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"When the new TDV8 cars arrive around February next year, and after some tidying of the current stock, the Range Rover model line-up is likely to consist of the new diesel and the supercharged V8 petrol," Land Rover Australia spokeswoman Lesa Horntvedt said at the launch of the diesel in Spain this week.
"The TDV8 will come to Australia with a single specification level and that will be the top-of-the-range Vogue.
"The car will have everything that a customer expects from a Range Rover and it will be there as standard."
Horntvedt says the TDV8 will be priced from $141,900 — with the luxury pack version considerably more at $169,000.
With the rationalisation strategy, that pricing will constitute a jump in the entry-level Range Rover of almost $10,000 over the superceded TDV6.
The new engine — a 200kW, 640Nm 3.6-litre unit developed by Land Rover in association with PSA (owners of Peugeot and Citroen) — is the most refined high-output diesel to date dropped into an off-roader.
It's eerily quiet inside the cabin in any circumstance, from low-range crawls over rocks to high-speed highway running.
"This is the perfect replacement for the BMW V6 diesel which has been used since the third generation Range Rover was launched in 2002," says Range Rover's vehicle engineering manager Mick Cameron.
"It represents a huge improvement across the spectrum, with 54 per cent more power, 64per cent more torque and a 32 per cent improvement in acceleration performance.
"All that and a refinement level that really does leave both passenger and driver wonder if they really are in a diesel."
Range Rover claims the twin turbo TDV8 is a whopping 75 per cent quieter than the outgoing model, much of that improvement coming from the use of active engine mounts which isolate the very compact and stiff 90-degree V engine from the chassis and cabin. The block is manufactured from high-density compacted graphite iron.
"It's balance of performance, refinement and economy is unmatched," Land Rover managing director Phil Popham says.
"The performance is similar to many more obviously sporty vehicles and fuel economy is comparable with a lot of petrol saloon cars."
Range Rover claims the TDV8 will skip from standstill to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 200km/h.
On the evidence of the test drive that is a conservative ceiling as the big Rangie cruised to that mark without a hint of breathlessness — a not unimpressive effort considering the beast weighs in at a huge 2710kg.
The engine has been sweetly matched to the latest ZF "intelligent shift" six-speed automatic with manual mode — handy more for its significant control advantage off-road than for any playtime aspirations on the highways. Core to the current generation Range Rover's appeal has been its staggering range of capability from a genuine go-anywhere off-roader to a very capable and comfortable long-distance highway cruiser.
A couple of significant inclusions in the latest round of upgrades stretches that envelope even further.
The clever and extremely capable Terrain Response system from the Discover 3 has been transplanted into the Range Rover to give owners the confidence to tackle conditions they may once have baulked at. Essentially, it is off-roading for dummies,
Terrain Response is a one-step dial-in answer to mud, slush, rocks, sand, snow ... almost any conditions imaginable.
Turn the centre-mounted dial to the appropriate setting and the system will modify the Rangie's ride height, differential locks (there is now a standard electronic centre diff and an optional rear electronic diff) throttle sensitivity, steering sharpness ... everything to help even the most inexperienced of off-road drivers make optimum use of the car.
On the launch test drive, the Rangie scoffed at terrain that would have given most drivers pause for thought in any vehicle.
Admittedly under the tutelage of the experts from the Land Rover Experience team, the Range Rover nonetheless took severe slopes, wheel articulation tests and water crossings in its stride.
Shaking off the mud the TDV8 then put several hundred kilometres of highway behind in rapid time, handling like a somewhat bloated sportscar but benefitting from a spring rate that has been stiffened to produce some 15 per cent body roll.
All this and a fuel economy that averaged just under 13L/100km. More moderate use of the throttle and Range Rover claims a combined-cycle average of 11.3L/100km.
In concert with the new engine, Range Rover has added a moderate package of comfort, safety and aesthetic improvements — the in-cabin changes driven largely by customer feedback criticising poor storage and ergonomic treatments.
There are more — and more practical — storage pockets in both front and rear. The inclusion of an upward-deploying passenger airbag has allowed for a dual glovebox, the upper deck of which has been used to house the six-stacker CD cartridge.
Fast facts
Price: $141,900 base model, $169,500 for the luxury pack
Engine: twin turbo 3.6-litre, 90-degree V8 diesel; 200kW@4000rpm, 640Nm@2000-2500rpm (400Nm from 1250rpm)
Transmission: 6-speed ZF automatic with manual mode; constant AWD with Terrain Response, electronic centre differential and low range, hill descent control, dynamic stability control
Suspension: variable air suspension
Performance: 0-100km/h 8.5 secs; 0-160km/h 9.2 secs; top speed 200km/h (limited)
Fuel: 11.3L/100km (combined cycle claimed); 104.5 litre tank
Weight: 2710kg
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