Range Rover 2018 gets 398bhp hybrid engine

Next year’s revamped Range Rover will come with an “all-new” plug-in hybrid system that can power the luxury SUV on electricity alone for short periods.

It’s the first time a plug-in hybrid system has been offered on the range-topping model, Autocar reports, although “an identical powertrain” was made available on the smaller Range Rover Sport last week.

The powertrain itself comprises a 296bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a 114bhp electric motor, says Auto Express - delivering a combined power output of 398bhp and 472lb-ft of torque.

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While the hybrid system can be used to extend the petrol range of the luxury SUV, the magazine says, the car can also be driven on electric power alone for up to 31 miles.

It also comes with a system called Predictive Energy Optimisation (PEO), which uses GPS data to where the best places are to “employ the electric propulsion” on your journey.

Along with the new hybrid tech, the updated Range Rover gets a handful of styling tweaks, including new LED lights and front grille. Its new look seems to have inspired, at least in part, by the company’s road-focused Velar, launched earlier this year.

On the inside, The Daily Telegraph says, the new Range Rover is fitted with upgraded front seats “with up to 24-way movement”, and redesigned seats in the rear. It also comes with “a new infotainment system, comprising two high-definition 10in touchscreens on the centre console”.

Orders for the new Range Rover are open, say Auto Express, with deliveries “set to commence towards the start of 2018”.

Prices kick off at £79,595 for the entry-level TDV6 Vogue model, says Autocar, with the new P400e hybrid model starting at £86,895. At the top of the range sits a SVAutobiography Dynamic, which will set buyers back £141,580.