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Landy Sport to join new Disco family

 <b>NEXT DISCO FAMILY:</b> Land Rover's Discovery Vision Concept, to be launched at the 2014 New York auto show, will form the basis of a new family of Discovery SUVs. <i>Image: Land Rover</i>
<b>NEXT DISCO FAMILY:</b> Land Rover's Discovery Vision Concept, to be launched at the 2014 New York auto show, will form the basis of a new family of Discovery SUVs. <i>Image: Land Rover</i>
Land Rover
 • New premium compact SUV will go on sale in 2015
 • First production model to take features from the Discovery Vision  

WHITLEY, England - On (April 16) Wheels24 reported that Land Rover showcased the design for its new Discovery Vision Concept.

Gallery: 2014 Discovery Vision Concept

The Discovery Vision Concept  was revealed of its official debut at the 2014 2014 New York International Auto Show in April. The model shared the limelight with a scale model of the Virgin Galactic spacecraft in Manhattan.

NEW MODELS

Land Rover has confirmed that the first member of the all-new Discovery family will be the Discovery Sport premium compact SUV.

The announcement was made by Gerry McGovern, Land Rover design director and chief creative officer, during his speech at the 2014 New York auto show.

McGovern said: "I am proud to confirm the nameplate that will make Discovery a family of vehicles for the first time. It will be called Discovery Sport and will go on sale in 2015.

“This will be the most versatile and capable SUV in its segment and is the first expression of the Discovery Vision Concept unveiled in New York."

LAND ROVER SHAKE-UP

Land Rover’s global brand director John Edwards said the automaker’s future range would be based on “three iconic brands - Range Rover, Discovery and Defender”.

Each of those models could be a sub-brand in its own right as demonstrated by Range Rover.

The new replacement for the Land Rover Freelander  will become a member of an extended Discovery family, according to the automaker. The new model, based on the Evoque, is expected to be launched in 2015.

The Freelander badge will be dropped as it becomes an extension of the Discovery.

The decision to create a family of Disco models is largely based on clearing up some confusion as Range Rover is a well established brand. Currently the automaker sells three families of vehicles (Freelander, Discovery, Defender).

END OF THE DEFENDER

Due to government and safety regulations, the venerable Defender line will be chopped. Land Rover announced it will cease production of its iconic 4x4 in 2015.

Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern said: "Replacing the iconic Defender is one of the biggest challenges in the automotive design world; it is a car that inspires people worldwide."

Defender: Landy’s 4x4 foundation

“A proper rugged, reliable 4x4 is an absolute necessity for Land Rover.” Wheels24 reader Willem Viljoen says the soon-to-be-replaced Defender was the “foundation” for Land Rover.


DEFENDER: KEEP IT OR CAN IT?

“Why throw all that intellectual property away…” Wheels24 reader Rod Bowes suggests that Land Rover continues to build its Defender, though on a limited scale.

LAND ROVER DEFENDER: A 4X4 LEGEND

“As a Defender-lover, I accept that it’s inevitable that production of the current design has to end,” writes reader DANIE GOUWS, about Land Rover’s iconic 4x4.







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