Currently reading: Expanded Land Rover Discovery range to feature rugged SUV
New rugged seven-seat SUV, the fourth member of Land Rover's new Discovery family, targets the Toyota Land Cruiser

Land Rover is believed to have started work on a fourth member of its future expanded Land Rover Discovery family, according to Autocar sources.

The new model is a more rugged, conventional SUV targeted at buyers of cars such as Toyota’s Land Cruiser, Autocar understands. It will join a Discovery family that will also include compact five-seat and seven-seat models, which will replace the Freelander, and an upmarket replacement for today’s Discovery 4.

It’s thought that the new Land Cruiser rival will cost between £36,000 and £56,000 in today’s money. It’s expected to be built on an aluminium platform, probably related to the one that underpins the new Jaguar SUV, and will be a seven-seater. However, it isn’t expected to hit the showrooms until 2017.

The new model will put the emphasis on genuine go-anywhere performance and hardcore off-road ability. Land Rover planners have found that the Discovery 4 has gained a great deal of real-world credibility with drivers who make use of its true off-road performance.

The combination of decent reliability, ruggedness and comfort has won back many users to Land Rover who, for many years, had been lost to rival Japanese SUVs. 

The direct replacement for the Discovery 4 will be built on the same all-aluminium platform as the new Range Rover models. It is expected that the Discovery flagship will move markedly upmarket, with the £63,000 list price of the new 25th Anniversary Discovery 4 giving the first clues to position of the new range-topper.

The new Discovery flagship, like the smaller models that will soon replace the Freelander 2, will be aimed at affluent families who aspire to an ‘adventure’ lifestyle.

Land Rover's new family of vehicles will be previewed with the new Discovery Vision concept at the New York motor show later this week.

Read more New York motor show news.

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Safari 8 June 2014

Land Rover - remember your routes!

A rugged Land Rover ??? Oh now let me see is that not the Defender??? Oh no let's not bother with the Defender as it's only used by Farmers and the like and we can't make enough money from them. Let's make it for people who will never take this rugged Land Rover Off Road..... and will also avoid going up the bank down a country road to let you pass and force you into the muddy bank so they don't get their precious car dirty.....
Moparman 14 April 2014

Makes sense really

The Discovery has always been known for its off-road prowess and it would have been foolish for JLR to abandon that. It also makes financial sense if they spin the new Defender off of this platform but on a shrunken wheelbase and make it truly utilitarian. The latter part won't happen I am sure but one can dream.
jonboy4969 12 April 2014

O M G............. four

O M G............. four comments above mine about a JLR product and NOT ONE slating it.... PRAISE BE, go Landie.......