2015 Detroit Motor Show: India-bound Land Rover Discovery Sport

After making its public debut late last year at the Paris Motor Show, the new Land Rover Discovery Sport has arrived in Detroit at the ongoing North American International Auto Show. First previewed with the Discovery Vision concept and then as a scale model, the Discovery Sport is now reality and it is the first member of the new Discovery family.

The design of the Discovery Sport echoes the Range Rover Evoque, thanks to its twin-slat grille, chunky front bumper, LED fog lamps and a stylish pair of headlights and taillights. Inside, the cabin features high-quality materials and a vertical centre console layout to reflect the design of the exterior, while the core Discovery value of practicality is evident everywhere. A host of innovations have allowed Discovery Sport to have the versatility of a 5+2 seating. Thanks to a new multi-link rear axle, Land Rover has managed to offer ample cabin space even behind the second row.

Underneath the all-new body shell, the Discovery Sport will initially be equipped with a range of four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. Both the Si4 2-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel feature stop-start technology, direct injection and smart regenerative charging for optimum performance and economy. Later next year, a highly efficient ED4 turbodiesel engine will join the range, the company has revealed. Both the 9-speed automatic and the 6-speed manual gearbox are available, in two and four-wheel drive configurations.

The Discovery Sport will be produced at Land Rover’s Liverpool manufacturing facility. It will go on sale soon alongside the existing seven-seater Discovery in over 170 markets worldwide. Expect Land Rover to sell the new Discovery Sport in India by year end.