Talking to 7 gentlemen from Land Rover this week. Subject turned to the fantastic performance of the TDV8 and why would anyone want to buy a petrol RR anymore. Then the bombshell was dropped!

The insider information is the 5 litre S/C is to replace the 4.2 (which we already knew). BUT the new 3.0 TD6 is to replace the TDV8 as it is considerably more powerful and more economical.

The LR guys said the replacment engines were for both the Sport and FFRR and were prinicpally because the existing engines were Ford and a non GM engine needed to be sourced.

My reaction was what no V8 diesel. Resounding NO not even for the FFRR. Also hints that there might be no Diesel option and the new FFRR coming in at £100K.

Perhaps I was being spun a line, but my instinct was not. Further, the new FFRR is to be built on the Discovery 3 floorpan as is a Defender replacement. Also told New FFRR for 2010.

Sorry Hook Line and Sinker no Derv option just wont happen

The FFRR will have a Derv option Market forces dictate this I had the split from PAG for Fuel & Model splits its very biased

I could see they'll used TDV6 3.0 as an entry model....

Regarding droping the TDV8 in 2010? I doubt it. Unless the engine is being used in other applications, I doubt it very much, as the engine is brand new(relatively speaking), which meant the engine has a shelf life of only 4 yrs!!!

Also I'm willing to take a small bet that it will definitely not coming in at 100K

The D3 is a damn good motor, so ask yourself a simple question. If the FFRR were to be built on the D3 floorpan, with a D3 engine, who the hell would pay twice the price for a FFRR when they could just buy a D3???

This is the reason that the TDV8 won't end-up in the D3 - because it would rob sales from the FFRR.

If I could have had a D3 with that engine (and preferably the seats too) I doubt if I would have just bought a FFRR TDV8. The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

The 100k figure quoted by LR refers to the starting price for the Autobiography Spec Model come 2010, and in 2010 there will be a revised exterior change to the FFRR.

A good friend of mine works for LR and thought i should know about it as i was going to trade in the S/C for a TDV8.

So on second thoughts i will hang fire until i know for certain on the 2010 model.

Have driven the D3 for a few days and I agree with JMC the D3 is a damn fine car Only problem is underpower, I think the TDV6 3.0 will address that, and I'm quite tempted

Production of the TDV8 will stop shortly. Ford will build another TDV8 (about 1L bigger, due to start 2010), but I don't know whether Tata will buy it.

The 3.0 TDV6 has more power, less emissions and less weight than the current TDV8, so why use it? The TDV6 and TDV8 are all built on the same line, so it's not a loss of production - in fact production becomes easier

i was also told some things by a LR guy. Same thing, TDV6 will go to 3.0 and replace current 2.7, no mention of it going in the FFRR tho. Also told me of 5.0V8 petrol replacing the 4.2SC, no mention at all of phasing out the TDV8, even if they did, they've built thousands of 'em so plenty for us to choose from for next few years.

A beefier TDV8 such as a 4.6 or 5.0 wud be nice. They also told me that the 3.6TDV8 would be expanded to 3.8 litres. Discovery 4 HSE
1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF
1982 Series 3 Hard Top

*Gone:L462 D5 HSE LUX, L663 Defender 110 HSE, Discovery 3 HSE, 2014MY Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged AB Dynamic; L405 Exec Vogue SE 4.4, 5.0 Supercharged Autobiography, Defender TDCi XS CSW, Defender TD5 HT, Vogue SE TDV8, Vogue TD6, RRSport SC 4.2V8, Classic 3.9 Vogue Auto, Land Rover Series 3 SWB