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Land Rover wades into sales fight with buoyant confidence
publication date: Aug 29, 2009
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author/source: David Miles
 | | | A sports premium 4x4 really seems a contradiction in terms – who needs a go-faster off-roader?
Well
celebrities, ‘new money business types’, highly paid footballers it
appears who never go near the muddy conditions except for the odd
society event car park in a field.
It is all about image and having an
imposing 4x4
but with the performance of a sports car and the more gadgets and
technologies - the better to help with the owner’s bragging rights.
We
cannot knock the users; at least we still have freedom of choice to buy
whatever car we like, but even with prices ranging from £44,895 to £61,995 the 2010 Range Rover Sport will be bought by over 6,000 UK customers this year easily outselling the Range Rover and marginally the Discovery models.
A more sporting design for a more sporting vehicle is how Land Rover describes the 2010
model year Range Rover Sport. The vehicle has been given a cleaner,
more muscular appearance which is the perfect complement to its new
range of high-performance engines.
The interior has been
comprehensively redesigned and features significantly improved
standards of quality and craftsmanship worthy of the Range Rover brand.
The cabin retains its popular, snug, twin cockpit feel but incorporates
higher quality materials, sumptuous soft-touch finishes and superb
detailing throughout. Leather is used extensively on major surfaces, in
a wider choice of colours. To create a more sporting feel, rich dark
shades ‘sandwich’ narrow sections in lighter tones and the effect is
completed by a generous selection of stylish wood finishes.
New
ambient lighting adds to the premium qualities of the cabin, with the
introduction of white LEDs to cast subtle halos around the interior
door handles and pockets, as well as on the facia and centre console
area.
A new, hard-drive
navigation system provides faster route calculation and improved system
reliability. The new portable audio interface allows connectivity to an
array of personal audio storage devices, USB sticks and MP3 players, enabling the various devices’ functions to be accessed and controlled via the facia-mounted touch-screen system.
Outside
the vehicle new systems enhance safety and security and these include a
new surround camera system which supports easier parking and towing.
The
vehicle is not just about the stylish new appearance inside and out.
There are two powerful and efficient new UK built engines – the LR-TDV6, 3.0-litre, twin turbo, diesel 245PS unit but with a huge 600Nm of torque. This Dagenham built unit replaces the 2.7-litre turbodiesel engine and even with improved 29% more power and 36% more torque fuel consumption is reduced by 9% to 30.7mpg and CO2 emissions by 8.3% to 243g/km. This engine is expected to account for 60% of sales.
In
operation the extra power and ‘grunt’ is obvious and the refinement is
memorable. For on or off road use it is the most sensible for most
people.
Out and out performance star of the new line-up, and replacing the previous 4.2-litre supercharged petrol engine, is the Welsh- built LR-V8 5.0-litre supercharged unit with 510PS of power and 625Nm of torque. Again, despite more power, CO2 emissions over the old unit are reduced to 7% but still emit a massive 353g/km. Fuel economy shows a 6.2% improvement at 18.8mpg. Around 6% of Range Rover Sport buyers will opt for this unit.
The remainder of sales will be taken up by the retained Dagenham built LR-TDV8 3.6-litre turbodiesel which offers 272PS and 640Nm with 25.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 294g/km.
A
comprehensive programme of chassis system modifications has transformed
the Range Rover Sport’s on-road dynamics, while also delivering a
substantial improvement in its off-road capabilities.
The
introduction of new systems such as Adaptive Dynamics, working in
conjunction with the existing Dynamic Response, known as active ride
control (ARC) on supercharged models, and the addition of the
road-focused Dynamic Program to the Terrain Response system help
enhance agility and ride quality. Further improvements to the system
ensure that off-road capability is kept at the expected class-leading
level.
MILESTONES.
Range Rover Sport HSE 5.0-litre, V8 Supercharged petrol £61,995.
Engine/transmission: 5.0-litre, V8 petrol engine 510PS, 625Nm of torque, 6-speed auto, all wheel drive. Performance: 140mph, 0-60mph 5.9 seconds, 18.9mpg (9.4 to 15.8mpg actual during off and on road test driving), CO2 353g/km, road tax £405, BIK tax liability 35%.
Insurance group: 14+.
For:
Image, presence and style, comfortable, spacious, desirable for some,
terrific on-road acceleration Against: Huge running costs, handling
still not as sharp as the BMW X5/X6, brash image. |
 | | | The new Discovery maybe has become 'posher' and even
elegant, better equipped with much improved on road manners but it
remains the best large SUV for off-roading and workhorse towing.
The original ‘Disco’ was launched as a seven-seat SUV in 1989,
initially as a rugged, ‘wash-out’ work horse with supreme off-road
performance equal to a utilitarian Land Rover. Today it remains a
supreme off-roader but the ‘wash-out’ function has long gone as the
vehicle has moved further and further up-market.
Prices for the new 2010 model year models have crept up by around 5% and now range from £31,995 to £47,695. There are GS, XS and HSE levels of specification and 85% of UK sales will be taken up by models using the new 3.0-litre TDV6 turbodiesel engine.
This twin turbo 245PS unit with 600Nm of torque has been developed from the old 2.7-litre TDVC6 unit, although the latter remains on offer in GS specification as the price entry model. The new engine has a 29% increase in power and 36% in torque, fuel economy is improved by 9.7% to 30.4mpg in the combined cycle with 9% less CO2 emissions at 244g/km. Top speed is 112mph and 0-60mph takes 9.0 seconds.
Land Rover’s designers say the key objectives for the 2010 models were to improve the on-road handling and refinement without losing any of its off-road ability.
The new engine offers more mid-range punch and it is quicker away from a standstill. The old 2.7-litre unit ran out of puff at higher motorway speeds due to its near three tonne weight and the new 3.0-litre engine improves this performance. Overall it is a much better unit.
Real-life fuel economy is relatively good as well; 25.5mpg for on road country road driving and around 15mpg
was recorded on average during severe Scottish Borders off-roading
driving exercise. The Disco performed without hesitation and
faultlessly fording rivers, climbing rocky tracks and controlled
descents of muddy, wet and near vertical undergrowth.
But these days all vehicles need to appeal visually, fashion over function sometimes, but Discovery 4
inherits the clean lines of the previous generation but the vehicle has
been given a more premium, more contemporary look and it is now very
close, perhaps to close in luxury fixtures and fittings to the Range
Rover.
In response to existing customer requests, smoother,
simpler surfaces are employed at the front, giving the vehicle its new
character, emphasised by sportier looking front lights, with new LED
position lamps configured in a unique, signature stepped profile around
the main light units. New lights are also introduced at the rear of the
vehicle, incorporating LED stop, tail and indicator technology.
The
new front bumper has a larger cooling aperture to accommodate the new
engine's greater power outputs. Cleverly, the larger bumper actually
improves vehicle aerodynamics by reducing drag, thanks to its
innovative anti-drag 'lips' that help smooth the airflow from the front
bumper around the front wheels.
Land Rover claims the new Discovery will be a revelation to existing owners. I will not disagree with that.
MILESTONES.
Land Rover Discovery 4, 3.0-litre TDV6 HSE, 5-door/7-seat £47,695.
Engine/transmission: 3.0-litre, V6, twin turbo diesel, 245PS, 600Nm from 2,000rpm, 6-speed auto, all wheel drive.
Performance: 112mph, 0-60 9.0 seconds, 30.4mpg (25.5mpg actual on-road), CO2 244g/km, VED £405, BIK tax 35%.
Insurance group: 13. Towing weight: 500kg braked.
For:
Great image, fine blend of workhorse ability and executive refinement,
supreme off-road, improved on road driving manners, new engine boosts
performance, seven seat accommodation.
Against: Now expensive to buy, still expensive to run. | | © David Miles |
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