Land Rover will launch the next generation of the Range Rover in fall 2012, and the new SUV will wear styling inspired by that of the new Evoque. Autocar reports that compared to the current Range Rover (pictured above), the new fourth-generation SUV will lose as much as 990 pounds of mass thanks to extensive use of aluminum.
Although the new Range Rover will grow slightly, using pressed aluminum construction is expected to trim curb weight. The SUV’s basic chassis and electrical architecture will be shared with the next-generation Jaguar XJ (Land Rover and Jaguar are owned by the same parent company, Tata Motors), but the chassis will get unique suspension mounts and bulkheads for use in the Range Rover. The chassis also will underpin the next Range Rover Sport.
The growth of the car means it will offer more interior space, primarily in the form of more rear-seat legroom. That also begets longer rear doors, enabling easier access to the SUV. Exterior styling cues will reflect the look of the Range Rover Evoque, with a steeply raked windshield and a sloped roofline, in comparison to the boxy and squared-off design of the current model. The interior is reportedly on target for Bentley-like quality and finish.
Engine choices are expected to mostly remain the same as in the current Range Rover: turbodiesel V-6 and V-8 engines, as well as naturally aspirated and supercharged gasoline V-8s. There also is a possibility of new V-6 and supercharged V-6 gasoline mills joining the lineup. In addition, there is a slim possibility that a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a diesel or gasoline engine — previewed by the Range_e concept at this year’s Geneva Motor Show — will arrive at a later date.
Assuming all goes to plan, Autocar says the new Land Rover Range Rover will go on sale next fall.
