So, following my posts over the last couple of days and help from many, I've decided to order the L405 AB LWB in Rossello Red with Ivory and 22 inch 1046 11 spoke silver alloys. The question is, is the 5.0 SC engine right for me? I'll explain why I ask.

There's only £2k difference in price between the P400 – 3.0L 400HP PETROL MHEV and 5.0 Supercharged, so in the scheme of things, not much in it. The reason for this question, is I've never had a car with a Supercharger before, I once drove an L322 5.0 SC and thought it screamed a bit too much for my liking - Is the 5.0 SC the same?

I also still have as my daily driver a 2007 L322 4.4 V8 (naturally aspirated). This is a very rare car as it has the later Jaguar engine, improved suspension and gearbox. To this day, it's still very smooth and very quiet, which is pretty much what I'm looking for in my next L405 - Will I get this with the 5.0 SC, or should I go for the P400 – 3.0L 400HP PETROL MHEV for a smoother, quieter drive? - Or is this smaller engine a bit gutless?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated, so I can make the right decision before pressing the button tomorrow.

Many thanks in advance

Allister

"400bhp is enough for me" said no one....!!

You don't have to use the 500+bhp of the S/C but it's nice to have it...

If fuel cost isn't an issue I'd always go with the most power, but that's just me...  Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Not sure which way I would go -

I am assuming you are the gentleman who is planning long drives to Portugal with two very big hounds - if I am mistaken then please disregard this and feel free to shout at this muppet.

On one hand, it is obvious that you love the way your old FF drives, and I am assuming that 'you do not do shouty' as some on here do. I do not know how much noise the supercharged version would make. Maybe a quick test drive may answer this question. Plus whilst there may be some supercharger noise, how much would this be whilst cruising at legal comfortable speeds? At say 70, I would think the SC is not doing an awful lot, whilst having the luxury of 500 HP there if you want it.

OR -

The quieter MHEV, -The hybrid looks like a good answer, but, although it looks like it has 400 HP, that must be the combined engine / battery power figure. On a very long drive such as you plan, how long will it be before you have very little battery back up power. Then you will be on the engine alone, I cannot find out how much power you would get from the engine alone. from figures I can find, it looks to be around 130 HP from the battery, hence about 270 from the engine - not a lot left. Would seem under powered after driving the old one.
As far as I understand, the battery top up comes from regeneration when you come off the throttle - i COULD WELL BE WRONG, Give LR a call and ask about battery power life on long drives and how much power you will have left after, whilst on the engine alone. Normal driving would most likely be at 400 HP as you would be able to charge up at home all the time.

Another point is that the hybrid will be more complicated than the SC, thus more to go wrong.

People like CTC will be able to give you better advice than me, there is also one more point that CTC could better answer - If you wanted to get a conversion carried out to carry the Hounds, would a conversion on a hybrid be more difficult, I doubt it, but on this point my knowledge amounts to a wild guess.

Ask LR about these subjects ? as they know you will be spending a lot of money, they SHOULD be very willing to provide you with prompt answers.

Hope all goes well and that you enjoy whichever model you decide upon.

The 2018 MY on RR has more sound insulation than my 2017 MY, so may be quieter still, but my experience of the standard wheelbase 5.0SC is that it is quiet and refined until you are in the upper reaches of the rev range, say when the red line appears on the virtual revcounter, at which point it is a bit noisier. I'm generally not in that area, and would say that if your normal driving does not take you much over 100 mph you'll not be irritated by noise. If anything one has to watch speed limits as it picks up so effortlessly (and with little change to the sound). Slightly less performance with the extra weight of the LWB of course (maybe another reason to err on the side of more power).

It may well be noisier than your Cullinan V12, but then apart from electric cars you probably can't get much quieter.

I have not driven the MHEV so cannot comment on it, but a friend has the Sport with that engine and was happy when last I heard. Of course the Sport is lighter.

The best thing would be to test drive both. My instinct would be to go for the simpler and more powerful 5.0SC, also slightly because I would not want to be left thinking I could have done better. Only Range Rovers since 1988

I have no idea what you mean by the L322 5.0SC '...screamed too much'. At first I though are you talking about the supercharger whine, but that can't be it as the type of supercharger that is used is often complained about as not making a supercharger whine and that is true. It is 'too quiet' in my opinion. It also can't be the V8 noise as with the stock exhaust system there isn't really any v8 burble to hear. Again too quiet in my opinion. Then the only thing I could think off is that you mean by 'screamed too much' is that it likes going up high into the revs. And yes I think it is pretty amazing how free revving that engine is for a large V8 with supercharger. Saying that mine wasn't like that until I had a gearbox flush etc done as I think the previous owner drove it like miss daisy. But yes it is a free revving engine...

To me a small v6 engine with turbo and electric to help it move versus a v8 with supercharger is a very different experience. There is no substitute for cubic inches as our cousins from across the pond would say. The smaller engine with hybrid and turbos is the screamer...

Cut to 19min 30sec for the sound it makes when accelerating. It sounds great, just enough V8 loveliness without the shouty noise and pops/bangs you get from the engine in other installations.



Get the V8! MY23 Panamera E-Hybrid
MY19 SDV8 Autobiography - Sold

This is what you need, take your holiday home with you.
A sofa for each dog.
https://empirerv.co.uk/vehicle/american-coach-eagle-40m/ --not connected with this company in anyway, just an example of what you can get. 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

You're probably going to laugh, but we have already looked at these. They look great, but when you walk down to the steering wheel, you do realise that it would be a lot like driving a coach - Gave me flashbacks to the Italian Job

Haylands wrote:

"400bhp is enough for me" said no one....!!

You don't have to use the 500+bhp of the S/C but it's nice to have it...

If fuel cost isn't an issue I'd always go with the most power, but that's just me...

That's a good point

That's a good point Thumbs Up

And its always there if you ever need it  19MY SVA-Dynamic Spectral Chromoflair Blue but colour not available in profile
2016 RRS SVR Estoril Blue - Gone
2010 RRS 5.0 Supercharged Navara Bronze - Gone
2008 RRS 4.2 Supercharged Black - Gone
2006 RRS 2.7 Diesel Rimini Red- Gone

Merchy wrote:

Not sure which way I would go -

I am assuming you are the gentleman who is planning long drives to Portugal with two very big hounds - if I am mistaken then please disregard this and feel free to shout at this muppet.

On one hand, it is obvious that you love the way your old FF drives, and I am assuming that 'you do not do shouty' as some on here do. I do not know how much noise the supercharged version would make. Maybe a quick test drive may answer this question. Plus whilst there may be some supercharger noise, how much would this be whilst cruising at legal comfortable speeds? At say 70, I would think the SC is not doing an awful lot, whilst having the luxury of 500 HP there if you want it.

OR -

The quieter MHEV, -The hybrid looks like a good answer, but, although it looks like it has 400 HP, that must be the combined engine / battery power figure. On a very long drive such as you plan, how long will it be before you have very little battery back up power. Then you will be on the engine alone, I cannot find out how much power you would get from the engine alone. from figures I can find, it looks to be around 130 HP from the battery, hence about 270 from the engine - not a lot left. Would seem under powered after driving the old one.
As far as I understand, the battery top up comes from regeneration when you come off the throttle - i COULD WELL BE WRONG, Give LR a call and ask about battery power life on long drives and how much power you will have left after, whilst on the engine alone. Normal driving would most likely be at 400 HP as you would be able to charge up at home all the time.

Another point is that the hybrid will be more complicated than the SC, thus more to go wrong.

People like CTC will be able to give you better advice than me, there is also one more point that CTC could better answer - If you wanted to get a conversion carried out to carry the Hounds, would a conversion on a hybrid be more difficult, I doubt it, but on this point my knowledge amounts to a wild guess.

Ask LR about these subjects ? as they know you will be spending a lot of money, they SHOULD be very willing to provide you with prompt answers.

Hope all goes well and that you enjoy whichever model you decide upon.

Yes, that's me......

I've thought about asking the local dealer if I can test drive both cars, but you know what they're like at Land Rover Dealerships, the salesman really can't be bothered. They never fail to disappoint and continue to demonstrate the worst customer service I've ever experienced.
To reinforce this further, I spoke to a salesman at my local dealership, Harwoods Lewes on Saturday. As is often the case, he seemed generally disinterested and made me feel like a bit of an inconvenience. As agreed, I emailed him a link to a copy of my chosen build and guess what, 3 days later and nothing at all in reply!!

I'm not been funny, but this is a car with an RRP of £123,000, the dealer principle / head of business (whatever they call themselves now), will be getting an email from me shortly, congratulating him on his great success, he's obviously doing very well as they clearly don't need my business.

I have tried to get an idea of engine sound by listening to videos on Youtube, but a lot seem to be of people thrashing the car to within an inch of it's life, although I did receive a sensible Doug DeMuro video link from another FFRR member earlier. As you also point out, at cruising speed any engine noise is likely to be low.

Having read all of your comments, for which I thank you, I think that the 5.0 SC still remains the best way to go

CS wrote:

The 2018 MY on RR has more sound insulation than my 2017 MY, so may be quieter still, but my experience of the standard wheelbase 5.0SC is that it is quiet and refined until you are in the upper reaches of the rev range, say when the red line appears on the virtual revcounter, at which point it is a bit noisier. I'm generally not in that area, and would say that if your normal driving does not take you much over 100 mph you'll not be irritated by noise. If anything one has to watch speed limits as it picks up so effortlessly (and with little change to the sound). Slightly less performance with the extra weight of the LWB of course (maybe another reason to err on the side of more power).

It may well be noisier than your Cullinan V12, but then apart from electric cars you probably can't get much quieter.

I have not driven the MHEV so cannot comment on it, but a friend has the Sport with that engine and was happy when last I heard. Of course the Sport is lighter.

The best thing would be to test drive both. My instinct would be to go for the simpler and more powerful 5.0SC, also slightly because I would not want to be left thinking I could have done better.

Thanks for taking the time to reply CS, it's good to know that it's not too intrusive. Some engine noise is definitely a good thing. To be honest, one of the reasons I'm parting with the Cullinan is that it's silence does actually make me feel a bit car sick at times, it can be a bit disorientating.

Following yours and everyone elses kind input, I have decided to stick with Plan A and order the 5.0 SC AB LWB

Bl4ckD0g wrote:

I have no idea what you mean by the L322 5.0SC '...screamed too much'. At first I though are you talking about the supercharger whine, but that can't be it as the type of supercharger that is used is often complained about as not making a supercharger whine and that is true. It is 'too quiet' in my opinion. It also can't be the V8 noise as with the stock exhaust system there isn't really any v8 burble to hear. Again too quiet in my opinion. Then the only thing I could think off is that you mean by 'screamed too much' is that it likes going up high into the revs. And yes I think it is pretty amazing how free revving that engine is for a large V8 with supercharger. Saying that mine wasn't like that until I had a gearbox flush etc done as I think the previous owner drove it like miss daisy. But yes it is a free revving engine...

To me a small v6 engine with turbo and electric to help it move versus a v8 with supercharger is a very different experience. There is no substitute for cubic inches as our cousins from across the pond would say. The smaller engine with hybrid and turbos is the screamer...

Thank you for your comments blackdog, it's good for me to hear everybody's opinion. I'm not very technically minded or good with engineering, so I can't tell you what it was about the last 5.0 SC I drove. Maybe it was the free revving of the engine that I'm referring too, but it just seemed to make quite a lot more noise than my 2007 L322, 4.4 V8 N/A Jaguar engine.
All that said, I'm talking about a car from 10 years ago, so I guess the new L405 5.0 SC is probably a different beast. Having considered everybody's advice, I'm still going to proceed with buying the 5.0 SC.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply

Martin2 wrote:

Cut to 19min 30sec for the sound it makes when accelerating. It sounds great, just enough V8 loveliness without the shouty noise and pops/bangs you get from the engine in other installations.



Get the V8!

An interesting and sensible review, thanks for sharing