Land Rover Discovery Sport officially unveiled

Land Rover Discovery Sport front quarter

Land Rover has officially taken the veil of the new Discovery Sport, the first member of the new Discovery family. Sporting the brand’s latest design DNA, the Discovery Sport features 5+2 seating in a footprint no larger than the existing 5 seat SUV.

According to Land Rover, the Discovery Sport’s new design approach defines the new Discovery family with optimised volume, proportions and stance.

“Our challenge has been to combine premium design with exceptional versatility; the two attributes must work in harmony,” said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer. “I’m proud to say we’ve achieved that; Discovery Sport’s dynamic design will resonate on an emotional level with consumers, and this vehicle is more versatile than any other premium compact SUV on the market.”

Land Rover Discovery Sport rear top

This spirit of adventure is reflected in Discovery Sport’s interior, which has been designed with customers at its core. It features high-quality materials and a strong vertical centre console graphic to reflect the premium design of the exterior, while the core Discovery value of versatility is evident everywhere. Storage solutions are integrated into the cabin and up to four 12V power points and six USB charging sockets can be specified for all three rows of seating, allowing multiple electronic devices to be charged simultaneously.

A host of innovations have allowed Discovery Sport to introduce the versatility of 5+2 seating into the premium compact SUV class for the first time. An all-new multi-link rear axle not only provides engaging driving dynamics but it also provides ample and flexible cabin space behind the second row.

Coupled with supple long-travel suspension, the innovative rear axle also said to ensure the Discovery Sport is comfortable, refined and rewarding to drive on-road, while retaining the breadth of all-terrain capability for which Land Rover is world-renowned. In fact, with approach, departure and breakover angles of 25, 31 and 21 degrees respectively, Terrain Response technology, and the ability to wade to 600mm, the Discovery Sport offers class-leading capability in all conditions.

Land Rover Discovery Sport side

As with every new Land Rover, safety has been a key priority in the development of the new Discovery Sport, resulting in a first-in-class pedestrian airbag, autonomous emergency braking, and a state-of-the-art bodyshell featuring both ultra-high-strength steel and lightweight aluminium.

This represents a fraction of the advanced equipment available in Discovery Sport, which also includes Head-Up Display, an all-new 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and tilt-and-slide row-two seating for maximum interior configurability.

At launch the Discovery Sport will be equipped with a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. Both the all-alloy Si4 2.0-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel feature stop-start technology, high-pressure direct injection, low-friction internal components and smart regenerative charging for outstanding performance and economy.

Land Rover Discovery Sport front headlight and grille

Both 9-speed automatic and 6-speed manual transmissions are available in the two versions of 2.2-litre diesel models, in TD4 110kW and SD4 140kW outputs both producing 420Nm of torque. The SD4 can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.9 seconds before hitting a top speed of 188km/h.

The Si4 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 177kW of power and 340Nm of torque and is fitted with the 9-speed automatic transmission as standard. it returns 8.2L/100km and all powertrains are four-wheel-drive.

“Not only does Discovery Sport 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,” said Phil Popham, Jaguar Land Rover Group Marketing Director. “Discovery Sport’s versatility is a key differentiator. It is quite simply the most accomplished vehicle in its segment.”

Land Rover Discovery Sport interior

Discovery Sport will be produced at Land Rover’s award-winning manufacturing facility at Halewood, Liverpool. It goes on sale in May 2015 alongside the existing seven-seat Land Rover Discovery in over 170 markets worldwide.

 

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