Land Rover will begin offering diesel engines in U.S.-market models in the next few years, executives from the company told us today. They explain that this is a necessary step for the company to meet long-term fuel-economy standards and to appeal to SUV shoppers looking to take some sting out of fuel consumption.
BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi have enjoyed success with turbo-diesels in the luxury-SUV category, with roughly 30 percent of customers opting for these engines in the companies’ X5, M-class, and Q7, respectively.
Which engine Land Rover will use to power American-market models is unclear, though. The company recently introduced a 2.2-liter diesel in Europe, and the engine has been warmly received. But it is likely not powerful enough to propel big trucks like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4 with enough haste to satisfy Americans. The company’s 3.0-liter diesel V-6 is getting old, but is a bit more likely. It’s clean enough to meet European emissions standards and should polish up for the EPA’s testing without too much expense.
We haven’t any complaints about this news, as we’re big fans of diesel engines. Based on the success of the Germans—not to mention our own 40,000-mile experience with an Audi Q7 TDI—it seems that luxury SUVs are diesels’ best foothold in the U.S.
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