Discovery Sport not worthy of Land Rover name

LR, or anyone else for that matter will never build another Deefer. They are simply an anachronism.

Safety in collisions and pedestrian safety standards have made them into a dinosaur. Unfortunate, but true. They simply can't build one to comply with the standards required for this century. The fact that LR have refused to release an auto version has shut them out of the military and much of the mining industry anyway.

I do wonder though how these monster trucks from the US which will become a more common feature on our roads over the next few years actually work in these safety areas. Their height and sheer bulk must surely mean that any collision with a smaller (normal size) vehicle will place the occupants of the smaller vehicle at grave risk. I saw one of the new Ford trucks the other day (a Raptor I think it was) on its standard 35" tyres and honestly, even looking at it from my D2 made me feel very small indeed.

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Originally Posted by MrLandy

Seriously? You think there's no money in mining, farming, defence, etc? Toyota hasn't made any money worldwide with Landcruiser / Hilux?

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Not for Land Rover obviously or they would be pumping them out and the market would have already accepted them - which they haven't. Well off urbanites have, so you built to your market.

Oh ye of little faith. I anxiously await the arrival of the next whatever it is.

Land Rover and every other manufacturer are not exactly free to build whatever they want or whatever they might think would appeal to you or me.

Automotive design is pretty highly regulated. Isn't it the case that most of the recent engine changes; the 200Tdi to the 300Tdi to the TD5 to the Puma etc were made to meet EU emission regulations?

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Originally Posted by LandyAndy

Nah mate.
Once Defender production finishes they are putting the name on these.
Tata Motors Australia - Tata Tuff Truck Concept
Andrew

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Anybody else notice?
It's halfway back to a real defender,,,,,,it's got a 3.73 Salisbury rear axle!!! I wonder if they'll use a sal or solid axle in the front if doing a heavy duty model?
With a 2.2 that has the full 110kw not the 90 ford wind back before handing over in all but one special edition it's also interesting, if not embarrassing to LR.

Hi All,

Yesterday I went and test drove a base model, Turbo Diesel 2.2, auto, Discovery Sport... Hmmm. :banana:

While it's probably not as capable off road as a Defender - it's more than adequate for what I want...

Sits in the corner and tries to work out how to come up with the funds... :wasntme:

I'm sure we're all familiar with that particular thought process :D

Sent from my HTC One using AULRO mobile app

OP I know where you are coming from, but the horse has bolted and in terms of soft roaders the LR's will always be a good thing.

I love the iconic Defenders and Disco 1 and 2 shape and there character. I love the offroad ability of these vehicles. My D2 is a very comfortable and very able tourer and offroader - I have modded it it suit my needs. I could have purchased a D3 or D4 but make a conscious choice to spend (quite a lot) of money on my D2. Thats my choice. If I was in the market for a quiet, efficient, city vehicle that could also take me to some other places off road, like beaches that were not too soft and tracks that were rutted etc, but still recognisable as 'normal' dirt tracks the D4 sport would be a nice option.

I wouldnt for a minute expect that it would perform off road to anything like my modded D2 or a D4 standard, but the point is that is not what they are for.

The OP needs to remembers that LR has for decades been a brand that has luxury and offroading prowess in mind. Sit in a set of HSE D2 electric seats and grab the wallnut and leather wheel - a seriously nice arrangement.

LR needs to expand its market and doing smaller softer vehicles is smart - even if they offer 2wd.

LR will still produce excellent offroad vehicles, even if when they have an electrical failure or similiar in the middle of nowhere the chances of self help for most people is unlikely, but that is the way all modern vehicles are going. I am not a fan of over complicated offroaders either, but LR have ALWAYS been complicated compared to other marks, at least from the first RR onwards.

If you dont like the D4 Sport thats fine, but its not trampelling on hallowed ground, its just an adjuct to it.

Cheers

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Originally Posted by MrLandy

"It's no secret that most buyers aren't interested in how their SUV performs off-road. Or if it has even been designed to leave the relative sanctity of the bitumen." ('Disco Fever, battle of the luxury SUV's', The Age 20 June 2015). Disco Sport fails, comes third in comparison against BMW X3 and Audi Q5. Trying to be everything to all people in luxury urban escapeism mode is entirely unbecoming for Land Rover. Grave fears should be held for all future Land Rover models if this is a sign of things to come. A follower not a leader. Not worthy of the Discovery name, Let alone the Land Rover name.

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That article was syndicated around I read in the Sydney Morning Herald. It was wrong in a couple of respects, e.g. the reference to full size spare.

Notwithstanding, the reason it got 3rd seemed to relate to the engine. The new Ingenium engines should fix that, and I think are already in production.

Regards
Max P

Some great thinking here. ...The market for 4WD's has definitely changed and obviously Land Rover needs to maximise its soft roader market. The reason I think Disco Sport is not up to scratch is not so much about whether it will sell well...it probably will. It's disappointment in Land Rover following rather than leading.

The review above makes it very clear that Disco Sport is really just another X5 or Audi (or Touareg.) They even look virtually the same. It's also in the context that every Land Rover on the market now is a luxury, predominantly urban focussed vehicle. It's the end of real Land Rover adventure in my book.

Obviously if you like the Disco Sport and it does what you need, great! But what about those of us whose predominant vehicle use is in the bush? Land Rover has left us high and dry with the end of Defender. Its shameful. Not to mention nothing under $70,000! The Toorak Tractor moniker has never rung more true than now. Each to their own of course (unless you want a bush / work vehicle).