Entry Range Rover Sport goes four cylinder

THE Range Rover Sport will become the latest Jaguar Land Rover model to receive a four-cylinder diesel alternative, this time as part of a 2017 range-wide update that also includes a brace of new technologies for the British-made four-wheel drive.

The 2.0-litre Ingenium engine that made its global entrance in the Jaguar XE last year will replace the 3.0-litre V6 diesel in the entry level Range Rover Sport S that is scheduled to enter Australian showrooms along with the rest of the refreshed range in the first quarter of next year.

Priced at $90,900 plus on-road costs, the SD4 S is the same price as the outgoing TDV6 S. At least, it was until Land Rover Australia recently raised the TDV6 S price to $91,754.

With 177kW of power and 500Nm of torque, the Ingenium SD4 S loses 13kW of power to the previous V6 but maintains the same peak torque of 500Nm.

According to Land Rover, performance of the new, lighter four-cylinder Sport is in line with that of the V6 S, but it gains sharper steering response and improved dynamics.

The four-pot engine has the upper hand in fuel economy, chewing a claimed 6.3 litres of diesel per 100km – 1.1L or 10 per cent better than the V6’s 7.3L/100km. This makes it the most fuel-efficient Range Rover Sport ever built.

Only available in a five-seat configuration, the SD4 S can been picked out in traffic by its single twin-tip exhaust pipe. Others variants get the existing dual pipes.

The SD4 is one of six powertrains offered in the new Range Rover Sport range that continues to be topped by the gut-wrenching SVR with JLR’s 405kW/680Nm supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8.

This flagship cops a $7435 price rise for 2017, to $233,500, while the only hybrid variant in the range, the Hybrid Autobiography Dynamic, hits the starting blocks at $187,900 – $11,496 more than the previous Hybrid Autobiography.

The V6 diesel will soldier in the TDV6 SE. Likewise, the 3.0-litre petrol V6 – in 215kW normally aspirated and 250kW supercharged forms – and 250kW 4.4-litre and 375kW 5.0-litre normally aspirated petrol V8s also continue in various mid-range SE, HSE and HSE Dynamic variants.

Like the flagship Range Rover range that was announced last week for 2017, the latest Sport is set to get new technologies such as advanced tow assist – a technology that helps the driver to reverse a trailer, making automatic adjustments to steering to back it into the required position.

Blind spot assist and low-traction launch for taking off on low-grip surfaces are also now available.

A bigger 10-inch touch screen comes with the latest connectivity, as well as smart phone-like pinch and swipe functions. At the same time, drivers can opt to view the sat-nav in either partial or full screen on the digital instrument panel.

The optional InControl Remote Premium allows drivers to use a phone app to remotely control a number of vehicle functions such as checking fuel consumption and fuel tank levels, locking and unlocking the vehicle, and adjusting the climate control settings.

HSE Dynamic variants get gloss black exterior trim items such as the grille, side vents, mirrors and badging, while the brake callipers are now red.

The new Range Rover Sport comes with a choice of 19 colours, including satin finishes.

2016 Range Rover Sport pricing*

2.0L SD4 S (a)	$90,900ˆ
3.0L TDV6 SE (a)	$103,900
3.0L SDV6 SE (a)	$114,800
3.0L V6 S/C HSE (a)	$130,300
3.0L SDV6 HSE (a)	$132,000
3.0L SDV6 HSE Dynamic (a)	$138,600
4.4L SDV8 HSE (a)	$147,300
4.4L SDV8 HSE Dynamic (a)	$153,600
5.0L V8 S/C HSE Dynamic (a)	$169,100
3.0L SDV6 Autobiography (a)	$169,800
3.0L SDV6 Hybrid Autobiography Dynamic (a)	$187,900
5.0L V8 S/C Autobiography Dynamic (a)	$196,800
5.0L V8 S/C SVR (a)	$233,500

*Excludes on-road costs
ˆOn sale Q1 2017