It’s a new age of Discovery for Land Rover.
Following up on the popular concept vehicle it revealed during the New York Auto Show last April, the British SUV maker has revealed a “pivotal” new model underpinning Land Rover’s new product strategy. The new Sport model will be one of several new utes expected to share the Discovery badge.
“The launch of Discovery Sport is a pivotal moment in the 66-year history of Land Rover,” said Phil Popham, marketing director of the Jaguar Land Rover Group. “Not only does it mark the introduction of the first new member of our expanding Discovery family, it also brings the versatility of 5+2 seating to the compact premium SUV market.”
The new model will mark the return of the Discovery nameplate to the U.S. market. It also will anchor a new three-segment strategy for Land Rover, echoing the approach the maker has taken with its top-end models, including the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoq. The Discovery “family” will collectively make up what Land Rover has dubbed its “Leisure” group.
Now a subsidiary of India’s Tata Motors, Land Rover gave a hint of what’s to come during a preview at the 2014 NY Auto Show in the form of the Discovery Vision Concept. While some flashy details, such as the rear-opening “suicide doors” are gone, the production version of the new Discovery Sport echoes the basic shape of the show car which, in turn, picks up classic “Disco” design cues, albeit in more modern, aerodynamic form.
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The Vision Concept was meant to show off the many new technologies Land Rover is bringing to market, and a number of them debut on the production version of the Discovery Sport, including an optional Autonomous Emergency Braking System. The new model also gets an update infotainment system with what it dubs an “expansive” connectivity package. There’s a new 8-inch touchscreen display to control various vehicle systems, as well.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport will feature standard three-row seating, and all versions will be equipped with all-wheel-drive, meaning that this “leisure” package will maintain the brand’s traditional off-road capabilities. Ground clearance is a full 8.3 inches, and the Discovery features a four-mode Terrain Response Control system that automatically sets such functions as throttle, brake, transmission and stability systems for specific conditions, such as snow, mud or sand.
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But Land Rover engineers also put more of a premium on delivering a comfortable on-road experience, in part, by introducing a new electronic power steering system and switching to a multi-link rear suspension.
As with the current line-up of Range Rover products, the British maker put a premium on “lightweighting” the new Discovery Sport, turning to a mix of aluminum and high-strength steel alloys for its body and frame.
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The package will be powered by a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four making 240-horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. The new ute shares the 9-speed ZF automatic gearbox recently introduced on the Range Rover line.
The new Land Rover Discovery Sport will make its appearance in U.S. showrooms early next year, and will carry a base MSRP of $37,995 plus a $925 delivery fee.
