Frankfurt 2017: Land Rover Unveils Discovery With SVX Off-Roading Badge

Land Rover has announced new additions to its Discovery range at 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show with the unveiling of Discovery SVX and a new 2.0-litre petrol engine option to its S, SE, HSE and HSE Luxury models. The production preview of ultimate all-terrain Discovery will debut today and is the first Land Rover to bear the 'SVX' moniker. The Discovery SVX comes with a 517 bhp, 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 petrol powertrain and sits alongside the SVR and SVAutobiography lines which are hallmarks for on-road performance and luxury respectively. With the SVX trim, the company adds a new arm to its Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) portfolio.

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Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover UK said, "The new Discovery SVX embodies the ultimate in adventure and capability of the Discovery family. Customers love the Discovery's versatility and capability and we are delighted to offer UK customers even more choice with the addition of the Si4 300hp engine."

(Land Rover Discovery SVX)

John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director, said, "SVO designers and engineers are embedded within the Land Rover team and have unleashed their own passion for adventure to create another truly desirable and versatile vehicle in the Land Rover line-up."

Offered with Jaguar Land Rover's 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 petrol powertrain, tuned to deliver 525PS peak power and 625Nm torque, the Discovery SVX has a number of functional suspension modifications to enhance driver confidence when tackling the toughest terrain. A model-first for Discovery on SVX is Hydraulic Active Roll Control (H-ARC) system, which gives increased wheel articulation and improved body control, enhancing extreme off-road traction while also reducing body roll for smooth and sure-footed on-road driving.

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SVX features improved approach, departure and break over angles, achieved by raising both the lightweight aluminum monocoque architecture and the four-corner air suspension system, employing long-travel dampers and revised knuckles, and fitting larger 815mm diameter 275/55 R20 Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres on forged aluminum alloy wheels. The tyres' increased side-wall height reduces contact pressure and improves performance on soft surfaces. Combined with a more aggressive tread pattern, this improves grip in muddy conditions.

(Land Rover Discovery SVX)

Discovery SVX is also equipped with active centre and electronic rear locking differentials and incorporates traction control to maximize grip on all surfaces. Complementing these hardware upgrades are software calibrations for the eight-speed Automatic Transmission with twin-speed transfer box, and Discovery's dynamics systems including optimized Terrain Response 2, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Adaptive Dynamics, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) and variable ratio Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS). Discovery SVX also features a model-first Pistol Shifter in place of the Drive select rotary shifter to offer the driver optimum control of gear selection in off-road maneuvers.

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In addition, the Discovery SVX gains new technologies including a 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display TFT (Thin Film Transistor) instrument cluster, standard on HSE and HSE Luxury models. The state-of-the-art high-resolution panel provides contemporary graphics that create the impression of 3D surfaces with exceptional clarity and allow the driver to personalize the visual display. All derivatives of the latest Discovery also feature Touch Pro infotainment with Jaguar Land Rover's 10-inch touchscreen interface on the centre console. Digital connectivity is enhanced with the introduction of 4G Wi-Fi on SE derivatives and above, providing superior connection speeds for up to eight mobile devices on the move.

Optional second-generation head-up display technology also provides a full-colour display and wider functionality, even projecting 4x4 information and improved navigation displays onto the windscreen ahead of the driver, while optional Cabin Air Ionisation is available on Discovery for the first time, delivering improved interior air quality for enhanced passenger wellbeing.