The new Land Rover Discovery has been unveiled, featuring seven full-sized adult seats and an updated exterior design.
The fifth generation of the 4×4 has been designed with families in mind while also keeping the all-terrain capability the model is well known for. Therefore, there are nine USB ports and in-car wi-fi, as well as an intelligent full-time four-wheel-drive system and off-road driving assistance technology.
Its new aluminium construction saves an impressive 480kg from the outgoing model, with 85% of the body made from the lightweight material.
The exterior design has been overhauled to bring the new Discovery in line with the rest of the Land Rover range, but the overall shape is familiar. Trademark features such as the stepped roofline remain, while the narrow headlights and grille are familiar from existing cars such as the Discovery Sport and Evoque.
Six hundred First Edition models are being made available from launch. These feature three unique exterior colours, bespoke interior trim and 22-inch alloy wheels.
The new Discovery will be available in the UK in the spring of 2017 with prices starting at £42,495. First Edition models will be the most expensive on offer, priced from £68,295.
Meanwhile, nearly half of Britain’s motorists would be willing to pay higher levels of vehicle tax if the revenue was used to improve the country’s roads, according to the RAC.
The organisation’s survey of 1,714 UK motorists found that 45% were prepared to pay more vehicle tax, providing the funds raised were ring-fenced to carry out much-needed road maintenance.
More than a quarter of those questioned (28%) said the state of Britain’s major roads has declined over the past year, with 83% of those citing road surface quality as the biggest concern.
However, the state of local roads seems to be of greater concern, with a massive 80% claiming improvements to such routes should be one of the Government’s top five priorities.
jmckeown@thecourier.co.uk