Spy shots of the 2022 Land Rover Range Rover.

Land Rover has been spotted testing a prototype of an updated Range Rover.

The new mid-size luxury SUV is expected to arrive alongside an updated version of the extended Range Rover Long Wheelbase late next year, most likely as a 2022 model. A new Range Rover Sport is also due a year after the Range Rover.

Land Rover just last year announced an updated Range Rover with a new inline six-cylinder engine and a mild hybrid system as the base powertrain. However, the current model has been in production since 2013, so it makes sense that an updated fourth-generation model will soon be launched.

Compared to the current Range Rover, Land Rover designers seem to have slightly reduced the boxy interior shape of the updated model. The wheel arches also seem a bit more pronounced. Smaller details, such as lighting accents, are similar to those found on the updated Defender, which will be introduced in 2020.

The vehicle is based on Land Rover's Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform, which will appear on the updated Jaguar XJ later this year. The platform was previously expected to be used in the updated Defender, but Land Rover opted to use an improved version of the D7 platform for the SUV. which it supports.

The new MLA platform is intended to be compatible with electric powertrains and will eventually underpin most Jaguar and Land Rover models. It will also be lighter than the aluminum-intensive D7 platform.

In terms of powertrains, a low-power hybrid setup will remain the base variant, while a new engine combined with an electric motor on the front axle and a second electric motor on the rear axle will power the new car. The plug-in hybrid setup is expected to replace the current Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid setup with a single electric motor. An electric powertrain aimed at urban buyers will also be offered.

It is not yet clear if a V8 engine will be offered, but it could be through an agreement with BMW Group. Jaguar Land Rover and BMW Group already intend to share some engines and electric powertrains, so a V8 can be expected.

Update: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the prototype was intended to be a Range Rover Sport.