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NEWS
Practicality drives Land Rover Discovery 5
Land Rover sales boss says next Discovery will dial up practicality and versatilityThe next generation Discovery will be based on the big money Range Rover L405 series but dial up practicality and versatility. That’s the inside line from Land Rover sources quizzed at last week’s launch of the L494 Range Rover Sport.
Discovery is Land Rover’s key model. With seven seats, plenty of space and considerable off-road ability, it has performed well in terms of sales for the British off-road brand. That said, now volumes are shaded by both the Range Rover Sport and compact prestige entrant, the Evoque.
Significantly updated for the 2010 model year, the current generation Discovery was launched way back in 2004. It is now the marque’s oldest design.
Although there are still no public hard timelines for its replacement, as Land Rover seeks to streamline and maximise production at its Solihull plant, the clock is ticking on when the Discovery will be moved to the same all-aluminium platform as the co-developed Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
Key issues Land Rover is currently speaking too are cost and the ability to separate the cheaper Discovery in shoppers’ minds from its Range Rover badged stablemates.
According to Jaguar Land Rover sales boss, Phil Popham, it is versatility that will be the key. Indeed, the Land Rover stalwart is adamant the new Discovery will not be dumbed down when compared to its range Rover brethren.
Popham has also more than hinted that a return to four-cylinder Discovery models is another key part of the model strategy.
“What we’ll do on that [Discovery], carrying the Land Rover badge, [is] we will dial up versatility,” Popham told motoring.com.au.
“The thing about Discovery is it’s probably one of the most versatile cars, if not the most versatile car in the world. Three cars in one: the luxury car, seven seats or a van.
“That [versatility] is what Discovery stands for, and I still think that’s the centre of gravity of the Land Rover brand… And when we replace that car, customers will expect us to expand on that. So it will be the most versatile car that we produce,” he said.
Popham confirmed the Discovery will move to a version of the L405/494 Range Rover’s all-alloy platform. The current generation Discovery is now the heaviest car Land Rover builds. At close to 2500kg, it is even heavier than the new Range Rover.
“Of course, we want to actually do what we’ve done on Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. We’ve got to take weight out of it because fuel economy and emissions is the primary motivation for customers, as well as tax, as well as regulations.
“And our expectation is we’ll do, we’ll do the same [as Range Rover Sport, basing the new Discovery on L405] again. So, focus on versatility, focus on weight -- which we do with all of our cars.
“In the past the real focus on sourcing components has been about quality and cost, but there’s a third dimension now which is weight.”
And, hints Popham, four-cylinder engines are a key component of Discovery’s next generation. The brand will move to replace its Ford/PSA sourced current line-up, with most models benefiting in the process.
“It’s no coincidence that we’re taking strategic control of our small engines -- four cylinder engines. Basically, design, engineering, manufacturing, [all] at the plant in Wolverhampton which is about small engines. Efficient engines...
“If you can take weight out of those [chassis and other components] and put smaller engines in and get equal or better performance in the car that you’re replacing, it’s a win/win in terms of fuel economy and engine emissions,” Popham stated.
Pictures show mule for 2014 Discovery facelift, expected to introduce high-output (280kW) supercharged V6 from Jaguar F-Type.
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Written byMike Sinclair
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