Currently reading: Land Rover Discovery Vision concept - exclusive studio pictures
We talk to the man behind Jaguar Land Rover's new Discovery Vision concept car to find out how closely it previews the firm's new range of Discovery-badged SUVs

Land Rover's Discovery Vision concept is packed full of new technology and futuristic styling. Revealed at the Beijing motor show earlier this year, the concept points the way forward for the firm's new expanded Land Rover Discovery family. 

Richard Wooley is design studio director for Land Rover. He answers our questions about the concept.

How close a look at the new Land Rover Discovery is this concept?

It’s us putting stuff out there. It’s getting reactions to a future Discovery and moving it forward. It doesn’t represent anything in particular. There’s a clear understanding of what it’s meant to be; it’s a visionary concept looking at design and technology.

What makes this concept a Discovery?

Above all it has great proportions, something that’s not just a Discovery trait but one true of all Land Rovers. It sounds easy to do, but it’s not on such differently sized cars with their own unique design and engineering pressures. This has the Land Rover ethos of a less is more, a pared back approach.

Why the radical departure from the Discovery 4?

Land Rover has a history of innovation. Most people forget that when we launched Discovery 3, it was a radical when compared to Discovery 2. Discovery models don’t tend to do the same things and innovate each time. This concept carries that ethos on. 

What has the approach been inside? 

There’s a revolutionary feel inside where we’ve cleaned up and given a sense of calm, something that compares to the visual noise in other cars. Land Rovers have a unique feel inside and you should get in, relax and understand the type of environment you’re in immediately. There are new ideas in the concept that challenges us, and this will feed back into the future design process. 

What are the differences between Range Rover and Discovery buyers?

A Range Rover customer buys the car as a more personal choice. A Discovery buyer buys the car with others in mind. Discovery models have versatile, social spaces. Range Rovers are more personal and spacious. 

What can the Discovery range learn from the Range Rover range as it prepares to grow?

The Range Rover family models are all individual but all share common themes. There’s not a ‘cookie cutter’ approach to our models. It’s more like a tool box; in a tool box there are different tools for different jobs and in a car sense this can be reflected in size, interiors, technology, design. We offer what’s appropriate. 

What do you make of the comparisons between the concept and the Range Rover?

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I’ve analysed this myself and see the differences rather than the similarities. If you analyse, they are different. People see a more sophisticated vehicle with this concept and that’s where the comparisons to Range Rover are made. There are very clear design themes that adhere to all Land Rovers – you get great proportions then pare back, clean up surfaces, and add precision. 

What have you made of the reaction to the concept?

The concept breaks new ground and that can be difficult to explain. You have to give time to the concept and people to reflect. It’s easy to make a snap judgement. Peoples’ opinions can shift and I’m looking forward to hearing more feedback. 

What technology can we expect from this on future models?

We’ll apply the technology across products in an appropriate way. Customers of our products have different requirements, and we will always put our technology on the most appropriate products.

See more pictures and read Autocar's history of the Land Rover Discovery.

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Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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dipdaddy 27 May 2014

i have to agree with ski kid.

i have to agree with ski kid. the evoque is good looking but the theme shouldn't be applied across the range because of the popularity of the design. i always associated the discovery with chunky looks and previous models looked butch, rough and very well proportioned with a minimalist design. this although its a concept has empty features on the rear and front. its too evoque looking.
jonboy4969 26 May 2014

Lovely car, great design and

Lovely car, great design and is just about perfect, everything lines up, regardless of what anyone says, (U need to go to Specsavers) all the people the whine on about its not a Land Rover - WHATEVER

You lot were the same whiners that complained about the original Disco, and Freelander, so I take little notice of anything you say.

As for the design, EVERY car manufacture has to abide by new laws and regulations, which require certain heights, slants and so on, so its not going to be svelte, and anyway, its a better shape than the LR4 currently is, so stop whining and just enjoy a great looking British car.

foot of our stairs 26 May 2014

Don't like the rear

I don't like the treatment of the C pillar move to the D pillar position and it looks better, it's been used before by Saab amongst others and never works styling wise, This actually makes the DC100 concept attractive and I hated that !

I suppose it's clear these are no longer off road vehicles in any real sense, other than a short excursion to look credible curtesy of some fancy but inexpensive electronics, If it will sell in China, Mid East etc then that's where LR have to aim and good luck to them. it's more important to sell loads of cars than pander to the the bearded purists like me. I see this as an over weight people carrier for the Tarmac not a LandRover