Motoring: Paris Motor Show special

MUCH more than a stop-gap, the Land Rover Discovery is arguably JLR’s most important global product.

A full-sized, three-row, seven-seat SUV with full off-road capabilities, solid comfort levels and all round connectivity, the vehicle is all things to all people.

At a basic on-the-road price of £43,495 it isn’t the cheapest 4×4 on the market but it does offer an all-round package for the buyer looking for a prestige vehicle but who is not yet capable of attaining the heights of the Range Rover.

JLR has been very savvy in its marketing of the vehicle and by launching the flagship Sport variant ahead of the basic product – the reverse of what it did with the Range Rover – the company has already generated a strong ‘buzz’ surrounding the new vehicle.

Manufactured at Halewood and based on the same platform as the popular Evoque, the Discovery Sport has been a world-wide best-seller since its launch last year and with a whole family of models now to choose from, there is no reason why that appeal won’t escalate.

JLR bosses are known to have high hopes for the vehicle and by this time next year it could be the firm’s highest profile vehicle. The company is even identifying the vehicle as a possible fleet favourite.

Backed by a high-profile, star-studded launch, the new vehicle is the star of the firm’s stand at this year’s Paris Motor Show.

The fifth-generation model has been engineered to be much lighter than the outgoing model, thanks largely due to its use of lightweight materials. It is also narrower but longer than the model it replaces, giving the impression of better cabin space.

The interior of the 2016 DiscoveryThe stadium seating configuration sees each row of seats positioned higher than the one in front to give better visibility. The stepped roofline – a trademark for the vehicle during its 27-year lifecycle – also offers greater head room for passengers.

The saving of around 400kg over the old model will have a drastic impact on performance in a strategy that has already paid dividends for the Range Rover and Range Sport.

Jeremy Hicks, JLR’s UK managing director, said: “Demand for Discovery has always been strong in our home market; the new Discovery will build on this, offering customers the most complete all-round SUV package available anywhere today. The new vehicle takes absolutely everything that is great about Discovery from its design, its versatility, its go anywhere, do anything credentials and builds on them to make it better in every way.
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“Our retailers have been really excited to start talking about it; customer interest has exceeded all expectations already with a strong mix of new customers interested in the brand. With the addition of the (Wolverhampton-built) Ingenium 2.0 litre engine, we’re also looking forward to talking to more fleet and business users across the country.”

To mark the vehicle’s UK launch there will be a limited-run ‘First Edition’ model showcasing everything the brand has to offer. Only 600 examples will be available with exclusive features including unique etched map detailing on the aluminium trim for the doors and facia, unique badges, bold colour choices and a comprehensive list of standard equipment.  

An optional Dynamic Design Pack is intended to give the new Discovery a more purposeful, stealth-like appearance both inside and out, with features including a contrast roof, athletic front and rear bumper designs, luxurious leather upholstery and a sports-inspired steering wheel and pedals.

The new vehicle also offers world-first Intelligent Seat Fold technology, allowing passengers to reconfigure the second- and third-row seats with minimal effort using controls at the rear of the vehicle, the central touchscreen and even remotely via a smartphone app as part of the InControl Touch Pro Services.

JLR has put a lot of thought into who will be buying the vehicle and the feature will allow owners to rearrange the seats from inside a shop while they queue to pay for large or bulky items, ensuring the vehicle is perfectly configured to accommodate their purchases when they come out.

Access to the vehicle has also been made easier through the use of Auto Access Height technology, which reduces the ride-height by up to 40mm as passengers prepare to enter or exit the vehicle.

As with other new JLR vehicles, the Discovery features the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system. The intuitive set-up features a large 10-inch touchscreen positioned high on the centre console. This has enabled Land Rover’s designers to reduce the number of switches on the centre console by a third, delivering a clean and uncluttered appearance.

The vehicle goes on sale in the spring with a pricing structure as follows:

Discovery S                            £43,495 OTR
Discovery SE                          £49,495 OTR
Discovery HSE                       £56,995 OTR
Discovery HSE Luxury           £62,695 OTR
Discovery First Edition            £68,295 OTR (Limited to 600 in the UK)

Mercedes AMG GT RoadsterMercedes is out to turn heads at the Paris event with the launch of its stunning AMG GT Roadster.

The open-top two-seater is being made available in two versions from market launch in February.

The base model – if such an epithet can be used – will be the 476hp, 4.0-litre V8 biturbo.

This rises to the even more dynamic and visually distinct AMG GT C Roadster, which steps up the horse power to 557, along with a range of exclusive equipment.

Developed entirely in-house by the AMG team, the car marks an expansion of the successful GT family.

Using the world-famous Piscine Molitor swimming pool as a backdrop, Mercedes also offered a sneak peak of its new GLC 43 4MATIC Coupé.

With the dual debut of the two roadsters, Mercedes-AMG is following hot on the heels of the world premiere of the AMG GT R. The top-of-the-range coupé was unveiled in the UK at the end of June.

Together with the AMG GT, AMG GT S Coupés and the AMG GT3 race car, the GT family now boasts six members.

“With an output of 557 hp and maximum torque of 680 Nm, the AMG GT C Roadster is positioned between the AMG GT S and AMG GT R. Its AMG GT R genes are instantly recognisable – from the Panamericana grille to the powerful rear end. This roadster offers both – power cruising at its best and driving performance at the highest level,” said Tobias Moers, CEO of Mercedes-AMG.

Less anyone thinks the cars will struggle to find buyers, Mercedes-AMG sold almost 70,000 cars in 2015, more than doubling its sales in the space of just two years.

BMW Concept X2BMW has chosen the Paris Motor Show to present its Concept X2, an all-wheel-drive compact coupe.

“The BMW Concept X2 is a vehicle for active people looking for a combination of enjoyment and practicality,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President, BMW Group Design. “The concept displays a new and exciting facet of the BMW brand within the compact segment.”

Also making its debut is the new 3 Series Gran Turismo.

The car is said to combine the elegance of a coupe with the spaciousness and load capacity of an estate.

It has been developed to complement the growing mid-size sector and the group is targeting the vehicle at markets primarily in China, Germany and the United States, where the majority of 3 Series Gran Turismo customers are new to the BMW brand.

The new version of the Gran Turismo is intended to cut a visibly sportier figure, and the three petrol and five diesel engines in the range are said to offer higher output combined with lower fuel consumption.

All of the petrol engines and the four- cylinder diesel in the BMW 325d are making their debuts with the launch of the new model. Inside, the car features the new user interface for the Navigation system Professional (taken from BMW’s luxury-class cars) and promised improved smartphone connectivity.

German rival Audi is using the show to highlight its new Q5 mid-size SUV.

The new model is a ground-up rework bringing with it an enhanced focus on connectivity, driver assistance, aeroacoustics and driving dynamics.

The company believes the vehicle will set new standards in its segment and sees Audi step up its game in a sector it has traditionally proved to be very strong.

The new Audi Q5Audi chairman Rupert Stadler said: “The first Audi Q5 was for many years the world’s best-selling SUV in its class. It was no easy task to design its successor, but that is precisely why it is so very exciting.

“With the new Q5 we are setting the bar a notch higher. Among the great innovations are the quattro drive system with ultra-technology, highly efficient engines, the air suspension with damper control and a comprehensive line-up of infotainment and assistance systems.”

In keeping with new-generation models, the latest Q5 is around 90kg lighter than the outgoing model but is still larger. The lightweight manufacture means the on-road handling of the car should be improved, along with running costs.

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