Jaguar Land Rover Reportedly Plans to Abandon V8s

Jaguar Land Rover will reportedly phase out V8 engines when its next generation of powerplants are ready to hit the market, propelling new or refreshed models.

The British automaker is reportedly planning to add four models to its lineup by 2023 and replace all current models by 2024. This will reportedly begin with the introduction of a modular aluminum platform by the name of "Modular Longitudinal Architecture," which will allegedly serve as the underpinnings of all next-generation JLR products.

Part of this alleged overhaul is said to focus on engine options, which will reportedly consist of three next-gen "Ingenium" power plants, two of which were specified by Autocar to be inline-three and inline-six engines. Electric turbocharging will reportedly be standard on these future internal combustion engines, both gasoline- and diesel-burning. V8 engines will reportedly not survive this overhaul, with a high-performance inline-six engine taking their place. Diesel engines, however, will reportedly continue to be offered in JLR products and are claimed to mop up 98 percent of harmful nitrous oxide emissions.

The Drive contacted JLR for comment on the allegation that V8 engines would no longer be offered, and though a company spokesperson declined to comment on the claim, they reaffirmed that internal combustions engines would continue to be offered in future models.

"We remain committed to offering a variety of powertrain options to satisfy the needs of our customers in the U.S. and around the world," stated Nathan Hoyt, North American manager of product public relations, in an email to The Drive. "That means a variety of ICE engines—four-, six- and eight-cylinders, both turbocharged and supercharged, gas and diesel—hybrids and even full EVs, like the I-Pace, are on offer in our line up."

"Last year, our CEO Dr. Ralf Speth committed that from 2020 every new or significantly updated JLR model introduced will offer some form of electrification; either standard or as an option," Hoyt continued. "These could manifest as mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids or full battery electric vehicles. The internal combustion engine still very much remains a planned part of our product portfolio for the foreseeable future."