With its third Discovery, Land Rover lays strong claim to the suburban heart, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor.
All the wannabe entrants to the SUV market must gall the likes of Land Rover, which specialised in its off-roaders since inception. While it has retained the loyalty of those who actually get down and dirty, it's clearly lost sales with the suburban set, who idealise the country image but demand luxury saloon standards inside their behemoths.
Land Rover catered for these hothouse creatures, but at a price: its Range Rover combined the off-road ability of its most utilitarian sibling, the rough and ready Defender, yet the plush cabin of a regular luxury saloon. It has paid off, with Range Rover sales now exceeding those of similarly prices cars from BMW or Mercedes.
But there was a problem with the Land Rover line-up: the gap between the Range Rover and the mid-range Discovery quickly became a gaping chasm as the likes of BMW's X5, Volvo's XC90 and the Lexus RX300 to name but three, built up the niche between practical off-roading and luxury SUVs. Unfortunately for the stalwart of off-roading, the Discovery was on the wrong side of the divide. Its interior, for want of a better example, was too Tonka Toy-like for the suited SUV owners.
That has all changed with the Disco 3 as it is being called. Land Rover has dramatically closed the gap with Range Rover by creating a vehicle that has all the road presence and striking look of its more expensive sibling, an interior that's dramatically improved - including the option of seven-seats - and an overall finish on a par with the more premium products on the market. All this is combined with an updated off-road capability that would leave many of its competitors sinking in the mire.
It's that Jekyll-and-Hyde approach to the SUV market which many strive to achieve. Aside from the seven seats - standard on the S+ version and, according to John Paul Mooney, marketing manager of Land Rover Ireland, likely to be by far the best-selling version - Land Rover has simplified the gadgetry that allows it to perform so well on the soft and soggy stuff.
SUV owners these days are likely to have spent more time in a golf cart than anything approaching an agricultural vehicle.
So when they do roll up in their big off-roader, one sure-fire way to wipe the smug grin off their face is to enquire about that second little gear-lever and the low gear ratio settings.
For most it's a no-go area, like tampering with grandad's pacemaker. It's handy for hanging an air freshener on but should, under pain of death, never be touched for fear of sending all four wheels in different directions and shooting the passenger through the roof.
Despite the fact that this technology is the raison d'être of these vehicles, for modern-day customers it's an unwritten rule that nobody touches that sacred lever.
Land Rover has overcome this fear by replacing it with a simple rotating switch, by which you can set the suspension at five different modes, clearly explained both on the dial and also on the dash computer.
The grass setting is for, well, when you're driving on grass. The sand is for when you're on sand and . . . well, even the most urban warrior can grasp the idea. Height can also be adjusted for off-roading and the entire ensemble of technology comes together to make off-roading child's play.
We road tested both engine variants - the 2.7-litre diesel and the 4.4-litre petrol. Both originate in fellow Ford brand, Jaguar, and both pull this two-tonne giant along at an impressive pace.
Land Rover has clearly spent a lot on sound proofing and there's an eerie silence in the cabin even when the diesel is in full roar. It all adds to the great leap of quality over its predecessor.
Standard equipment levels are also quite high, proving yet again that a little competition in the marketplace forces car firms to be more generous.
Prices start at €55,700 for the five-seater S version, but the big seller will be the S+, with seven seats and the air suspension at €59,600. Top of the range is the HSE V8 petrol at €84,500.
Finally, for the commercial buyers, Land Rover is not removing the rear windows, but merely inserting a black aluminium screen behind the rear windows.
The end result looks like a regular Discovery with dark tinted glass. Prices for this start at €38,000.
Land Rover plans hybrid engine after 4x4 backlash
Land Rover is to try to head off the growing criticism of gas-guzzling 4x4s by starting work on hybrid petrol-electric engines, writes James Mackintosh.
The development work comes as carmakers are growing increasingly concerned about a backlash against sports utility vehicles, leading to higher taxes or city-centre bans.
The level of concern was underlined last week when senior officials from many British carmakers were briefed by an American off-roader lobby group on what could be done to counter negative views.
Ron Defore, the communications director for SUV Owners of America, said: "Our presence at the meeting was to share with (car-makers) what our organisation has been able to do over the last two years: to balance a lot of the media coverage."
Land Rover engineers are discussing use of hybrid systems with parent Ford Motor, which introduced the world's first hybrid SUV in the US this year.
The hybrid uses a battery, charged by braking or when the engine is running at high efficiency, to increase mileage per gallon.
The work on hybrid engines comes as attacks on SUVs by governments and pressure groups are increasing sharply. London, Paris, Italy and Sweden have all threatened to ban or tax the vehicles, although no action has yet been taken.
SUVs are some of the most profitable cars on the road and one of the few types whose sales are increasing.
Toyota, the Japanese car-maker, which is leading the adoption of hybrid cars with its Prius, plans to introduce Europe's first hybrid SUV under its luxury Lexus badge next year, partly to boost the 4x4's image. Takis Athanasopoulos, head of the company's European operations, said: "Toyota is trying to offer back to the customer the right to have a passion for a vehicle without feeling guilty that he is contributing in a negative way to the environment."
British executives who attended the meeting with US lobbyists said it was unlikely the American approach - which includes denying any pollution problems - would be adopted in Britain, as it could further alienate consumers.
Joe Greenwell, Land Rover chairman and chief executive, said: "We look at all the criticisms with care. We want to address some of the misconceptions but we also see that it is a requirement for us to look at alternative power systems."
He said there was "a dialogue going on" with Ford about using group hybrid technology, which Japanese affiliate Mazda also wants to use. But the long development time meant any hybrid vehicle was at least five years away.
In the interim, manufacturers seem likely to step up attempts to convince the public SUVs are not the safety or environmental disaster they are often made out to be. Until now action had been confined to an industry-produced factsheet, but the industry would be "more pro-active" in promoting SUVs, said one person who attended the meeting.