LR5 Release Updates?

[mpinco]

......As far as toughness and off-road prowess the Discovery has the LR4 beat by a large margin. .......

Hmmmm ..... How? Unibody (LR5) vs. body on frame (LR4)? Smaller engines? Minivan rear?

How is making a single speed xfer case standard and forcing you to buy the top end LR5 to get two speed xfer case and HD superior?

Now, don't get me wrong. They may sell more than the LR4. The Ford Explorer is over $50K. I think we will see an increase in used low end LR5's with single speed xfer case. The Discovery / LR5 will morph into a highly capable AWD vehicle slotted at the "Adventure Orientated" family minvan. The Discovery Sport is already a Subaru Forrester/Outback.

Interestingly, here in Subaru capital of the world (Colorado) I rarely see a Discovery Sport. LR4's are numerous.

Edit add: OK, so its not a Minivan yet. It is a "Crossover" in industry terms. The Discovery Sport is called a Compact Crossover by Land Rover. The Discovery 5 would be a mid-size Crossover?

 

[AxelR]

My wife totally agree on the minivan look. She hates it.

However have you ever specced a Porsche or something similar. Everything is an option, even what seems to be a given.

Remember when the talk was about solid axles vs independent suspension? Now it's body on frame vs unibody...

 

[mpinco]

The increased options on a vehicle build is brought to you by automation/robots/manufacturing line management.

The Discovery 5 is really a mid-sized crossover. Its brother is the compact crossover, the Discovery Sport.

Both based on Premium Lightweight Architecture (PLA) design platform engineering that also supports Jaguar cars.

 

[crash1121]

.....Remember when the talk was about solid axles vs independent suspension?.....

Mmmm, solid axles.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Surfrider77]

My wife totally agree on the minivan look. She hates it.

However have you ever specced a Porsche or something similar. Everything is an option, even what seems to be a given.

Remember when the talk was about solid axles vs independent suspension? Now it's body on frame vs unibody...

Porsche is in a league of their own when it comes to options though. Every little bit and bob is an option. You can literally tack 50% or more in options on a Porsche simply in performance based options, let alone cosmetics.

I do fully agree though. Land Rover seems to have lost the plot with this thing. You need to option way up just to meet the same standard equipment in a LR4. It just doesn't look or feel like an adventure vehicle anymore. It's a very, if not the most capable soft-roader on the market.

 

[PaulLR3]

Another good review. The LR3 and LR4 never had reviews this good. I'm getting closer to ordering one.
http://www.automobilemag.com/news/f...639422981FA890542C90A06EC3E13FCE07789857E6F91

 

[roverman]

It was a pretty colorful article for sure, lot's of hyperbole. I'd love to see the video where the car got through knee deep 'mud' with stock tires unscathed. I'm not completely sure the author knows what mud is...
It talked like there was a coil spring version? I had not read about that before.

 

[mpinco]

Unless you add the Capability Package that is air suspension, two speed xfer case and TC you have a coil sprung vehicle.

 

[catman]

Air suspension is standard in the UK and I think the entire EU, but here in the states the base model is coil suspension. But, that is how the LR3 started and that quickly faded. Since the 2018 documentation has already started to appear on topix, I am guessing (with some insights from Umberto) that 2017 will be a "short run" and some of the early Discovery's will have the coils to meet the desired marketing price point of $49,990, but that for 2018 air will become standard on the base model and the base price will move up slightly. But, I have been wrong many times before, so we'll see...

 

[umbertob]

Only the HSE Luxury trim includes the air suspensions as standard equipment here in the US. The set of options for NAS MY17s is a bit weird. For instance, despite the gazillion different interior / exterior / engine options and unless I am missing something, I don't see a way to add a locking rear differential on any trim but the fully loaded HSE Lux. Why? Those who could really put rear lockers to good use may not necessarily appreciate being force-fed 7/8 additional grands of extra fancy leather, 7 standard seats and upgraded indotainment to get it.