Wednesday 8th April 2009

Three New Land Rovers Revealed

New Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery models shown at New York show

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Range Rover Sport

Land Rover has unveiled three new models at the New York motor show.

The Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Discovery models have all gone under the knife, with changes to both the interior and exterior. Land Rover has also developed a range of new engines for the three new models that promise greater performance and efficiency.

The new Discovery has been revised to appear softer, with more rounded edges, while the feel of the interior is closer to that of a Range Rover than the previous model. All new models have also undergone a complete front end redesign, which includes new grille designs and headlights with LED running lights.

Land Rover Discovery

The biggest change to the Land Rover line-up, however, is the introduction of a new range of engines.

An all new 3.0-litre TDV6, developed in partnership with Jaguar, will feature in both the Discovery and Range Rover Sport models where it will provide 242bhp and an enormous 443lb ft of torque. Land Rover claims peak torque arrives at just 2000rpm, but 359lb ft will be available within half a second of the start of acceleration.

In addition to being 29 per cent more powerful than the 2.7-litre diesel engine, the new TDV6 will also be nine per cent more efficient. It won’t, however, replace the 2.7-litre unit, which will remain on sale in the Discovery GS.

The most dramatic improvement can be found on the Sport model, which gets a new supercharged V8, taken from the Jaguar XFR/XKR, that will also feature as part of the Range Rover engine line-up. The new 5.0-litre V8 will power the Range Rover sport from rest to 60mph in just 5.9sec thanks to a 29 per cent more power gain and 12 per cent rise in torque. That means the Range Rover Sport’s supercharged V8 will produce 503bhp and 461lb ft of torque.

Range Rover

Unsurprisingly, the new Ranage Rover Sport has undergone extensive testing at Germany’s Nurburgring (what car hasn’t?) that has allowed Land Rover to develop the Sport’s handling and performance. Land Rover claims the new Sport can now take a typical corner up to 15mph faster and has better throttle and steering response when in the new Dynamic setting in its Terrain Response system.

The Sport also gets an adaptive damping system based on Bilstein dampers that monitors each wheel 500 times per second to control traction, reduce understeer and improve ride quality.

Prices are still to be confirmed, but the new Range Rover will go on sale in May, followed by the new Sport and Discovery models in September.

Range Rover Sport

Range Rover

Land Rover Discovery

 

 

[Monkey on a bike]

Really like those interiors, real nice.

[Plotloss]

Not sure about new Sport that could be the colour/wheels though.

New Range Rover looks suitably purposeful.

[P-J]

Definately improvements there in all. Interior of the Disco is a vast improvement, but not sure of the rear view (prefer the current one). Front looks nicer tho.

RR Sport - has Kahn designed their alloys???
ETA picture

Edited by P-J on Wednesday 8th April 12:19

[FNG]

Who are they kidding with the number plates on the press shots?

They're on the rear, but none on the front. Anyone know which mythical market doesn't need front number plates?

I know it's nitpicky but if they'd just design the front end of cars to look good with a number plate in the first place...

Aside from that - not much change here, but better interiors are a big help and the 3.0TD is a belter.

[Dracoro]

FNG said:

Who are they kidding with the number plates on the press shots?

They're on the rear, but none on the front. Anyone know which mythical market doesn't need front number
plates?

The US market isn't that mythical to me

[robm3]

Hmmm, think the Disco looks a little worse on the outside after it's blingtastic treatment but interior an improvement over the 'cliff aspect' mine has.

Perhaps LR missed a trick with the Sport interior though by not angling the switches level, they've kept them flush with the dash which itself is at 45degree angle (therefore all the switches are pointing at the roof).

[robert_raw]

Another car i cannot afford and would not buy if I could.

Coming to a school run near you?

[FNG]

Dracoro said:

FNG said:

Who are they kidding with the number plates on the press shots?

They're on the rear, but none on the front. Anyone know which mythical market doesn't need front number
plates?

The US market isn't that mythical to me

Really? Every day''s a schoolday isn't it?

[jas16]

i really like the interiors

[Cassius81]

Looks like the interiors (particularly the Disco and RRS, not sure the RR's could be!) are much improved and the new engines can only be a good thing...

I have to drive an 06 RR Supercharged to Barcelona this weekend (delivering it for a mate)...

Am looking forward to some effortless motorway cruising but now I'm wishing it had the 5.0 V8 with 500+bhp!!!

[Puddenchucker]

They look good apart from the chavvy (IMHO) tail lights on the RR & Disco.

[cvegas]

I hate the idea of 4x4's for the road but the Sport does look great. A Tonka toy for big boys!

[polo 51]

look nice coming to an area near you with a private number plate

[iluvmercs]

That new RR Sport interior looks fantastic. It's nice to see they've not altered the exterior too much, but they still have that awful grey/black plastic on the door handles, sills, lower bumpers and A and D pillars!

The RR's and Disco's new look is very pleasing to the eye!

And that new 5.0 V8 supercharged engine should be entertaining!

Darren

[LuS1fer]

Stunning scenery. Shame you can see so little of the cars.

[CypherP]

Wow, they look so different....

[jdw1234]

The Sport is an irrelevance, but the RR is such a fabulous car!!

[Steve748]

FNG said:

Dracoro said:

FNG said:

Who are they kidding with the number plates on the press shots?

They're on the rear, but none on the front. Anyone know which mythical market doesn't need front number
plates?

The US market isn't that mythical to me

Really? Every day''s a schoolday isn't it?

Photoshop on the fronts so they can use the same photos everywhere and you cannot see of they are rhd or left hookers or not either apart from the interior, which they will reverse for the USA

[ChapppeRS]

Plotloss said:

Not sure about new Sport that could be the colour/wheels though.

New Range Rover looks suitably purposeful.

There's a couple of pictures out there with different wheels. There are also a few new (non black or grey) colour options that I particularly like, although white is a favourite in the US.

I love the way the new RR looks, it's subtle but really effective, and the RR sport interior is really good.

By the way I can vouch for the duel view SatNav/TV - it works very very well.

[mat205125]

This doesn't bode well.

Manufacturers typically stagger their model updates so that when the full overhawl or replacement is due, they stagger the investment, tooling, design and infrastructure changes.

I sincerly hope that Land Rover does not end up like Rover/MG by facelifting the same 3 models to death for the next decade like with the rover 200, 400 and 75