Classic models redefined for September launch

At the global media launch currently taking place on and off road in the rugged terrain of the Scottish Borders for the 2010 model year new Range Rover Sport and Discovery models Gerry McGovern Director of Design for Land Rover came up with a new word, ‘premiumness’ not grammatically correct but it sums up the new way forward for the TATA owned Land Rover and Range Rover brands.

Selling in over 170 markets worldwide has not stopped the recession hitting sales of the iconic British 4x4 brands. They are down from their all time global record of 220,000 vehicles in 2007 to 182,000 in 2008.

In the UK sales are down from a record 50,000 units in 2007 to 37,000 in 2008 and a shade over 30,000 is being forecast for 2009.

The company is taking the opportunity during this lull in demand to evaluate the core values of Land and Range Rover models, improve the products following feedback from worldwide customers and enhance the upmarket image of the brands. The UK is still the largest market for Land/Range Rover sales closely followed by the USA and Russia while China and India are emerging as huge markets for the future.

Overall McGovern sees the core brand values as offering ‘premiumness’, desirability and performance to take them into the next decade. He added all these changes have been made in response to worldwide customer requests for ‘premium’ quality vehicles.

McGovern said the iconic Range Rover, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010, in its revised and more luxurious form and already on sale, is more formal and elegant supreme go-anywhere car. The vehicles has a ‘new face’ with revised grill, bumper, new LED lights and an even higher quality interior with reduced switchgear and more intuitive controls.

With a more powerful 3.6-litre TDV8 diesel and a 5.0-litre V8 supercharged petrol engine prices start at £64,695 and rise to £79,995.

Moving on to the new Range Rover Sport, which goes on sale in September, McGovern said since the launch of this model range in 2005 it has become a huge sales success for the company and now globally outsells the Range Rover and Freelander.

In addition to two new engines the new JLR (Jaguar/Land Rover) twin-turbo 3.0-litre TDV6 245PS diesel unit and the 5.0-litre V8, 510PS, supercharged petrol unit the heavily revised vehicle now has core values of sportiness and is more sophisticated. There is also an upgraded transmission, a new high performance braking system which includes a radar controlled pre-load function and major chassis developments which in the new Dynamic mode monitors conditions 500 a second.

McGovern said the Dynamic mode is aimed at enthusiastic drivers, it reduces understeer and provides a flat ride level with little body roll. It enhances the sporty driving image and ‘real-world’ high performance driving.

The interior continues with the well liked front dual cockpit theme but generally the whole interior is new with a reduction in switchgear and the use of soft feel panel trim finishes and it is now a true premium interior he said. Prices range from £44,895 to £61,995.

Commenting on the new seven-seat 2010 Land Rover Discovery 4, which also goes on sale in September, McGovern said the new core values for this vehicle are also for a more premium product and a vehicle which is more relevant for today’s global customers. The Disco was first introduced 20 years ago as a durable wash-out, seven seat, on/off road workhorse.

McGovern said the Discovery remains the most versatile 4x4 vehicle in the world but feedback from customers was that the new models should offer more luxury, more power, be better handling and with styling changes which makes it appear more sophisticated.

The Disco has received a major facelift, not just its face but the sides and rear as well. The front end is less severe with a Freelander horizontal style grille flanked by signature LED headlights. In ‘McGovern speak’ terms, “The muscle is still there –it is now covered by a dinner jacket”.

He added although Discovery customer had requested more ‘premiumness’ and a more upmarket image, the same 4x4 ability had to remain. The interior has been significantly upgraded and redesigned and it has moved very close indeed in quality to the Range Rover models. The dashboard and instrument panel is more flowing in design with more intuitive controls and the trim finishes are now ‘soft-feel’.

The Discovery hasn’t gone soft though and its core performance credentials remain, seven seats, huge interior space and it will tow up to 3.5 tonnes plus of course all wheel drive and it maintains it go anywhere off-roading rugged credentials.

Star billing for the Discovery 4 goes to the new Land Rover/Jaguar TDV6 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine which becomes the mainstay power plant for the range. The new engine offers significant increases in power, up 29% to 245PS and torque up 36% to 600Nm at 2,000rpm and fuel economy is improved by 9.7% to 30.4mpg in the combined cycle and the CO2 emissions of 244g/km are 9% lower.

Around 85% of Discoveries sold in the UK will be ordered with this power unit. This engine is also included in the new Range Rover Sport range and will account for 60% of their UK sales.

The previous 2.7-litre TDV6 unit remains in the Discovery range but only with the base GS trim and equipment levels. The new 3.0-litre unit is also available with GS specification and with the best selling XS and top spec HSE. Prices for Discovery 4 range from £31,995 to £47,695. © David Miles

First drive impressions will be published tomorrow on Wheels Within Wales