New Land Rover Discovery
The historic English brand in the off-road world, Land Rover, has announced a radical change of course: the next generation of Land Rover Discovery will in fact be a sporty and light car, focused on driving pleasure, equipped with a central engine ..The reason is very simple, Land Rover has seen that in recent years there has been a tendency on the part of companies that usually make sports cars to invade the large SUV market, land where Land Rover normally dominated; for this reason the English company has decided to challenge realities such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin and now also Lotus, on their own ground.
“Since all sports car brands strive to swap our Range Rover Sports, we have decided to make a sports car to challenge them: we expect to sell 8 units a year, which would make this car much more popular than the Evoque convertible! "
Land Rover has also already received permission from the British government to pave the woodlands of the Cotswold where the company normally tests its off-road vehicles: “We have tried to rent Silverstone, but it is fully booked by Aston Martin who is trying in every way to improve the track record on the DBX. "
“We have redesigned our Terrain Response software so that instead of improving the car's performance based on the terrain it is on, the new Discovery will only oversteer excessively even when driving straight. Anyone interested in buying this car, strictly only with real money, is certainly already fed up with all the safety features found on the latest sports cars. "
Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic Is A Luxury SUV With A Heart For Trails
The Discovery spearheaded the return of the Land Rover brand into the US, sporting surprisingly strong off-roading performance packed into a rather upscale SUV. Still, now in its fourth iteration, Land Rover Discovery took the brand´s family carrier role. It isn't all lost, as the Discovery S R-Dynamic is not your average soccer mom vehicle. Here's how it keeps itself competitive in a packed market.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardAs the Defender was left to wear the mud-plowing crown of the brand, Land Rover ditched the hybrid monocoque-ladder construction on the Discovery and replaced it with a more common unibody architecture. Thanks to this change, Discovery S R-Dynamic lost plenty of pounds and quite a few extra aluminum parts.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardKeeping The ICE Running
There is plenty of talk about alternative power systems, with all automakers having at least one electric model in their lineup. Swimming against the current, Land Rover leads the way in further development of internal combustion engines, hoping to keep them viable for as long as possible. As such, the standard Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic comes available with a 2-liter 4-cylinder engine good for 296hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The star of the show is in fact the 355hp and 369 lb-ft mill featuring 6 cylinders for a total displacement of 3 liters. The 3-liter mill is also assisted by a 48V hybrid system. Regardless of the engine choice, power is sent to the wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox with standard all-wheel drive.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardThe all-wheel drive system complimented by the hybrid assist does a lot of good. The 3-liter Discovery is good for a 14.7s quarter mile, needing just 6.3 seconds to reach 60mph. That has to fit the needs of any father rushing his kid to training or escaping for a fishing trip before the missus figures it out. To reach these numbers, the 3-liter Discovery spends just as much fuel as the average in class: 18/24 mpg city/highway.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardA Tall Ride
The new Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic comes with a flowing silhouette, ditching the box-shaped body of the original Discovery. Even with tamed edges and curved lines, the SUV still stands tall at 74.3 inches. Because of this, some of the driving dynamics from the old model still found their way into the new iteration. Yes, family SUVs aren’t supposed to corner like an F1 car. Still, the Discovery S R-Dynamic will pull 0.79g of lateral acceleration, 0.1g below the Audi Q7 or BMW X5 competitors. Even with the above considered, the Land Rover Discovery proves itself on the road, as the air-spring suspension eats away all road imperfections and the naturally weighted steering responds better than the Defender.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardHonest Off-road Ability
The modern Land Rover Discovery may have lost its strong ladder chassis, but it hasn’t entirely lost its appetite for the off-road. You might want to change the standard low-profile high-speed tires with some proper all-terrain options before you head out into the woods. That being said, the height-adjustable suspension brings plenty of ground clearance to tackle obstacles and steep ramps. Center and rear differentials automatically lock when selecting “Terrain Response” mode, getting the Discovery across regardless if there’s ice, snow or rock covering the trail.
Land Rover Discovery
Kyle EdwardUnless you’re directly heading for the swamp, the Land Rover Discovery should be able to take you out of most decent off-road situations. Overall, with a sleek body, an upgraded engine and powertrain, plenty of safety features complimenting the spacious interior and a knack for adventure, the Land Rover Discovery S R-Dynamic brings family trips, business and entertainment under the same cabin.