Following the disturbing trend of downsizing and tightening emissions norms, Jaguar Land Rover may eliminate V8 engines from their existing range of cars.
While the simple fact is that people who opt to have a V8 plonked in under the hood of their ride are least concerned about fuel economy, there is no avoiding today's stringent emission norms. With Euro4 kicking in around Europe and subsequent markets where Europe-manufactured cars are exported, it is hard for engines with large displacements to receive certification from the regulatory authorities.
Jaguar Land Rover is feeling the heat of downsizing and as such may ax its sole V8 from the lineup. JLR is planning to revamp its entire range of products between the current model year and 2024. This timeline might see the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 hang up its pistons for the last time, although it is unclear whether the motorsports division would still lay claim to the motor. Jaguar and Land Rover are bringing in new platforms and pushing electrification throughout their model range. There are also new powertrains in the works, notably an inline-6 and inline triple.
Despite the V8 leaving the roster, all is not gloomy news at JLR. The company does not intend to drop sporty models from its lineup altogether, with electric and hybrid powertrains taking up the slack after downsizing kills bigger engines. The inline-six looks like the prime candidate for future performance-oriented Jaguars and Land Rovers, and paired with an electric turbocharger should be a pretty brisk performer.
JLR commented about the recent development - "(We) remain committed to offering a variety of powertrain options to satisfy the needs of our customers in the U.S. and around the world. That means a variety of ICE engines - 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinders, both turbocharged and supercharged, gas and diesel—hybrids and even full EVs, like the I-Pace, are on offer in our lineup."
We sincerely hope the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 withstands the test of time. A world without supercharged, growling SVRs tearing down freeways and rip around racetracks would be a sad world indeed.
