Intense weight-loss program for Range Rover

Ford may well be seeking to offload its Land Rover subsidiary, but the blue oval is continuing to develop an all-new replacement for the off-road marque's existing Range Rover flagship (pictured).

Authoritative US journal Autoweek suggests that Land Rover is "putting the finishing touches on the design and engineering" of the all-new premium mud raker, scheduled to debut in 2012.

The big news with the next-gen Rangie is that it will adopt the lightweight aluminium construction philosophy of the current Jaguar XJ.

Autoweek reports that the all-aluminium unibody will be up to 40 per cent lighter than the steel body of the current model, which tips the scale at a relatively portly two-and-a-half tonnes. Although unconfirmed, it's possible the new construction methodology could bring its weight closer to the two-tonne mark.

A Jenny Craig-style weight-loss program is crucial to the long-term feasibility of the Range Rover (and, indeed, of all large SUVs) given perennially spiralling fuel costs and increasingly stringent regulations governing CO2 emissions.

Obviously, less weight will also benefit the vehicle's straight-line performance and braking/cornering dynamics.

However, reports suggest the lightened Rangie won't lose any of the robustness associated with the nameplate. In fact, the all-alloy architecture is believed to be more durable than any steel-alloy structures previously tested.

The 2012 Range Rover will also feature and upgraded engine line-up, according to Autoweek, with the existing 2.7-litre turbodiesel V6 set to be enlarged to 3.0 litres.

Meanwhile, the 4.4-litre petrol V8 will be replaced by an all-new 5.0-litre unit with around 260kW. In supercharged form, the 5.0-litre donk will thrash out around 350kW.

A new entry-level V6 diesel and a hybrid powertrain are also under consideration, according to Autoweek. The magazine reports that the next-gen Range Rover will look more compact than the current model, with a lower roof and shorter front and rear overhangs.

The existing Range Rover launched internationally in 2002 to rave reviews, but its charge has been blunted in recent times by the arrival of an all-new Mercedes ML and BMW X5, as well as a substantially revised Porsche Cayenne. Its slightly smaller Range Rover Sport sibling has also eaten away at its sales.

The Range Rover found just 109 buyers during the first half of this year, compared with 1575 for the Lexus RX, 1246 for the Mercedes M-Class and 1204 for the BMW X5.

Clearly, the all-new Range Rover can't come soon enough. And it'll need to be very, very good...

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