LAND Rover is making ready a hybrid version of its all new Range Rover Sport for launch later this year.

While the new Range Rover has been unveiled, we haven’t seen pictures of the new Range Rover Sport, which will be based on the weight saving all-aluminium Range Rover.

The new diesel-electric hybrid engine will be based on the SDV6 in the latest Range Rover, producing just 169g/km CO2 emissions.

This would put the Range Rover Hybrid in the 28% benefit in kind company car tax band for 2013/14.

The current Range Rover Sport SDV6 has CO2 emissions of 230g/km and a company car tax banding of 35%. So the hybrid engine represents a significant saving on CO2 – and improved fuel consumption.

Jon Wackett, corporate sales manager for JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) commented:

“Since 2007 we’ve reduced the JLR fleet average by 15% and we aim to reduce this a further 10% reduction by 2015. We believe that will make us competitive in the market with our rivals. Could it be better? Yes, but we have certain constraints such as the 4WD uniqueness of our Land Rover products.”

Clearly the new diesel-electric hybrid engine will help achieve this target along with the focus on weight reduction, such as the all-aluminium construction of the new Range Rover.

Jon added: “Any innovative engineering on Jaguar or Land Rover will be shared across both brands as we are one business unit. So you can expect the technology to be transferred.”

Read our road test of a Range Rover Hybrid prototype

Click on the link: Driving Land Rover’s first diesel-electric Range Rover hybrid