2016 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport Get 254HP TD6 Diesel in the US

The 2016 Range Rover Td6 and Range Rover Sport Td6 diesels for the US market are debuting at the Detroit Auto Show, promising a 32 percent improvement in combined fuel economy over supercharged V6 gasoline-powered models.

Land Rover says the diesel-powered luxury SUVs will return 28 mpg (8.4 l/100 km) on the highway, 22 mpg (10.7 l/100 km) city and 25 mpg (9.4 l/100 km) combined. The diesel-powered Range Rovers go on sale in the US in fall 2015.

The 3.0-liter Td6 turbocharged V6 diesel engine produces 254hp and 440lb-ft (596Nm) of torque from 1,750 rpm. According to Land Rover, the high torque output at low rpm makes the diesel Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models “particularly well suited to towing heavy loads and off-roading.”

Furthermore, low-end torque of the Td6 allows 0-60 acceleration times comparable to the higher horsepower V6 gasoline models. The Range Rover Sport Td6 and Range Rover Td6 accelerate from 0-60mph (96km/h) in 7.1 and 7.4 seconds respectively, compared to 6.9 and 7.1 seconds for gasoline V6 models.

Another advantage of the diesel versions is the increased driving range, which reaches 658 miles (1,059 km), a gain of 8 percent for the Range Rover Sport and 3.3 percent for the Range Rover.

Prior to its introduction in the US, improvements have been made to the Td6 in order to achieve an additional 8 percent increase in overall fuel efficiency. These include the addition of a water-cooled turbocharger for maximum performance and durability at high operating temperatures, as well as new ball bearings, vanes and nozzles to improve efficiency.

Land Rover also says the engine has been tested extensively to ensure it meets the expectations of US buyers. It organized test drive clinics with premium SUV buyers to determine whether customers would notice a difference between the driving feel of diesel versus gasoline models. According to the automaker, consumers participating in testing clinics in major US cities could not identify if they were driving a diesel vehicle during a 30-minute test drive.

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