With the apparent success of the Discovery 1 for the 10 years of its life starting in 1989, the Rover Group continued the product marque with what it said were 720 new innovation differences that would define its Land Rover Discovery 2 line.
It was introduced in the autumn of 1998 in Europe and a year later in the US. From a distance, once really can’t distinguish between the two. But that was superficial. A closer look and the difference in the interior and exterior body parts become obvious to improve its looks though compromising its utilitarian qualities.
Enhanced Discovery 1
Every body part on the Discovery II had been reworked as a 5-door SUV with the rear section extended to improve loading space than what the first Discovery had. But this caused unnecessary overhang that adversely reduced its all-terrain performance.
Its diesel engine was streamlined with the Defender engine to use the same 2.5 litter Td5 direct injection inline 5-cylinder. It got better torque at lower revolutions than its Tdi predecessor. People mistook the Td5 to be a BMW engine but it was a Rover L-series engine used in the marque’s passenger cars developed by Rover itself.
The 4.0 liter V8 engine used in the previous Discovery models was likewise updated with a revised intake system that didn’t provide any improved power. But it was fitted with electronics to better manage its hydraulic anti-roll bar system using ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement). In addition, self-leveling air springs were fitted in 7-seater models.
In 2001, after BMW sold the Rover Group to the Ford Motor company a year earlier, the Discovery II marque continued to get enhanced. The gear train with the locking differential was removed as its traction control and a newly designed Hill Descent Control made it redundant. But because its removal did not provide the same level of smoothness and control, the 2004 models saw its reinstatement as an optional features buyer can have for an added cost, though it comes standard in the top end HSE and SE models.
Special Models
A few Discovery II special edition vehicles came out based on the 5-door body variant with the windows made opaque to impart a van-like look. The last improvements over its 5-year lifespan were hardly substantial and were more cosmetic both inside and out.
The Discovery II’s final production run in 2004 saw only two new facelifted models coming out in the UK market using the base model “Pursuit” and the high end “Landmark” models that offered genuine leather seats, twin sunroofs, ACE, heated windscreens and six-disc CD changers.
In addition, they now sport rear self-leveling suspension systems as standard features. The last revision came with the added interior climate control, roof bars, alloy wheels and a marine ply board with rubber mat in the rear loadspace as standard specs. The last Land Rover Discovery II left the production line in late May 2004, giving room for the more advanced Discovery III for Europe or LR3 in the US markets.
The weather in the United Kingdom just lately has been absolutely horrendous with temperatures dropping as low as minus twenty in certain areas. Because of this there has actually been a need for 4×4 vehicles like the Land Rover Range Rover.
People who own these large lumbering 4×4 vehicles have long been accused by environmentalist that there is little to no need for these excessively big automobiles. But try explaining that to the people who got stuck on the M62 at the beginning of January. The Range Rover has been the king of the off road vehicles for a long time and with good reason. The car has everything that you would need to survive in difficult and trying conditions and the new version for 2010 has a host of Land Rover accessories to make owning one even more appealing.
One of the key Land Rover accessories that you can buy for your new vehicle in 2010 is the side steps, yes that’s right it doesn’t come as standard. If you want to have a little step that you can step up on to it will cost you extra. Likewise if you want to update the standard wheels on your Range Rover then you will have to splash out some more cash on one of the many Land Rover accessories.
If you want to use the car for something practical like towing or carrying then you will need to get the extra Range Rover carry package install on your vehicle available through the Land Rover accessories available for 2010. This is often the part of purchasing a new car that frustrates and angers most clients. It is almost like your car is a Ryanair ticket. You start out with a set price and then slowly but surely increase the budget with each of the Land Rover accessories that you add on to your prized possession.
One more thing you might want to purchase out of the Land Rover accessories package is the Lamp guards, it should help to keep some of the smaller stones away from chipping the lights. However, when you have added all those accessories onto your vehicle you are looking at a sizeable investment. Then Gordon Brown will come along and charge you an extortionate amount of money for car tax and you might be starting to look at reasons to justify why you need this monster of a vehicle. Well if that thought does pop into your head, consider what type of driving you do and make an educated decision, but if you end up buying a Citroen Saxo and get stuck on a Motorway in the next snow shower, don’t blame me.
Covering the broadest possible market segments with various products lines has always been the marketing strategy of automobile makers unless you are just targeting a certain niche like the upscale sports dominated by Ferrari or the luxury upscale limousines like the Rolls.
Among SUVs, you have a number of Japanese, American and European makes competing for world markets. The Land Rover has been a traditional brand that had its roots in 1948 and has been the most recognized brand as a multi-purpose all-weather all terrain utility vehicle. Its presence is everywhere, from the military forces in many countries, to expeditionary land transport as well as in the more mundane agriculture and industrial settings.
It wasn’t until the late 80s and early 90s that the phenomenon of SUVs took hold on the Land Rover to start marketing a more updated series of vehicles that are at once all-terrain all-wheel drive sporty with the creature comforts associated with urban driving on city roads. With that, the Rover Group Plc introduced the Land Rover Discovery 1 – the first in a series that redefined the Land Rover as an SUV for th90s and beyond
A Cheaper Range Rover by Design
The Discovery was born from a vehicle project code-named “Project Jay” with the specific objective of coming out with a new Land Rover model based on the chassis and drivetrain of the upscale Range Rover but at a lower price point to attract a larger budget conscious market and to keep the Japanese SUVs at bay. First unveiled in the UK markets in 1989 as a 3-door model with the larger 5-door variant appearing the following year, the Discovery also came out in the Japanese markets as the Honda Crossroad between 1989 and 1999 resulting from the technical partnership with Honda Motors. The partnership ended when BMW buying the Rover Group in 1994.
A 3rd party design consultant ware hired – the Conran Design Group in London, to help the Rover team design a more suitable interior for an all-terrain 4×4 to be positioned more as a cheaper lifestyle alternative to Range Rover. It ended with some remarkable designs that in 1999 won a British Design Award for its custom sunglass holder that’s uniquely positioned at the center of the steering wheel.
Most of its interior specs had been holdovers from a Range Rover design mock-up. Its interior structure is basically that of a Range Rover with various functional design elements like its switchgear and instrument panel taken from the Montego and Maestro Rover series. Its exterior also borrowed design elements like the headlamps from the Freight Rover and the taillights from its Maestro van.
Behind the hood, the Discovery 1 was offered with either a 2.5 liter Tdi diesel or the 3.5 liter V8 engines. In 1994 it was introduced in the US modified to comply with the strict US motor vehicle requirements. Improvements were further added like Bosch electronic emissions control, a more comfortable ride, a stronger R380 gearbox, larger headlights and a second set of lights on the rear bumper.
Other improvements were done to comply with newer European road safety standards. In 1995 a more powerful 3.9 litter V8 from the Range Rover SE model was used. Its 1996 models and onwards were fitted with 4.0L engines had a few improvements that included a larger, cross-bolted main bearings, revised intake, pistons and a new distributorless engine management system called GEMS. 1998 saw the end of the Land Rover Discovery 1 life cycle to be replaced by the Discovery 2.
Do you want to know more about Land Rover? This prestigious brand has been around since 1978 when it was founded as a subsidiary company of British Leyland. British Leyland was established in 1968 and became partly nationalised in 1975. The growing name of their new subsidiary meant that they changed their name officially to the Rover Group in 1986. Originally, Land Rover began as a model of car rather than as an entire brand, but the name became synonymous with the overall company. It began as a product range of four-wheel drive vehicles which could be driven on all terrains. They became a hit with farmers and those who lived in rural areas, where the giant wheels and resilient handling meant that they could make their way out of even the deepest mud puddles.
First designed in 1948, the car was inspired by the army vehicles of the Second World War, particularly the American Jeeps that would carry military personnel across rugged terrains in mud and snow. The first prototype was made and nicknamed ‘Centre Steer’ with a lightweight rustproof body. Their cars have been known to withstand the test of time and are renowned for their resilience with the company once boasting that nearly three quarters of their vehicles were still in usable condition. They launched Series I at the Amsterdam Motor Show and Series II was launched ten years later in 1958. Series III hit the showrooms in 1971 with the introduction of the Discovery model in 1989. Their most recent introductions have been the Range Rover Sport and the use of Jaguar engines in new models.
Second only to the Jeep brand, Land Rover leasing and buying is still as popular as ever with city and country drivers alike. It is one of the most popular and trusted brands of four by four cars available on the UK market today.