The new Range Rover Sport is set for a debut in the Big Apple later this month.
With the latest-generation Range Rover now rolling into U.S. showrooms, the folks at Land Rover aren’t relaxing. They’re set to roll out an all-new version of the smaller, more nimble Range Rover Sport later this month.
The launch of the 2014 model will begin on March 26th, the night before the start of the upcoming New York Auto Show with a drive through the streets of the Big Apple, says the British maker, promising a “groundbreaking line drive.”
The maker also plans to broadcast the event live to fans from around the world. You can sign up via a dedicated microsite if you Click Here.
For a company that used to go years without making any significant changes, the debut 2014 Range Rover Sport marks a distinct shift in strategy. It’s the third all-new model in just two years, following the launch of the 2012 Range Rover Evoque and 2013 Range Rover flagship.
The 2014 Range Rover Sport is expected to borrow some key design cues from the Evoque, including its front fascia and narrow headlamps, as well as a more sloping roofline and tailgate-mounted spoiler.
“The all-new Range Rover Sport takes the model to another level,” declared John Edwards, Land Rover’s Global Brand Director, in a terse statement accompany this teaser image. “It is Land Rover’s most dynamic vehicle yet and showcases the best of British design, engineering and technological innovation.”
While the British marque, a subsidiary of India’s Tata Motors, isn’t providing any specifics, inside word suggests the Sport will mimic the approach taken with the latest Range Rover, meaning a switch to an all-aluminum platform and body that could yield weight savings of as much as 700 pounds.
The powertrain range is expected to include a mix of diesels and gasoline models, including a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6, and several versions of the maker’s 5.0-liter V-8. The new Range Rover Sport also is likely to share an 8- speed automatic with the bigger Range Rover.
It remains to be seen if it might eventually adopt a version of the 9-speed ZF gearbox shown at the Geneva Motor Show last week on the Range Rover Evoque.