sales success,” says Land Rover managing director, Phil Popham.

The TDV8 engine has been designed specifically to power the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, ensuring no compromise to its off-road credentials, and it was first seen earlier this year in the Range Rover. For Range Rover Sport, the engine calibration, installation and applications have been developed to deliver a more sporting driving experience to suit the vehicle.

The introduction of the TDV8 engine at 2007 model year is accompanied by detailed specification upgrades and improvements across the Range Rover Sport line-up. The existing three engine options continue to be available – TDV6, V8 petrol and V8 supercharged.

STRONG AND EFFICIENT NEW TDV8

Complementing the Range Rover Sport’s existing TDV6 engine, Land Rover’s state-of-the-art TDV8 engine is lightweight, strong and fuel efficient. Designed from the outset to accommodate Land Rover’s uncompromising off-road demands, the engine has been developed to provide huge reserves of torque across the rev range.

Peak power from the TDV8 engine is an impressive 272 PS (200 kW), 42 per cent higher than the existing V6 diesel. The new vehicle reaches 60 mph in 8.6 seconds (100 km/h in 9.2 seconds), while top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph (209 km/h).

The TDV8’s torque curve is impressively flat. Peak torque – an enormous 640 Nm (45 per cent higher than the TDV6) – is available continuously from just 2000 rpm to 2500 rpm. With more than 500 Nm of torque available from less than 1500 rpm to over 3700 rpm, it’s no surprise that in-gear performance is where the TDV8 really excels. In CommandShift™ manual transmission mode, the new derivative takes only 6.8 seconds to accelerate from 50 to 70 mph in fifth gear. Yet, despite such performance, the TDV8 delivers 25.5 mpg (11.1 litres/100 km) over the combined cycle.

Each cylinder bank is fed by a dedicated variable-geometry turbocharger via separate, high-capacity intercoolers to help achieve the engine’s impressive throttle responses.

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