Land Rover made use of this week’s Los Angeles Auto Show to announce a vast array of updates for its 2015 model year.
The biggest announcement is that the all-new Discovery Sport will go on sale early in the new year; available with a new 180 kW turbocharged 2,0-litre engine coupled to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
What Land Rover also hope will make their new Disco Sport more unique, is its “5+2” seating arrangement. Manufacturers tend to shy away from this, yet Land Rover is adamant to make it work in the small SUV segment.
In what is a twist of events, Land Rover announced that it plans to continue selling its Freelander in 2015. Though the Discovery Sport is ultimately the replacement for the Freelander, Land Rover feels that, from a marketing point of view, it will make sense to keep the Freelander on the market.
The Freelander will utilise the same engine as the Disco Sport, but will make due with only a six-speed auto gearbox and five seats. The 2015 Freelander will be equipped with more standard features and special packages.
Next to receive the 2015 treatment is the Range Rover Evoque. The small SUV will gain a raft of electronic driver aids, including Reverse Traffic Detection on models equipped with Blind Spot monitor, and Perpendicular Park assist on models equipped with the Advanced Park Assist option. The Evoque will still be offered in both three- and five-door configurations, with the Autobiography package added as an optional extra.
The Land Rover Discovery will gain Jaguar Land Rover’s latest InControl apps and smartphone system for the 2015 model year. This system allows for compatible smartphone apps to be useable in the vehicle, accessed from a connected phone through the standard touchscreen. As standard, the Discovery will feature side steps.
Though it has already been reported on, Land Rover confirmed that for 2015, its Range Rover Sport will gain the high-performance SVR model. The Range Rover Sport SVR is the first performance vehicle from Jaguar Land Rover’s new SVO division and is believed to be one of the fastest SUVs in production. Powered by a 413 kW 5,0-litre supercharged V8, the SVR will launch from rest to 100 km/h in only 4.5 seconds.
The Big Daddy in Land Rover’s range – the Range Rover – will receive only a single change: the availability of HSE trim on the Range Rover Long-Wheelbase variant. Previously the Long-Wheelbase was only available in Supercharged- and Autobiography trim.
Prices for the South African market are still to be confirmed.
