Traditionally, the Land Rover Discovery or the ‘Disco’ has been a singular entity unlike the Range Rover series which spawns multiple models to cater to a wide range of customers. Land Rover had already announced it’s plans of expanding the Discovery range when they showcased the Land Rover Discovery Vision Concept a few months ago and has launched the Discovery Sport which replaces the Freelander 2.
Now, according to reports, the Land Rover Discovery 5 will be launched in 2016 featuring the latest off-road technology along with softer styling.
Design
The styling seen on the Land Rover Discovery 5, inspired by the Land Rover Vision Concept, will be a mix of the current car’s utilitarian design mixed with softer, more flowing design cues from the concept along with design elements borrowed from Range Rover. The new car will retain the stepped roof look but will feature a less square window design and a more aggressive dynamic stance to make it feel more at the home in the urban environment. The car will feature a flexible 7 seat arrangement such that they can be folded to provide a large flat load bay. Structurally, the Land Rover Discovery 5 will be based on the current riveted and bonded aluminium monocoque seen in the new Range Rover and the range Rover Sport.
The interiors on the Land Rover Discovery 5 are expected to be very futuristic complete with a comparatively larger central touchscreen display and a much crisper and clearer laser head-up display (HUD).
New Tech
- Suspension- The suspension will be a derivative the current version which features preset suspension settings for various terrains and could also feature laser assist technology which scans the terrain in front to adjusts suspension and transmission settings on the fly.
- Laser Projectors- In order to enable the driver to get an exact indication of the dimensions of the vehicle the Land Rover Discovery could feature laser light projections on the road to make things easier in tight spaces. The technology could also be utilised to project large indicator symbols on to the road surface to make it easier for other vehicles to determine the car’s intended direction of movement.
- Transparent Bonnet- The Land Rover Discovery 5 could also feature the Transparent Bonnet technology wherein the terrain below the engine is project onto the bonnet of the vehicle to give a better idea of the surface to the driver.
- Remote Drive- The vehicle will have the ability of parking itself after the occupants have exited the vehicle. Useful in tight spaces where opening the doors might be very difficult.
Engine
The Land Rover Discovery 5 will make use of a hybrid system based on the new 2.0-litre Ingenium engine coupled with an electric motor mated to an 8 speed automatic transmission. The electric motor could come in handy off-road where it can meter torque precisely in order to prevent wheel slippage.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.
