Land Rover may have just unveiled the first Australian examples of its highly anticipated new-generation Range Rover Sport, but warns wait times may be long depending on which variant is chosen and where it is ordered.
Speaking to CarsGuide at the unveiling, Land Rover Australia product communications boss James Scrimshaw explained that current wait times look to be about 12 months due to ongoing stock issues affecting the whole industry, as well as the popularity of the new model.
“Wait times right now are roughly 12 months, but this will depend on which dealer and variant. It’s best to talk to dealers because each one has its own set allocation which may differ from others,” he said.
Mr Scrimshaw explained that the first shipment consisted of P400 3.0-litre straight-six petrol variants, but the majority of units entering the country in 2023 would be diesels.
“That was what was available from the factory,” he said. “We take more diesel than other markets, so we’re still very tolerant of diesel, and the Range Rover Sport in particular has always sold a high percentage in diesel.”
A shipment of plug-in hybrids will also be arriving in 2023, but Mr Scrimshaw warned that anyone who missed out on the first allocation of petrol models would be waiting until late 2023 for a model year 2024 car, even if they ordered now.
To those waiting to see the fully electric versions of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, which share the electrified MLA platform, they aren’t expected to be fully revealed until 2024, according to Mr Scrimshaw, who wouldn’t be drawn on whether the electric versions would arrive in Australia the same year.
Mr Scrimshaw expected many of the initial orders for the Range Rover Sport to head toward the highly-specified Autobiography and First Edition variants (from $191,141 before on-road costs and $196,359 respectively), available with either a 3.0-litre straight-six diesel or 4.4-litre petrol V8, while the mix of lower-spec SE models would increase as time goes on. He said it was too early to tell how much of the demand would head toward the PHEV P510e variant, as the brand only has the Evoque PHEV in the country currently.
The Range Rover Sport P510e has an unusually long range for a plug-in model, rated at 125km, however.
“This suits the brand and the products,” Mr Scrimshaw said. “It’s a good stepping stone to give people the option of that ICE engine, but also a long electric range. 125km is really good for 75 per cent of Australian buyers. For some people it will be several days between recharging.
“As soon as we have them in the country and people can see how good they are we’ll have a more true reflection of that demand.”
The Range Rover Sport starts from $139,160 in Australia for the base model 3.0-litre six-cylinder base D250 diesel SE (183kW/600Nm), and works its way up to $241,021 for the top-spec First Edition 4.4-litre V8 P530 (390kW/750Nm).
The PHEV is only available as an upper mid-spec Dynamic HSE, pairing a 3.0-litre inline six petrol engine to an electric motor, producing a combined 294kW/700Nm. It costs from $198,097 before on-roads.
Refer to the price table below for the up-to-date pricing of each variant and its available drivetrains.
2023 Range Rover Sport price (MSRP)
| 3.0L I6 diesel | 3.0L I6 petrol | 3.0L I6 PHEV | 4.4L V8 petrol | |
| SE | D250 – $139,160 | P360 – $144,788 | — | — |
| Dynamic SE | D300 – $151,026 | P400 – $155,608 | — | — |
| Dynamic HSE | D350 – $168,638 | P400 – $167,574 | P510e – $198,097 | P530 – $197,809 |
| Autobiography | D350 – $191,141 | — | — | P530 – $220,312 |
| First Edition | D350 – $196,359 | — | — | P530 – $241,021 |
Keyword: Want a 2023 Range Rover Sport? Better order now as popular luxury SUV sees wait times blow out