After having just released a redesigned Range Rover, Land Rover is now working on redesigned versions of the smaller Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Sport SVR. A camouflaged prototype of the Range Rover Sport was reportedly photographed recently, and there are some things to take note of.
Overall, it appears that the new Range Rover Sport will be very similar in shape to the model currently on sale, which has been around since 2014. The spy shots leaked by Motor Authority don't reveal much, but the biggest differences seem like they may be in the finer details, such as the fascias and the lights. More specifically, the headlights look like they may be slimmer in design than before.
The powertrain is expected to be shared with the Range Rover, which would mean one of three options: a 3.0-liter inline-6 and a mild-hybrid engine, a 3.0-liter inline-6 and a plug-in hybrid engine, or a 4.4-liter V8 engine sourced from BMW. Respectively, this would give 395, 434, or 523 horsepower, while the Range Rover Sport SVR may come with the option of a more powerful V8 engine that could give over 600 horsepower. A battery-electric is also expected to be offered sometime in the near future.
What’s really new are the underpinnings for the newest Range Rover Sport. Land Rover has given the SUV the Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform. This platform was meant to first debut in the Jaguar XJ, but was instead used in the recently remodeled Range Rover when the XJ redesign was canceled.
The MLA platform, which weighs less than the D7 platform in the current Range Rover Sport, has been designed for both internal combustion engines and electric powertrains. It is also rumored that it will eventually be the underpinning for most Land Rover models, as the brand hopes to have all-electric vehicles or electric options for all its vehicles by 2030.
