Land Rover is bringing the smallest Range Rover over to the Middle Eastern markets to add to its existing lineup of V8 and V6 models. Also on offer is an electric-assisted powertrain.
Range Rover has long been synonymous with the V8 ever since an eight-cylinder engine was married to an '80s Rangie. In today's times, downsizing is the hanging sword on manufacturers' neck that forces them all to cut down on capacity when it comes to their powertrains. Land Rover also hasn't been able to buck the trend, but until recently, V6 engines were as low as the company was willing to go. Now a new Range Rover is arriving in the Middle Eastern market, that has an entirely new powertrain on offer.
The 2019 Range Rover P400e is driven by a 2.0-liter four-pot motor out of the Jaguar F-Type that makes 300 hp. Coupled to the engine is an 85kW electric motor. Together the setup generates 404 hp and 640 Nm. The specs see the P400e Range Rover crack the ton in a respectable 6.8 seconds while the top speed is claimed to be 220 kph.
The hybrid Range Rover has two driving modes. The default Hybrid mode utilises both petrol and electric motors. Drivers of the Rangie can choose between two charge management systems. Save mode stops the battery charge from dropping below a preselected threshold, and Predictive Energy Optimisation or PEO works in tandem with the built-in navigation system to optimise fuel consumption. In EV mode, the Rangie runs purely on electricity.
Buyers of the 2019 Range Rover PHEV get a standard household charger, with the choice of a level 2 quick-charger as an optional extra. The standard charger juices up the batteries in 14 hours, while the level 2 240V charger takes just three. Land Rover has cleverly integrated the 7kW charging port in the front grille, complete with LED charging indicators.
Aside from the powertrain, the P400e Range Rover is identical in design, dimensions, and interiors to the other models in the family. The rear passengers get a little extra space and there are tiny modifications all around, but nothing too significant. While there is no clear launch date specified by the company yet, expect the Range Rover P400e PHEV to arrive in the Middle East sometime within the next two years.
