
When the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover made its debut earlier this month, the British automaker's latest flagship luxury SUV grabbed headlines when it revealed an all-new diesel hybrid model. The drivetrain in the Range Rover Diesel Hybrid features a 3.0 liter turbo-diesel V6 powerplant mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission as well as integrated electric motors with a lithium-ion battery cell.
What seems like the perfect product for the hybrid-embracing U.S. market, Land Rover has announced that the diesel hybrid variant will not be available for America. Why did Land Rover shut out its Range Rover Hybrid from what's arguably its largest potential market? According to Land Rover sources, the diesel powerplant currently faces challenges in meeting U.S. emissions standards and a significant amount of work and finances must be invested before it can meet U.S. compliance.
According to figures in the Europe-spec Range Rover Diesel Hybrid, expect fuel economy ratings exceeding 50 mpg.
For now, American buyers will be offered a choice between the naturally aspirated or a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 motor with an eight-speed automatic transmission. At this point, the EPA has yet to report official fuel economy figures for the 2013 Range Rover just yet, but given its new transmission and its lightweight aluminum structure, Land Rover is confident of significant improvements over the outgoing model.
Despite the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Diesel Hybrid's early exclusion from the U.S. market, a hybrid Range Rover is only a matter of time. Expect obligatory tweaks under the hood to be made in time for a future Range Rover mid-lifecycle facelift.
[Source: Automobile Mag]