Unlike Stellantis Jeep’s V8 HEMI Engine, the iconic supercharged V8 engine from Jaguar Land Rover will continue to be in production, despite the tightening emissions regulations and the industry’s shift toward electrification.
A senior executive at Jaguar Land Rover, Stuart Frith, who serves as the vehicle program director and chief engineer for the Defender and Discovery, confirmed that the long-standing 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine, internally known as AJ133, will not be discontinued in the near future. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for its longevity.
Speaking at a recent media launch, Mr. Frith stated, “Broadly, the AJ133 engine is certainly technologically advanced enough to keep us going for quite some time.”
Currently, the engine powers the Land Rover Defender 90 and 110 V8 models, delivering an output of 386 kW and 625 Nm. It is also utilized in certain Jaguar F-Pace and F-Type models, where it produces up to 423 kW and 700 Nm.
In the latest Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, Jaguar Land Rover has introduced a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (390 kW and 700 Nm) sourced from BMW, replacing their internally-developed 5.0-liter V8. This strategic move to adopt BMW power was aimed at future-proofing the V8 engine in compliance with the increasingly stringent emissions laws in Europe.
Mr. Frith acknowledged that the forthcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations have become a significant topic of discussion within the industry, and they are set to be enforced in the European Union by 2025. He noted that there are ongoing conversations with other car manufacturers to ensure compliance with these upcoming regulations, which are arriving earlier than anticipated in Europe.
The final implementation and specific details of the Euro 7 emissions laws have not yet been finalized, as some segments of the auto industry have called for a potential delay due to the perceived difficulty of meeting the proposed emission targets.
