Land Rover’s first crossover coupe may also be the company’s first EV

By Miles Branman March 28, 2016

2016 Range Rover Sport SVR — 2016 Range Rover Sport SVR Image used with permission by copyright holder

Land Rover Range Rover Sport – now that’s a long name for a vehicle. Still, the UK automaker may be planning to make it just a tad longer by adding the second most popular word in the present automotive lexicon: coupe.

With “crossover” being the most popular segment/word, automakers are looking to increase the number of ways that consumers can, well, consume these models. For BMW, the answer was its four-door cross-coupe X6, introduced in 2008. Since then, other brands have been playing catch-up. Mercedes-Benz most recently introduced the GLE Coupe as a direct rival to the X6, while smaller versions of the cross-coupe design have cropped up all over the market.

Now Land Rover wants in on the action, and according to Autocar, the company will start where BMW did – in the mid-size luxury category. Codenamed the L560, Land Rover’s new model will likely share its new chassis with the Jaguar F-Pace and will be marketed as more of a road warrior than dual-sport instrument.

And speaking of the F-Pace, its lightweight aluminum structure will be good for more than just better fuel economy from gas and diesel engines, there’s a good chance the brand’s rumored electric model will be based on this new platform. A lighter body and frame, with improved aerodynamics from the coupe design would be the perfect bedrock for an electric powertrain.

JLR is currently developing an electric motor for its F-Pace EV that should debut next year to help the company hit California’s target of 15% fleetmix of battery electric vehicles by 2025. Since this new Land Rover-branded crossover coupe will spend almost all of its time in cities and suburbs, an EV powertrain makes sense. There’s also talk of a hybrid setup that will pair a smaller electric motor with the XF and XE’s 340 horsepower supercharged V6.

The non-electric powertrains should come from Land Rover’s range of six and eight-cylinder diesel and gas engines, with the F-Pace’s four-cylinder also a possibility.

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