Land Rover Discovery 4 (2010): first official photos

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

08 April 2009 00:01

Land Rover is today unveiling a family of gently chiselled full-size 4x4s – think of it as Solihull’s answer to the changing zeitgeist and the next step in Land Rover’s greening of its range. The new Discovery gains a clean new diesel and can now claim a 30mpg average; there’s also a new interior and an exterior facelift – enough to warrant a new Discovery 4 badge.

The big news under the bonnet of Discovery 4 is the arrival of the new Jaguar Land Rover 3.0-litre V6 diesel. It’s an evolution of the current 2.7 TDV6 (which continues for base-end versions) and is equipped with the very latest in common-rail technology and a particulate filter to trim emissions to 244g/km, meet EU5 exhuast limits not due in until 2011, and hit an average of 30.4mpg.

True, but the Discovery 4 gobbles around 10% less fuel than before; remember these 4x4 behemoths weigh in at a sturdy 2.7 tonnes or so. That kerbweight hasn’t really been addressed in this facelift – lighter weight Land Rovers won’t arrive until the next generation of all-new models arrive in the next decade, utilising lighter weight construction methods.

Only the two turbodiesels will be sold in the UK, although overseas markets will be offered the new naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8. The 3.0 TDV6 offers an impressive range of talents, with 29% more power (242bhp) and 36% more torque (443lb ft) than the breathless 2.7. That’ll be why it chops a quarter off its 0-60mph time, now achieved in 9.0sec.

By Tim Pollard