LR5 Release Updates?

Hard to tell without sitting in one, but judging by the photos in the press releases the dash and seating position of the new Disco certainly looks more upright and "traditional" than the sports car-like cockpit of the Sport (which has always been the case, going back to the LR3 and original RRS back in 2005, which were otherwise nearly identical cars under the skin.)

Speaking of Sport vs new Discovery... from a value standpoint, the Disco certainly makes the current RRS look overpriced by comparison. Unless you can spring for the high performance SCV8 powered models that are unique to Sport and Range Rover, the Sport offers less space and utility, creature comforts and up-to-date technology for... about 8-10 grands more than the Discovery, when you similarly equip them. Utility and cargo space have never been the main selling point of the Sport, looks are important and that Range Rover badge on the hood is definitely worth paying extra for some, but still. I wonder if the new Disco will somehow cannibalize sales of that model - especially base SCV6 and TD6 engines - when it comes out next year.

the majority of sport buyers are buying it because it says Range Rover, so the price difference is on the badge.

In practicality, the Sport has once capability vs the Discovery and that is the height. My Lr4 has to squat down to get into almost every garage, sports just cruise on through. If you are frequently parked in a city the Sport make sense vs the discovery, which is probably why you see sports more in city vs discovery which i suspect we will see at country clubs.

I am curious to see what happens to the user base. I can't imagine any enthusiasts picking up the Disco now until we see the new defender. Granted probably not a huge portion of the consumer base, however i bet videos of them being sweet will probably be scarce.

My view on the Sport was always either get the "real thing" (a full sized RR) or get a LR 3/4


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Well, I think it's apple and oranges between the RRS and the Disco even though they have similar price tags. It all depends whether you value the overall driving dynamic or the overall functionality/space.

As for who will be buying the new disco, I think for the mass market, this is the Land Rover to buy and no question the sales figure will way surpass the volume of LR4. Brands don't really care for enthusiasts anymore. I mean, LR will probably do a cool marketing campaign with the Disco and take it on an epic trip like they did when the new RR launched to keep the enthusiasts happy but nowadays all vehicles are designed and packaged for the general market at the expense of die hard enthusiasts.

LR4TQ said:

Brands don't really care for enthusiasts anymore.

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That is why the FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra disappeared. Niche vehicles are just not profitable enough. That is why LR keeps saying they are trying to find the right formula for the Defender to ensure they keep the panache of the original, but sell enough units to make it worth producing.

catman said:

That is why the FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra disappeared. Niche vehicles are just not profitable enough. That is why LR keeps saying they are trying to find the right formula for the Defender to ensure they keep the panache of the original, but sell enough units to make it worth producing.

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The FJ Cruiser was ugly and had terrible visibility from the driver's seat. This is coming from a long-time Land Cruiser owner (two FJ40's, an FJ60, and a FZJ80). Once the initial retro-buzz wore off, the reality of the vehicle sank in. The FJ Cruiser was an olive branch to the Land Cruiser enthusiasts who were eager for a new, "real" Land Cruiser, but it was a half-assed design that sold in spite of itself.

Jeep sold over 200,000 Wranglers last year in the U.S. alone.

Longhorn said:

My view on the Sport was always either get the "real thing" (a full sized RR) or get a LR 3/4


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I agree.

The interior of the Sport is so small as to be useless to me. I looked at one before I bought my LR4 and I couldn't even imagine making my dog lay in the back.

If the new Discovery is larger than the Sport, it will at least have some utility. The Sport is an SUV for someone who doesn't need an SUV.

RRS is not a small car by any definition and I actually think its the great size but obviously if you have a big family or a huge dog, it's not the right vehicle for that. I don't think the FJ's look is ugly but it does have a very small and tight interior. It's offroad performance however really offsets some of the shortcomings and, just like the Jeep, owners actually take it offroad. As far as modern rigs go, all I see are FJ's and Jeeps out in the wild. Of all the trips I've done, I've encountered less than a handful of LR owners which really is a shame and this new Discovery certainly isn't going to shift the landscape.

I had a original Sport prior to the LR4. Inside room (first two rows, anyway) was pretty much the same as the LR3, save for maybe an inch or two of overhead clearance due to the lower roof design. Same steas, same leg room, same everything. Cargo room was... OK for a couple or a small family, nothing like the cavernous trunk of the LR4 of course, and of course no third row of seats (even the new Sport has got what could best described as an "emergency" third row.) The Sport can feel claustrophobic because the whole center console is up high and you feel like you are sitting in a sporty car rather than a truck. I loved the feeling personally, but it definitely needs to be experienced. It is also a lot more fun to drive aggressively, especially when equipped with Dynamic Response. I never regretted switching to the LR4 when my family grew, but I absolutely loved my Sport. It gets a bad rap because it is viewed as a model people buy because they can't afford the real thing, but I disagree. Its driving dynamics were (and are I assume, although I haven't driven one since the new generation Sport came out in 2014) unique in Land Rover's family. The new ones with the V8 (not to mention the SVR) are speed demons. It is a lot of fun to drive and even the original model still looks pretty awesome. Off road, it can do everything an LR3/4 can, as a matter of fact the shorter wheelbase is sometimes an asset. As a former owner, I felt compelled to come to its defense.

Around these parts, Sports are a dime a dozen. LR3/4 and full size RRs are the rare birds. We traded our supercharged 12 RR for a Suburban because we wanted more room - talk about throttle shock on that transition. Wife decided the Suburban was too big for her as a daily driver and we went in to pick up a Sport autobiography with the SCV8. The sales guy actually down sold us into the LR4. The RRS was nice but the LR4 drips LR heritage.