For Land Rover aficionados concerned that they may not be able to buy a Discovery with enough off-road capability, the automaker has heard their cries, unveiling the Discovery SVX at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Calling it the “ultimate Discovery for off-road enthusiasts seeking epic adventures,” the brand worked with its Special Vehicle Operations team to add extreme all-terrain capability. SVX sits alongside the Range Rover Sport SVR and Range Rover SVAutobiography.
Discovery SVX will be the first Land Rover hand-assembled by expert craftsmen at the SVO Technical Centre in the UK when production begins in 2018.
“SVO designers are embedded within the Land Rover team and have worked with our engineers to unleash their own passion for adventure to create another truly desirable and versatile vehicle in the Land Rover line-up,” said John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations managing director.
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The new rough-and-rugged version comes just after the Discovery model’s substantive makeover for the 2017 model year. This version is Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations group first SVX vehicle, the maker noted.
Adding this iteration to the portfolio isn’t a big surprise. Automakers, including Land Rover, often find ways to tweak existing products to add some big bucks to their bottom line.
“The SVX product line gives us a fantastic opportunity to deliver the ultimate Land Rover all-terrain capability in a dynamic and distinctive manner, creating a rugged and versatile SUV that the whole family will love: effortless, unstoppable and connected, whatever the terrain,” said Mark Stanton, SVO director.
Being to scale tall mountains and traverse massive rivers takes a high-powered engine and the Discovery SVX delivers on that front with 5.0-liter supercharged V8 petrol powertrain, tuned to deliver 525 horsepower. The SVX features suspension modifications to enhance driver confidence when tackling the toughest terrain.
The team also gives the SVX increased wheel articulation and improved body control through its Hydraulic Active Roll Control, which enhances the Disco’s extreme off-road traction while also reducing body roll for smooth and sure-footed on-road driving.
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Discovery SVX has improved approach, departure and breakover angles, according to Land Rover, achieved by raising both the lightweight aluminium monocoque architecture and the four-corner air suspension system, employing long-travel dampers and revised knuckles, and fitting larger 815mm diameter 275/55 R20 Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres on forged aluminium alloy wheels.
Complementing these hardware upgrades are unique software calibrations for the eight-speed automatic transmission with twin-speed transfer box, and Discovery’s dynamics systems including Hill Descent Control, Electronic Traction Control, Adaptive Dynamics, Dynamic Stability Control, All-Terrain Progress Control and variable ratio electric power-assisted steering.
One can’t have a special edition or new model without a distinctive look to separate it from the pack and the Discovery SVX doesn’t disappoint.
The Frankfurt-ready SVX features unique front and rear bumpers with protective skid plates and exposed Rush Orange-finished metal recovery eyes – each rated to enable recovery of more than six tonnes, an anti-glare bonnet finish and an integrated rear-mounted electric winch system.
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Discovery SVX also gets an exclusive satin Tectonic Grey paint finish, a unique color and material combination of Lunar and Light Oyster with Rush Orange accents inside, and ‘X’ logo perforations on the SVX-branded seats.
