There have been three turbodiesel and four petrol engines fitted to the
L322
during its life span of 11 years. It all started with a pair of BMW engines as a legacy from BMW’s ownership of Land Rover up until 2000. When Ford took over Land Rover after this sale, it persisted with the BMW engines.
The M62 4398cc petrol V8 has 290hp at 5400rpm and 325lb ft of torque on offer at 3600rpm. This provides 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, a 129mph top speed and 17.4mpg average economy. It was because of this latter figure that more buyers went for the TD6’s M57 2926cc straight-six from the BMW 530d as it manages 24.9mpg combined consumption.
However, for those not covering a huge mileage, the petrol’s performance is much better than the diesel’s 0-62mph time of 13.6 seconds and 111mph top end. The TD6 diesel also musters only 187lb ft of torque, which means off-roading and towing are both not as peerlessly accomplished.
Remapping the diesel can help free up some more power and also make shifts through the five-speed automatic gearbox smoother. The engine itself is usually reliable, but there have been a sufficient number that have failed for it to be a worry. Check any car’s service record carefully: if it’s lasted beyond 80,000 miles the chances are the TD6 will carry on without problems. However, failed turbos are common and a replacement is around £2500 including labour at an independent specialist.
The petrol V8 is more robust and unlikely to give you any worries beyond regular servicing, but the automatic gearbox is a concern. Land Rover used both a GM5 auto ’box and then a ZF unit in later models and both are prone to complete failure. Some of this is down to the gearboxes supposedly being sealed for life, but they often fail at the 60,000-mile mark, so a precautionary fluid change every four years or 50,000 miles is advisable. Land Rover has changed many L322 gearboxes under warranty and the most recent models will still be covered, while older versions may qualify for some goodwill on the part of the dealer.
In 2005, the Range Rover’s petrol engine was replaced with another 4.4-litre V8, this time a Jaguar-sourced normally aspirated unit with the same capacity as the BMW motor. However, power swelled to 306hp at 5750rpm and 313lb ft of torque at 4000rpm, delivering 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds and a 124mph maximum speed. Fuel consumption improved to 18.9mpg with the five-speed auto retained.
However, Land Rover also borrowed Jaguar’s supercharged 4.2-litre motor from the S-type R and XJR. This 4196cc has an Eaton supercharger to give 400hp at 5750rpm, 413lb ft of torque at 4000rpm, 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds and 130mph. Economy comes in at 17.6mpg and it also has a five-speed auto.
The new TDV8 3.6-litre turbodiesel replaced the TD6’s five-speed gearbox with a new six-speed item. It was better married to the new 3630cc engine’s 272hp peaking at 4000rpm and 472lb ft at 2000rpm, which finally delivered decent performance of 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds and a 124mph maximum. Average economy of 25.4mpg made it the more popular choice by far with new buyers.
Again, these engines are all tough and reliable but are let down by their gearboxes. Check for any abrupt changes from one gear to the next and also be sure the car selects reverse cleanly with no shunting as you back up the car.
April 2009 heralded the arrival of the 5.0-litre supercharged petrol V8, replacing the 4.2 unit with a 4999cc engine that gives 510hp at 6000-6500rpm and 461lb ft of torque. With a new six-speed automatic gearbox, the 5.0 S/C saw off 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and heads on to 140mph, while it also improves economy to 22.7mpg. The normally-aspirated V8 was finessed to increase torque to 325lb ft at 2000rpm and 24.2mpg, as well as 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds and a 130mph top speed.
The biggest news, though, came in June 2010 with the arrival of the 4.4-litre TDV8. This 4367cc turbodiesel had 313hp at 4000rpm and torque of 516lb ft spread between 1500- and 3000rpm. As well as 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds and 124mph, it offers 30.1mpg to be the most rounded L322 model. Even so, gearbox troubles persist with the new eight-speed ZF unit, so check the service record carefully.
Other areas to look for on the L322 are the exhaust and the many pipes that feed to and from the engine. The exhaust is tucked up under the car to protect it when off-road. Corrosion isn’t huge worry but replacing a worn system is expensive, so be sure it’s in good nick.
A split intercooler hose is not uncommon and makes itself known by a sudden drop in power at higher speeds. This is due to the split hose allowing warm air into the engine’s intake which fools the ECU into a limp home mode. A split hose is cheap and easy to replace.
Don’t be concerned if there is a stamp in the service record of a relatively new model as many owners use independent specialists to reduce costs. A known specialist will also look after the L322 where a non-specialist may miss some of the service items needed to keep the car ticking along. However, don’t disregard Land Rover dealers as they offer fixed price servicing and maintenance that can safeguard against spiralling bills.
Many owners of the L322 Range Rover will have had the petrol models converted to run on LPG (liquid petroleum gas) as this is a cheaper fuel to buy. It doesn’t quite deliver the same miles per gallon, but this is more than compensated for by the lower price. If fitted, ask to see a certificate of installation and receipts to be sure the work was properly carried out.
Owner's View:
"During one of the services (£700 all in including some other work) the garage noticed my transfer box was on its last legs and recommended I replace it at a cost of £2k. I didn't do this and since found a half price option at Bristol transmissions. Watch out for a clunky gear change or a hesitance to get into gear."
Jon Hunt