Pair Of 44 MPG Range Rover Hybrids Debut

August 27th, 2013 by Guest Contributor

Originally published on Gas2.
by Christopher DeMorro

Land Rover is one of the biggest names in the SUV game, despite constant mechanical malfunctions and the legendary British electrical gremlins. While the British automaker has rolled out an electric Defender that serves as a glorified cart hauler, Land Rover has not had a hybrid until now, debuting a pair of Range Rover Hybrids that deliver great acceleration and a combined 44 mpg.

The new hybrid drivetrain pairs a 47-horsepower electric motor with a 3.0 liter turbodiesel V6 engine, offering a combined output of 335 horsepower and 516 ft-lbs of torque. So despite tipping the scales at over 5,270 pounds, the Range Rover Hybrid can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds and up to 135 mph. The Range Rover Sport Hybrid is slightly faster, with a 6.7 second sprint to 60 and a 140 mph top speed, and the whole hybrid system adds less than 250 pounds.

The combined fuel economy for this pair of heavy bruisers is 44 mpg on the British testing cycle, which is better than even Ford’s recently-revised fuel economy rating for the C-Max Hybrid. Granted, the different testing cycles will yield different results, but anything above 30 mpg in a full-size SUV is something to take note of.

To prove how hardy these hybrids are, Range Rover is sending a trio of them on a cross-continental trip along the “Silk Trail” from the English factory to parent company Tata’s Mumbai, India headquarters. Still the same old Range Rover, hybrid or not.

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Tags: British, Defender, electric Land Rover, hybrid Land Rovers, hybrid Range Rovers, land rover, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover fuel economy, Range Rover, Range Rover fuel economy, Range Rovers

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Jeff May

This article is way off. The “44 mpg” is based on Imperial gallons (it’s only 36.6mpg US) and European fuel economy tests.

It’s not even remotely comparable to US mpg ratings.