Land Rover launches seven-seater Discovery
To bridge a wide gap in its portfolio in the mid-segment, Tata Motors’ British luxury marquee JLR on Saturday launched the fifth-generation Land Rover Discovery in a seven-seater format at a price point ranging from ~71.38 lakh to ~82 lakh.
The full-size premium SUV comes with both a three-litre petrol and diesel powertrain options and offers a host of features such as full-sized spare wheel with an automatic tyre lifting option and intelligent seat fold functionality—both industry firsts. The new model comes in six variants.
It also boasts the highest wading depth of 900 mm, (Merc’s GLS has 600 mm while Audi Q7 offers 500 mm) which will help the vehicle wade through flooded streets, the firm said.
Rohit Suri, president and MD, Jaguar Land Rover India, said the Land Rover portfolio had a yawning gap in the midsegment from a pricing angle.
“Our Land Rover models range from the ~42-lakh Discovery Sport and the ~1.66-crore priced Range Rover leaving a yawning gap in the middle. The new Discovery fills that gap, which should help further build our already high growth we’ve had so far this year,” Suri said.
He parried a direct answer about sales expectations from the new Discovery but said the initial response had been very good, having received over 800 “interests”. He refused to quantify the pre-launch bookings for the new SUV, which will be imported from its British plant. “We are already booked for the first two months,” was all he would proffer on pre-bookings.
Suri said the new Discovery distinguishes itself from most of its competition on its design appeal, intelligent versatility, enabling technology and a host of capability related features.
It also offers the world’s first intelligent seat fold system enabling one to configure the seating from inside. Land Rover launched the first Discovery 28 years ago.
Suri said India is the only market where the new Discovery offers headroom for seven adults across the three rows of seating. It also offers permanent four-wheel drive.
The Land Rover range here includes the Discovery Sport (starting at ~42 lakh), Range Rover Evoque (starting at ~44.44 lakh), the new Discovery (starting at ~71.38 lakh), Range Rover Sport (starting at ~93.82 lakh) and Range Rover (starting at ~166.42 lakh).