LR5 Release Updates?

[danrhiggins]

We'll see on the towing. One person pointed out to me that the Ford F-150 when through a significant drop in weight (lighter steel, etc.) a while back and actually improved their towing capacity as the engine wasn't needing to pull around as much weight. On the other hand, it is also interesting to note that the Lexus LX570 (the dressed up sibling of our Land Cruiser) only has a towing capacity of 7,000# compared with the 8,100# of the Land Cruiser even though they have the same engine. The LX is heaver by a few hundred pounds. But we suspect it may also have to do with the Adaptive Variable Suspension on the LX. The Discovery will of course also have a pneumatic suspension. I wonder if Land Rover is going to use the new SAE standard J2807 for testing tow ratings as Toyota and a few other manufacturers have done. (LR did not do this for the LR4 which allowed them to continue to use 7,700 for the LR4 even with engine changes as it was mostly a marketing number.) So, the Discovery could be a decent tow vehicle but may be hampered by the air suspension and may have a lower rating if LR use the tests specified by SAE. (I hope they do for the sake of consistency. This would be the time to do it.) It will also be interesting if they embrace the use of weight distribution hitches which are very common when towing trailers over 5,000#. Also, none of these vehicles have a long wheel base do they're never going to be able to go crazy high like a big diesel truck. We'll see. It will be important to see what they tested and not only the max tow weight but also the tongue weight and any caveats or recommendations on the use of anti-sway and weight distribution hitches.

 

[cperez]

Bear Grylls and other "adventure celebs" have been global brand ambassadors for LR since at least 2014. Maybe they went radio silent w/Grylls for a bit to let his controversy subside. He has been accused of glamping or even hanging out in posh hotels overnight while filming survival episodes. It became a big joke especially to people like Les Stroud (Survivorman) who actually rough it during their exploits.

Here are some of their other global ambassadors:

http://www.landroverusa.com/experiences/ambassadors/index.html

For the record, I think Bear is entertaining and I don't concern myself too much over where he sleeps!

 

[toddjb122]

Unless this is a clever Photochop work, the rear liftgate looks to be 1-piece, no split tailgate anymore , and it looks MASSIVE (look at the size of those struts!) I wonder if I could even open that giant thing in my garage without damage, given the limited overhead clearance above the roll-up door.

You can sort-of make out the "activity platform" sticking out a bit from the rear, Land Rover's pacifier for those - many of us, I suspect - who consider the split tailgate a great feature of the current LR4.

Oh man, this makes me cry. I mean, we knew it was coming...we suspected it...but we held out hope that it wouldn't be true. That sucks.

And a good point was raised about garage access. I regularly back my truck in the garage, out of the elements, to pack up before trips. With the window up and the tailgate down, it doesn't take up much space. I don't think I could open this thing in my garage. It's not just the size of it, it's the swing distance required. It'd definitely hit shelving and such.

Ceeeeeerrrrrrraaaaaaap.

 

[Longhorn]

So glad I picked up a final model year of the LR4. Here's hoping we'll actually get a new Defender that is worthy of the oval badge (and not the one in blue)

 

[toddjb122]

Ugh...I just caught up with the rest of the posts.

That video is ridiculous. At least when they unveiled the LR3 by showing the NAV in use in the back of a cargo plane, they claimed it was being used for navigation. But, why, would you ever need seat folding capability from a distance? Auto start? Sure. GPS location of the car? Great. Seats? ***?

And somehow I had missed that activity platform video that @ThamesDitton posted. Why do we need two seats that fold out? And if you use that primary one, you are now pulling out floor space that probably has gear on it...which will now drop into the cavity created by the sliding seat which then folds up into a...bench? Again, ***? Hopefully that's just a concept. That's a lot of technology to avoid putting a split tailgate in the truck.

@danrhiggins , which Toyota has a split tailgate option? I knew they had a window that rolled down inside the liftgate, but I thought we were the last true tailgate SUV. A friend of mine has an X5 and that has a mini tailgate that folds down. But it's not like the nice LR3/LR4 one that is a true extension of the bed...all on the same plane.

 

[umbertob]

I don't get it either. In Land Rover's world, you have no gear in the trunk. No trunk mat. No crap you stow back there and forget all about. You only throw your parachute in there after jumping off a plane with 6 buddies of yours. I am sure many of us can relate...

I cannot think of a single benefit in being able to adust the seating configuration from anywhere in the world, who would ever want to do that, and why? How lazy can we be? Some buttons inside the car to power fold and unfold the seats I would understand and appreciate (given how cumbersome the manual process is in the current 7-seater LR4), but this tech for tech's sake seems like a total waste of engineering and money. Hopefully it will be a standalone option, like Rear Seat Entertainment.

On the bright side, there still seems to be plenty of room for 7 passengers, and the cargo area behind the 3rd row actually looks a bit more usable than in the current LR3/4. I mean, you could never fit 7 parachutes in the back of the LR4's 3rd row seats, I don't care how tight you pack them...

 

[LR4USN]

I just watched the video... embarrassing that JLR actually put a lot of time, money, and effort into the technology and video. Given the amount of effort, I would like to think other aspects of the rig are industry leading and a new benchmark for the class .... but it's doubtful. I'm sure the masses moving to the brand to due the 'large SUV' - It will take me a while to warm up .. I like the looks of the current, less rugged RRS.

I'm still hopeful and I'm looking forward to seeing it in person and of course driving it...

 

[Longhorn]

Sure hoping the "camo" is hiding something that doesn't look so....."Explorer-like"

 

[danrhiggins]

Todd, yes, the Land Cruiser has had a split tailgate for the last 3 generations (over 20 years). It is not assymetrical like the LR4. My guess is that it sticks out about as far as the shorter portion of the LR4 tailgate. But it is all tailgate and you of course can stand on it to get at the roof rack, sit on it when you need a break and work on it when out in the woods or working in your garage. I don't expect a generation change for the LC until maybe 2019 or 2000 although speculation is starting to surface on the LC forum I'm a part of and some fear (understandably) that Toyota may go the way of all others. But starting in 2017 the LC and LX570 will be probably the only body on frame, V8, off road capable, split tailgate, old school out there.

So, yes, those of you who picked up an LR4 this year chose wisely.

I am glad to see LR appear to have retained the flat cargo space. And adding the ability for the seats to slide forward and back could be very useful.

And as for the video, they are clearly targeting the center of the market. After all, don't you all step out your door in the morning and drop 5,000' to your vehicle? And while your dropping, aren't you concerned about whether the seats will be properly adjusted in time? I wonder, though, how you adjust the seats if you are out of cell range - like where some of us have driven in our LR4s. Maybe they have push buttons for that. ;-)

 

[jaamrode]

We'll see on the towing. One person pointed out to me that the Ford F-150 when through a significant drop in weight (lighter steel, etc.) a while back and actually improved their towing capacity as the engine wasn't needing to pull around as much weight. On the other hand, it is also interesting to note that the Lexus LX570 (the dressed up sibling of our Land Cruiser) only has a towing capacity of 7,000# compared with the 8,100# of the Land Cruiser even though they have the same engine. The LX is heaver by a few hundred pounds. But we suspect it may also have to do with the Adaptive Variable Suspension on the LX. The Discovery will of course also have a pneumatic suspension. I wonder if Land Rover is going to use the new SAE standard J2807 for testing tow ratings as Toyota and a few other manufacturers have done. (LR did not do this for the LR4 which allowed them to continue to use 7,700 for the LR4 even with engine changes as it was mostly a marketing number.) So, the Discovery could be a decent tow vehicle but may be hampered by the air suspension and may have a lower rating if LR use the tests specified by SAE. (I hope they do for the sake of consistency. This would be the time to do it.) It will also be interesting if they embrace the use of weight distribution hitches which are very common when towing trailers over 5,000#. Also, none of these vehicles have a long wheel base do they're never going to be able to go crazy high like a big diesel truck. We'll see. It will be important to see what they tested and not only the max tow weight but also the tongue weight and any caveats or recommendations on the use of anti-sway and weight distribution hitches.

Any of the 1/2 ton pickups these days have a tow ratings that very widely a Ford F-150 goes anywhere from 4900 lbs up to 11,400 lbs. It had to do with engine and final drive gearing.

My guess is the new Discovery will be 7716 lbs. or 3500 kg, just like all of the full size SUVs from JLR. The Disco sport has a tow rating of 4409 lbs or 2000 kg with a tongue weight of 330 lbs. I'm pretty sure there are specific rules in Europe for towing that revolve around the 3500 kg limit.

Any auto leveling air suspension does not like weight distribution hitches because the air is doing the weight distribution for you by adjusting the ride height back to the proper level when adding the tongue weight of the trailer on the back. A distribution hitch try's to the the same thing but it can never achieve the same ride height of the rear axle as if there is no trailer attached like an air suspension can.