Land Rover Discovery 5 (LR5?) in the wild

[Angry_Man]

Years ago, after the Ford sale to Tata Land Rover was explicitly clear about their intentions. The first step was to increase sales and diversify with three distinct product lines:

1) Range Rover line - luxury abound, city driving, etc. - brought us the Evoque, RR, and RRS.
2) Discovery line - affordable unibody family SUVs - brought us the Sport and soon the Discovery 5/LR5
3) Defender line - Off road capable heritage based Land Rovers.

This is a company that has been bought and sold as many times as Chrysler in recent years, with Tata ownership letting them and Jaguar do what's smart and right for the brand. They need to sell cars and stay solvent to have capital for off road development and modern niche market vehicles. They've done exceptionally well, are selling more than ever with the expanded product lines, and have already announced that there will be hard core off road versions coming under their SVR label.

 

[Victory_Overland]

Yeah...if you can stomach being a 'jeep person'.

It's not that the Wrangler isn't a great off-road platform. It is. Heck, a JK can be built much more easily and can wheel circles around any late-model Rover. But the Jeep crowd can be a little, mmmm.....let's just say different than the typical Rover crowd.

It's sort of like Harleys. I ride a Triumph because I like to be different and it's a great bike (Speed Triple currently). Every once in a while I get the idea that I could go for a laid back 'go slow/smell the roses' sort of cruiser and a Road King or similar HD is actually a great way to do that. But then you have to deal with being seen as a Harley rider, and that's not an image I'm good with. Even though there are all sorts riding Harleys, just like there are all sorts wheeling Jeeps, both have a certain stereotype that doesn't work for me.




I think I've offended my quota for the month with that comment so I'll just back off now.

I think of the same thing every time I wheelie my Harley past a Triumph rider sipping his latte at the Starbucks on Sunday! :wings:

 

[atlantaM3]

Yeah...if you can stomach being a 'jeep person'.

It's not that the Wrangler isn't a great off-road platform. It is. Heck, a JK can be built much more easily and can wheel circles around any late-model Rover. But the Jeep crowd can be a little, mmmm.....let's just say different than the typical Rover crowd.

It's sort of like Harleys. I ride a Triumph because I like to be different and it's a great bike (Speed Triple currently). Every once in a while I get the idea that I could go for a laid back 'go slow/smell the roses' sort of cruiser and a Road King or similar HD is actually a great way to do that. But then you have to deal with being seen as a Harley rider, and that's not an image I'm good with. Even though there are all sorts riding Harleys, just like there are all sorts wheeling Jeeps, both have a certain stereotype that doesn't work for me.




I think I've offended my quota for the month with that comment so I'll just back off now.

This is spot on for me. Actually a primary reason I ended up with a Concour14 vs a road glide....well, that and all the sparks from corners...

In my experience, both crowds are very exclusive, and not open to a difference of views.

 

[Victory_Overland]

This is spot on for me. Actually a primary reason I ended up with a Concour14 vs a road glide....well, that and all the sparks from corners...

In my experience, both crowds are very exclusive, and not open to a difference of views.

I like to think its all in good fun. I vote for anything two wheels and if we really didn't have anything in common, we wouldn't be on this forum together. Rover on and Ride forever!

 

[paroxysym]

Looks like the new Ford Explorer...

was about to say the same thing

 

[Derel1cte]

was about to say the same thing

I really can't get past the way the clam-shell hood flows into the mirrors and then stops abruptly. A Discovery with a rake is no Discovery.

I think the new explorer is better looking.

 

[ProvinceOverland]

There are 3 things I don't get about Land Rover right now
1. I know they want to make money but , what's making money right now ? A lot of companies
Have gone back to reto lines for there car think Mustang and Challanger , why doesn't the Dico 5 represent
The lines of the D1's and D2's ?

2. If they are going to make "off-road" vehicles why only under the SVR brand which is a or built by the special vehicles division.
So what now we have to pay extra for a " off-road " vehicle what happened to the stock 4x4 that was "off-road capable " .

3. Performance Division ? Chevy and Ford have great performance divisions , I'm talking about Crate engine options , transmissions andother performance related products yet Land Rover doesn't offer much in that direction why ? I don't get it .

 

[99Discovery]

All previous comments aside, even IF this LR5 has high cargo-capability and a locker-equipped HD drivetrain, the curves on that front bumper pretty much make it cost prohibitive for a custom winch bumper to look good and be affordably priced.

Just by a couple of spy photos, it's safe to say the overlanded Discovery days are over. Which is a shame since so many have gone to great lengths to "show" how the D4 can be overlanded, despite ridiculous mods needed just to mount off-road rubber.

Many on here and some journalists have claimed over and over that the "Defender line is what our historical customer will want." But I'm not buying it. For one, the Defender hasn't been in the states since the mid 90s, the only concept we've seen is the DC100, which is junk, and I don't think Land Rover has mounted a 16" rim since the last D2 rolled off the line. Their version of "off road" is being able to traverse a pot-hole on a paved road in the rain.

Meanwhile, Jeep is selling a hundred thousand JKs a year because there is 0 competition, especially in the states.

 

[Derel1cte]

Meanwhile, Jeep is selling a hundred thousand JKs a year because there is 0 competition, especially in the states.

Agreed. Jeep just needs to build the 'Africa' Concept and it will all be over.

 

[lwg]

That is a pretty cool Jeep. Every time I think about getting a Jeep I just hop on over to EJS in Moab and am reminded of why I don't like them. Just not unique enough for me...


Sent from my Toaster

 

[Raylan Givens]

It will be revealed on the 28th

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-xpVS08WGs

 

[harbinger808]

the way that front is designed, i'll barely be able to see over the hood. thats why i love my lr4 now, i can see all of the road in front of me.

 

[Victory_Overland]

I actually don't know what LR is thinking not having an affordable, work-mans replacement of the Defender. They priced themselves out of the Defender and technology drove themselves out of the military market without a replacement.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist and $60k price tag to make a crash worthy, globally distributed, utility beast like the Defender and Discos once were. I remember leaving Afghanistan and this overseas contract company had no less than 200 Defenders chilling in their lot at a whopping price tag of about $15k per brand new. No better wagon for the all around Joe. Of course that was government buy for a bare bones TD but the performance and reliability were exactly what was needed.

Toyota still makes an affordable utility wagon and so does Mercedes. Anyone think there will be a utility/commercial anything coming from LR or are we stuck with 20" wheels and minimum $75k price tag forever?

Military variant G-wagons are replacing Defenders all over the world at a smooth price tag of $150k+ per copy.......why? According to my Aussie service buds, because LR doesnt have a replacement platform. I'm actually surprised Oz didn't go the Toyota route but I don't think Toyota has a mil variant. Not the point.

I really think LR is missing the mark by not keeping the blue collar and military option available to those who made them big in the first place.

Off my soapbox

 

[LR Max]

LR has lost out to the cheap Asian truck market. Also military and government contracts suck. Fight tooth and nail for barely any margin.

Much more $$$ in selling expensive, high margin luxury SUVs.

Better to sell one vehicle at $130k than 5 at $15k. Less work, more margin. More money.

I'd like to sit in one. See what all the excitement is.

 

[99Discovery]

I highly doubt the "heritage" Defender is coming. I don't think there is an engineer within the brand that understands off-roading/overlanding at all. Why? Every vehicle released from Tata's Rover has been the same:

The Disco Sport is an enlarged Evoque. The LR5 is an enlarge RRS. The newest full-size Rangie is an interesting platform, but the round lines mean any aftermarket part will be more scare than those for the L322 and the cost is incredibly prohibitive.

And all of a sudden we are supposed to have faith that Land Rover is going to build a solid-axled rig with selectable lockers, coil springs and 16" or less rims?

I've already started to wane my excitement for the brand. When the liner slips on my D2, it will probably be a toss-up between a JKU and a 4Runner. I'd love a G-Wagon, but maintenance costs scare me. Maybe I can find a decent V8 LR4?

I guess I'll be going mainstream next... .