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NEWS
SPY PICS: LR's baby Discovery ‘RS'
Land Rover is honing a sporty ‘RS' version of its all-new Freelander replacementThe Automedia lenses have been at it again, this time capturing a mule of Land Rover’s all-new Freelander replacement, which is being referred to as the ‘baby Discovery’.
However, what makes these pics particularly noteworthy is that the vehicle in question is believed to be a prototype of the go-faster ‘RS’ variant, with the suffix denoting Land Rover’s new high-performance division, conceived to rival BMW’s ‘M’ and Merc’s AMG offshoots.
The pics provide clues to the more aggressive front and rear bumpers and larger front air intakes that will grace the baby Disco RS, and the black multi-spoke rims appear to conceal a heftier brake package than the standard vehicle is likely to get.
The tweaks will reportedly also carry through to the interior, with sports seats complemented by carbon-fibre and aluminium trim highlights.
Obviously the key upgrades will be to the engine and suspension, and it’s believed the RS will score an uprated 2.0-litre turbo powerplant with upwards of 225kW. The added grunt will be complemented by lower, stiffer springs and dampers, so it should be a tidy handler.
The existing Freelander is Land Rover’s best-selling vehicle, even though the current generation is now seven years old.
Its all-new replacement is likely to adopt the Discovery nameplate as part of Land Rover’s initiative to reposition the vehicle as a more premium offering. Land Rover may bring the new model to market badged as the 'Discovery Sport', which would make this high-performance variant the 'Discovery Sport RS', if things pan out that way.
As such, it will be larger than the Freelander, and there will be a seven-seat variant for the first time, broadening the model’s target audience.
The newcomer is also expected to offer a greater breadth of off-road ability than the existing Freelander, as well as a better quality interior and improved luggage capacity.
It will be built upon the same LR-MS platform as the Range Rover Evoque. This architecture was developed from the Ford EUCD platform that underpins the current Freelander, but Land Rover says 90 per cent of the components are new.
The baby Discovery will also have a 150mm longer wheelbase than the Evoque, liberating enough cabin space to slot in seven seats.
The vehicle’s platform and upper body will reportedly be fabricated from high-strength steel, but the roof and bonnet will be aluminium, while the front wings and tailgate are likely to be made from composites.
According to reports, the first Freelander replacement models will be sold from launch with diesel versions of JLR’s new range of clean-burning ‘Ingenium’ four-cylinder engines, which are being built at a new plant near Wolverhampton in the UK.
– with Automedia
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Written byGautam Sharma
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