Brightest light of this Disco might be under the bonnet
Peter Atkinson |
In the motoring world, this is where the big dogs hang out.
Full-size, seven-seat, luxury SUVs have in recent years become the unofficial kings of the road – and occasionally off-road as well.
Some makers have even installed these high-riding limos as official flagships, including German luxury marque Audi.
The recipe is simple: seven seats, eight cylinders, plus a couple of turbochargers.
Big machines with big engines and big capability, not to mention big price tags to match. All of them posh and refined enough to be driven to the ballet or a polo match, or bashing down a muddy bush track.
They are go-anywhere vehicles in every sense of the word, including performance. Think Mercedes-Benz’s GLE63, BMW’s X7M, Audi’s SQ8.
Add the Land Rover Discovery to that list, with its new P360 R-Dynamic model showing off the company’s rarely-seen athletic side.
Previously the Discovery has, by and large, stayed out of this fast lane, leaving the high-performance stuff to its British alter-egos, the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar’s F-Pace.
But a new engine philosophy has given the Discovery a second wind.
Land Rover’s recent trimming of the Discovery range, which has received a smart face lift in the process, has reduced the choice of engines for this popular model from a handful to just two.
There’s a diesel which, as expected, is brawny and sensible.
The other option is a feisty, twin-turbocharged petrol six-cylinder, which reveals a sporty side few might have expected from the “Disco”. OK, there’s no V8, but its 265kW and 500Nm is more than enough to shunt this big brute along.
It has a substantial road presence, measuring 1888mm in height, 4956mm in length, 2073mm wide with a 2923mm wheelbase. That all boils down to a rather large piece of the finest British engineering (albeit built in Slovakia these days).
It’s no lightweight, tipping the scales at a considerable 2350kg.
Getting all of that to the speed limit in 6.5 seconds is no small task, yet the Discovery manages all this with an average thirst of 9.2L/100km. Remarkable.
As those turbos spool and this fifth-generation Discovery gets up and rolling, it feels a bit like an Airbus A380 – so plush and quiet inside while all thunder seems to break loose outside as those massive engines do their thing.
The Land Rover uses not just one, or even two forms of power, it combines three. As well as the twin turbos, it also uses what the company calls an “E Supercharger” to boost the straight six, then utilises a 48-volt mild hybrid system to help kick things off.
That’s a combination of engine technologies that would do a Formula 1 car proud and it helps deliver impressive throttle control regardless of surface of circumstance.
With electric cars increasingly making their presence felt, it’s clear that even relatively efficient petrol-powered models such as this one will face a limited lifespan. Between emissions laws and the superior performance of those electric motors, there may be no more than a few years to enjoy what a smart device this is.
The Land Rover is big, handsome and formidable, holding its fists up to any big hitter in the SUV world.
Yet it has achieved a level of style, comfort and pure desirability that, not surprisingly, conjure up memories of its siblings from Range Rover and the like.
This turbo-six merely gives it the additional mambo to make it perform like a sports model, not just look like one (although the 22-inch wheels certainly complete an eye-catching package).
And, like its rivals in this segment, it offers up seating for seven lucky individuals who will enjoy the twin sunroofs.
Standard inclusions on the SE R-Dynamic model tested here stretch far and wide.
There are a few extension packs available: cold climate (heated steering wheel and windscreen); hot climate (four-zone climate control, cabin air purification, solar attenuating windscreen); towing pack (all terrain progress control, Response 2 off-road system); and off-road (two-speed transfer case, configurable Terrain Response).
At first glance, at least, it also looks reasonably well priced. From a base of $122,150, the test car added the off-road capability pack ($3970) as well as options including 22-inch diamond turned wheels ($2450); privacy glass ($920), three-way climate control ($920), premium cabin lighting and cabin air purification. That’s suddenly $133,869 of big dog, nudging perilously close to 150 grand after the government gets its slice.
Anyway, if buyers have to ask how much, it’s probably out of reach.
LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 5 P360 SE
* HOW BIG? A full-sized SUV with seven seats and masses of interior space. A dream for families.
* HOW FAST: No V8, but that high-tech six-cylinder engine brings the brawn, and the soundtrack, to please most.
* HOW THIRSTY: The mild-hybrid support and frugal diesel deliver a stunning 9.1L/100km – hard to believe for a beast of this size.
* HOW MUCH: The P360 R-Dynamic SE tested here costs $122,150; optioned up to $133,869 plus on-road costs.
AAP
