Three Range Rover Hybrid prototypes have embarked on an epic “Silk Trail 2013” expedition that will take them from Solihull, UK, to Mumbai, India. Over the course of 53 days, the vehicles will tackle a marathon 9,950 miles (16,000 km) endurance drive that will see them crossing 12 countries before reaching their final destination.
The expedition is part of Range Rover Hybrid’s final testing phase before the model arrives in Land Rover dealerships. The three prototypes have already covered 1,885 miles (3,034 km) since leaving Solihull on August 22 and are expected to arrive in Mumbai, India, on October 15.
Divided into 10 stages, the Silk Trail expedition is scheduled to visit France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Nepal and India. The Range Rover Hybrids are being driven by teams of Land Rover development engineers and journalists from 10 countries in Europe and other nations along the route.
“A stunning combination of mountain passes, arid desert, high altitude, chaotic city streets, heat, humidity and wilderness will provide the perfect testing ground for our first hybrid,” said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.
The Range Rover Hybrid and Range Rover Sport Hybrid go on sale across Europe on September 10, with deliveries beginning in early 2014. Their hybrid powertrain combines the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine with a 35kW (47hp) and 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) electric motor, for a total output of 335hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque. For distances of up to 1 mile (1.6 km), the electric motor can propel the car on its own at speeds of up to 48 km/h (30 mph).
The Range Rover Hybrid averages 44.1 mpg UK (36.7 mpg US or 6.4 l/100km) and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 7 seconds. Top speed is rated at 218 km/h (135 mph).
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
