Latest Ingenium Engine Technology Injects Performance Into Land Rover Discovery Sport

The 2018 model year Land Rover Discovery Sport receive Jaguar Land Rover’s all-new 2.0litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engines, offering smooth, refined performance. This is the first introduction of Jaguar Land Rover’s new petrol Ingenium family into its Land Rover vehicles.

The new additions support the company’s long-term commitment to reduce vehicle emissions and improve fuel economy across its range through the introduction of more efficient engines. The new four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine, at the heart of Jaguar Land Rover’s lowemissions strategy, is produced at the company’s £1 billion Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton, UK. Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, these are the most advanced engines the company has ever developed.

The engines feature state-of-the-art technologies that deliver exceptional performance, efficiency and refinement while meeting the most stringent global emissions regulations.

The Discovery Sport is currently Land Rover’s fastest-selling vehicle, with more than 200,000 units sold globally since its introduction in 2014. The premium versatile compact SUV

demonstrates the breadth of Land Rover’s ability, offering customers unrivalled all-terrain capability, versatility for up to seven people and a premium interior.

The new petrol engine delivers a mix of power, efficiency and EU6-compliance. The 240PS engine produces maximum torque of 340Nm and means Discovery Sport can achieve 8.0L/100km and 181 – 182g/km CO2 on the European combined cycle.

Discovery Sport’s palette now features 12 colour options. Solid: Fuji White and Narvik Black; Metallic: Indus Silver, Scotia Grey, Corris Grey, Santorini Black, Firenze Red, Yulong White, and Byron Blue; Premium Metallic: Namib Orange, Carpathian Grey and Silicon Silver.

The customer personalisation theme continues with the optional contrast roof available in Corris Grey and Narvik Black.

Inside, a new Vintage Tan colourway is introduced, closely matching that of the All-New Discovery.

Every seat benefits from changes to the seat foam composition making every occupant more comfortable. All powered seats are upgraded to include four-way lumbar support (up from twoway) ensuring long journeys can be tackled without discomfort, with 12-way configuration available as a customer option.

Technologies include an integrated exhaust manifold, 200bar direct injection system and twinscroll turbocharger for responsiveness and efficiency.

The engine features electrohydraulic control of the inlet valves. This cutting-edge technology enables variable valve lift, so load control is managed primarily by the intake valves rather than the throttle. This reduces pumping losses and provides unmatched flexibility and control over airflow into the combustion chambers, improving power and torque while increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the world’s most versatile premium compact SUV. Uniquely in its segment, Discovery Sport’s dynamic design combines 5+2 seating configurability with design and engineering integrity in a compact footprint.

Discovery Sport was designed to be as environmentally sustainable as it is affordable to run. It is available in a powerful and efficient four-cylinder petrol engine, four-wheel drive, and advanced nine-speed automatic.

“The launch of Discovery Sport was a pivotal moment in Land Rover’s history. Not only did it mark the introduction of the first new member of our expanding Discovery family, which has since been joined by its bigger brother the New Discovery, it also brings the versatility of 5+2 seating to the compact premium SUV market.

“Together with design excellence and engineering integrity, Discovery Sport’s versatility is a key differentiator: its chassis is as competent on-road as off. Discovery Sport is quite simply the most accomplished vehicle in its segment.”

Designed and engineered at Land Rover’s centre of excellence in Gaydon, UK, Discovery Sport is produced at the company’s award-winning manufacturing facility in Halewood, Liverpool, UK. Since going on sale in quarter one of 2015, it has gone on to sell 200,000 vehicles in over 170 markets worldwide.

Discovery Sport is clearly identifiable as a Land Rover and shares a consistent design approach to the recently-launched All-New Discovery. The vehicle brings a sense of dynamism and projects an image of confidence with its wheel-at-each-corner stance.

The vehicle’s striking interior delivers a high level of versatility with 5+2 seating and elegantly integrated stowage areas. This is complemented by a wide choice of superior quality materials to give the vehicle a premium look and feel.

“Every Land Rover must have design leadership and outstanding all-terrain capability. For the Discovery family of vehicles, the key differentiator is versatility. Our challenge has been to combine premium design with exceptional versatility; the two attributes must work in harmony. I’m proud to say we’ve achieved that; Discovery Sport’s dynamic design will resonate on an emotional level with consumers, and this vehicle is more versatile than any other premium compact SUV.”

Discovery Sport projects a dynamic attitude. Optimised volume, proportions and stance ensure a striking visual impact without compromising the functionality and engineering excellence for which the iconic Discovery nameplate is world-renowned.

At 4,599mm long, Discovery Sport’s compact footprint is 371mm shorter than the All-New Discovery and its generous wheelbase of 2,741mm creates exceptional legroom. This has allowed Land Rover designers to push the wheels out towards all four corners of the vehicle resulting in a visually robust, compact stance and low centre of gravity that’s suggestive of Discovery Sport’s agile, planted driving experience and unrivalled all-terrain capability. Sleek, wraparound corners further reduce visual bulk of the front and rear overhangs.

design features include the clamshell bonnet and distinctive two-bar grille with hexagonal mesh, which complement the perfectly balanced proportions. Smoothly contoured body surfaces, strong and dynamic lines, and robust detailing (including rugged skid plates) signal Discovery Sport’s incredible breadth of capability. The fast bonnet line with pronounced step into the rising belt line conveys a dramatic stance, while the roof tapers subtly downwards, adding extra dynamism.

Gerry McGovern continued: “Discovery Sport’s design resonates not only with existing Land Rover consumers, but also a new generation of buyers. We’ve refused to allow functionality to compromise Land Rover’s design leadership and vice versa; both interior versatility and offroad capability are class-leading. Discovery Sport is the ultimate all-round compact premium SUV.”

Discovery Sport’s dynamic profile optimises aerodynamic efficiency with an impressive 0.37Cd, enhancing performance, fuel economy and refinement. Wind noise has been minimised through Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and exhaustive wind tunnel tests. Particular attention was paid to key areas such as the shape of the A-pillar and door mirrors, and a special acoustic windscreen lamination reduces wind noise further.

Additional CFD tests were used to greatly reduce road grime or dirt being transferred onto the rear of the vehicle, particularly beneficial on unmade roads or in harsh winter conditions.

Discovery Sport’s optimised volume and proportions are enhanced with carefully considered design details. A strong C-pillar graphic is key in creating the vehicle’s dynamic profile; it rakes dramatically forwards and stops short of the gloss-black window surrounds, allowing for an optional contrast roof graphic.

The Discovery Sport headlamp design makes a strong visual impact, with a slim, wraparound design and circular daytime-running lights (DRLs). The DRLs are punctuated at four equal intervals to represent the points of the compass and underline the sense of adventure integral to Discovery DNA.

Every Discovery Sport comes with the Signature headlamps, featuring Xenon and LED technology. The headlamps’ striking graphics are echoed in the tail lamps, with a wraparound design.

Robust bumpers reflect the go-anywhere capability of Discovery Sport. The front bumper houses large outboard air intakes, while a bold trapezoidal lower intake conveys a sense of strength and houses the central bumper beam and skid plate. The rear bumper reinforces this bold design theme, with a rugged skid plate flanked by twin exhaust outlets.

Land Rover’s distinctive fender vents receive a fresh interpretation for Discovery Sport, with a horizontal, blade-like graphic that flows into the feature line sweeping along the body. Purposeful wheel-arch mouldings with distinctive castellations pay homage to Land Rover’s unique heritage.

At the rear of the vehicle, the spoiler’s carefully crafted inner extensions optimise airflow for exceptional aerodynamic efficiency. A centrally mounted high-level spotlamp uses advanced LED light-pipe technology, for a distinctive and visible ribbon of light.

Discovery Sport’s palette of 12 colours aligns with the larger All-New Discovery’s colour options. These include Solid colours: Fuji White, and Narvik Black; Metallic: Indus Silver, Yulong White, Scotia Grey, Corris Grey, Santorini Black, Firenze Red, and Byron Blue; and Premium Metallic: Namib Orange, Carpathian Grey, and Silicon Silver.

Offering further differentiation, the Black Pack emphasises the vehicle’s sporting appearance with a gloss-black grille, door mirror caps, front fender vents, bonnet and tailgate lettering and a choice of eye-catching 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels. For further distinction, a contrast roof extends to the base of the A-pillars and is available in either Santorini Black or Corris Grey. A range of seven distinctive alloy wheel designs – including the striking Aero Viper – is available with a selection of Sparkle Silver, Dark Grey, Gloss Black and diamond-turned finishes depending on wheel design.

Discovery Sport’s interior has been designed to provide a versatile and calming space, one in which every occupant feels equally comfortable and the driver is able to pay maximum attention to the road. Its highly configurable 5+2 seating is unique-in-segment.

At an early stage in the vehicle’s development programme Land Rover designers invited a large cross-section of families to a UK development centre. The design team watched on as the families climbed into a variety of SUVs, accessed third-row seating, synced electronic devices, attached child seats to ISOFIX anchor points and placed drinks containers in cup holders. The results helped shape the Discovery Sport into the most versatile premium compact SUV.

Gerry McGovern, said: “Discovery Sport has an incredible degree of creative intellect from both designers and engineers. In my view this vehicle looks sensational both inside and out, it’s been designed for hectic modern family lifestyles with generous luggage capacity, innovative stowage solutions and configurable 5+2 seating, which have all been given equal status to create a vehicle where form and function work in perfect harmony.”

Discovery Sport’s interior is a highly-configurable space, making it perfect for demanding family schedules and active lifestyles. Land Rover designers have prioritised head-, knee- and shoulder-room, and interior space is excellent in all derivatives thanks to a wheelbase of 2,741mm, while the backs of the front seats are ergonomically contoured to unlock even more knee-room.

The second-row seating is offered with tilt-and-slide functionality, and is individually adjustable with a 60:40 split. This enables row-two occupants to recline their seats or slide them forwards or back by a class-leading 160mm and still benefit from 999mm of legroom. Alternatively, load capacity can be increased as desired from 813-litres to as much as 981-litres with row-two seats in place. With both rear rows folded flat, the volume increases to 1,777-litres. Extra attention has been paid to slim-line packaging of the vehicle’s electrical architecture – for instance mounted electrical modules and routing harness run as space-efficiently as possible – in the side panels of the load space to maximise volume. The multi-link rear axle also ensures the rear suspension turrets create minimal intrusion into the luggage area.

These innovations are key for Land Rover to offer unique-in-segment 5+2 seating. This provides rear seating that’s not only easy to access and comfortable for third row passengers, but can also be folded away to provide luggage volume equal to that of a five-seat derivative. In fact, both second- and third rows can be folded down using one hand to create an even greater load area. The load-space floor has been located as low down as possible, increasing space and ensuring that even large items are easy to load and unload.

Row-two seating is fitted with ISOFIX anchor points for child car seats. The anchor points are easily accessed by removing two caps and slotting the child seat’s attachment points between two guides; it makes fitting child seats and swapping them between family cars as painless as possible, enhancing both safety and convenience.

A great deal of collaboration between exterior and interior designers has resulted in a significant packaging solution. For instance, row-two occupants benefit from stadium seating that’s raised 50mm relative to the vehicle’s front-seats. The result is a cabin that feels more open and inclusive for row-two occupants while still providing plenty of head-room for even taller passengers. Row three passengers’ seats are raised to provide better forward vision of the road, a key contributor to minimising occupant sickness.

Discovery Sport is available with up to four 12V power points, while as many as six USB charging sockets can be specified for all three rows. This allows multiple electronic devices to be recharged simultaneously.

Two different centre console storage solutions are available. SE derivative provides space for two cups along with a separate roller storage section.

Storage areas have been designed to be as deep and accommodating as possible. The door speaker housings not only complement the interior’s clean lines and ensure excellent sound quality, they also provide the maximum space for stowage. At 13.8-litres, Discovery Sport’s front and rear door housings offer more than double the stowage space of some rival SUVs.

In typical Discovery tradition, a simple but effective convenience hook allows loose items to be secured in the passenger footwell. Row-three passengers have a storage shelf, and loadspace rails are available to add further versatility.

Dual-zone climate control with an LCD interface for the driver and front-seat passenger is also available. For dual-zone systems, the air vents for row-two occupants are mounted mid-way up the B-pillar for more effective cold-air distribution.

Other convenience features include an air-quality sensor that switches to re-circulation mode should high pollution levels be registered. ECO mode optimises the air-conditioning system – along with other vehicle settings – for maximum efficiency.

“The Discovery Sport’s bold architectural forms combined with distinctive, premium finishes create an environment that is a pleasure to spend time in while offering unparalleled levels of versatility to meet the exacting requirements of our customers,” said McGovern.

The centrepiece of the cabin is the striking intersection between the bold vertical lines of the centre console and the slimmer horizontal elements of the instrument panel. The pronounced centre console architecture ensures all controls are grouped logically. Soft-touch rotary controls and buttons set into a gloss-black surround create a tactile user-interface and are easy for the driver to find under the glare of direct sunlight.

A clean and elegant three-spoke, multi-function steering wheel frames a modern and easy-toread instrument cluster. Housed under a compact curved binnacle, the instrument cluster’s twin analogue dials are set deep in circular housings. A central five-inch colour TFT display is positioned between the twin dials, presenting key data such as fuel levels, gear position, temperature and Terrain Response® modes.

The Discovery Sport is fitted with paddle shift controls, allowing the driver to manually select each gear for added control during towing or in challenging off-road and dynamic on-road scenarios. It features a raised Sports Command Driving Position to provide the driver with a clear view of the road ahead, while the interior is characterised by clean, elegant lines.

All materials used in the Discovery Sport’s cabin are of high quality, designed to be premium, not precious.

The Discovery Sport features perforated leather upholstery. A selection of six interior colourways is available: Ebony, Cirrus, Glacier, Ivory, Almond and Tan.

Interior ambience can be further enhanced by subtle and highly configurable* mood lighting, controlled via the central eight-inch touch screen.

The Land Rover Discovery Sport is offered with a comprehensive range of bespoke options, allowing owners to enhance specific elements of the vehicle or increase versatility still further. Interior and exterior options include:

• The Black Pack includes a gloss-black grille, door mirror caps, front fender vents, bonnet and tailgate lettering and a choice of eye-catching 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels
• A contrast roof extends to the base of the windscreen’s A-pillar and creates additional visual distinction in Santorini Black or Corris Grey
• A range of seven distinctive alloy wheel designs – including the striking Aero Viper – is available with a selection of Sparkle Silver, Dark Grey, Gloss Black and diamondturned finishes, depending on wheel design
• Front and rear undershields, together with stainless-steel side tubes with a highly polished finish, underline Discovery Sport’s all-terrain capability. Noble-plated doormirror caps complement the look
• A full panoramic roof with a dark tint and a special surface treatment for a high degree of solar protection brings a further sense of space and versatility to the interior. An electrically retracting blind with a solar reflective coating offers additional shade when required
• Two alternative designs of Land Rover-branded aluminium treadplate finishers for the front doors are available with either a brushed metal finish or added illumination when the doors are opened
• Stainless-steel sports pedals and footrest are available, as are tactile gear-shift paddles machined from a solid block of aluminium and anodised to ensure exceptional wear resistance
• A range of towing accessories is available, including a detachable towing system and fixed-height tow bar
• Load-space Rails create a highly configurable luggage area, and can be specified in conjunction with a Retention Kit featuring a telescopic crossbeam and retractable band to secure loose items

Optional features for added convenience include:

• Headrest-mounted iPad holders keep rear-seat passengers entertained and feature quick-release fixings for added security
• A Centre Armrest Cooler and Warmer Box is finished in premium leather and provides convenient stowage for food and drinks while maintaining items at a desired temperature
• A full range of rubber mats and liners ensure carpets and the entire load-space area can be protected from mud and wear-and-tear under heavy use

Outstanding capability has been at the core of every Land Rover since 1948; Discovery Sport maintains that heritage. It has been engineered to provide best-in-class off-road capability, onroad dynamics, interior packaging, safety innovations and use of intelligent lightweight materials. The result is the most versatile premium compact SUV currently on sale.

Engineering innovations include: a lightweight bodyshell with a mix of steel and aluminium; all-new multi-link rear axle; and an advanced nine-speed automatic transmission.

The latest multi-dimensional simulation tools allowed Land Rover to thoroughly assess packaging requirements at an early stage, after which almost 200 prototypes were built. These prototypes undertook a combined total of 6,800 test weeks in a punishing schedule to ensure exceptional levels of reliability, off-road capability and on-road dynamics. Extremes of altitude, temperature and terrain all formed part of the rigorous testing regime, which spanned the globe and included the US, Dubai, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Sweden, the UK and Austria.

Crucially, customer clinics also allowed Land Rover to listen to potential owners and watch as their families put prototype design solutions to the test; their feedback proved invaluable in creating a compact premium SUV with unparalleled versatility.

The result is a vehicle that can accommodate seven people in total comfort and offers an exceptional blend of performance, refinement and economy, sharp handling dynamics, can tow up to 2.5 tonnes, and tackle even the most challenging terrain with total composure.

The brief for Land Rover engineers was particularly challenging: produce a premium SUV that’s more compact than rivals, yet seats up to seven occupants in comfort and offers exceptional levels of efficiency and versatility.

Discovery Sport’s lightweight monocoque and all-new multi-link rear axle was pivotal in meeting this challenge. The vehicle bodyshell has been optimised using the latest multidimensional computer simulation tools, and includes an innovative blend of metals: highstrength steel, ultra high-strength boron steel and lightweight aluminium. Hot-stamped boron steel, for instance, is used in key parts of the crash safety cell including the A- and B-pillars – enabling them to be of a slim design for excellent visibility and enhanced aesthetics – and the door sills, which resist deformation and intrusion in the event of an accident. Aluminium is employed for the bonnet, front fenders, roof and tailgate to reduce weight.

Largely shared with the award-winning Range Rover Evoque, the front architecture includes a magnesium crossbeam for outstanding torsional rigidity and reduced weight. However, the platform is all-new from the B-pillar rearwards, with thousands of hours invested in ensuring every component is packaged as compactly as possible. The result is maximum interior space, 5+2-seat versatility and peerless off-road capability in a surprisingly compact footprint.

In fact, two separate rear architectures have been independently developed, allowing both five- and seven-seat derivatives to be offered with a spare wheel without impacting on luggage volume. Discovery Sport is 81mm longer than the Range Rover Evoque, and all of the increase is contained within the wheelbase.

Special attention was given to providing easy access for all occupants, while the load-space floor is as low as possible to maximise luggage space and facilitate loading and unloading.

With fully independent suspension, Discovery Sport delivers dynamic and refined on-road behaviour allied to outstanding off-road capability. Featuring lightweight aluminium chassis components for high strength and reduced unsprung weight, the new chassis also helps to reduce interior noise and increase occupant space.

Coil springs are used on the front suspension, with steel front lower control arms and aluminium suspension knuckles; the suspension struts use advanced hydraulic rebound stops for excellent refinement. This vastly reduces noise entering the cabin when, for instance, the suspension rebounds after impact with a deep pothole.

A compact multi-link rear axle debuts for numerous benefits. These include exceptional onroad agility, class-leading wheel travel and axle articulation – at 340mm – and extremely high levels of composure in on- or off-road environments. The new rear axle also reduces road noise entering the cabin and, because the suspension turrets make only a minimal intrusion into the luggage area, allow row-two seating to slide and recline past the turrets for maximum leg-room. Similarly, the multi-link rear axle is key in delivering 5+2 seating versatility and generous luggage space in a compact footprint.

The lower control arm and rear suspension knuckle are produced from thin-walled hollow aluminium castings, an innovative lightweight solution that also increases strength. The rear suspension is mounted on an optimised steel subframe, which is light and stiff to promote excellent steering response, rewarding dynamic behaviour and outstanding interior refinement.

Adaptive Dynamics MagneRide™ dampers are available as an option on the five-seat derivative, for an exceptional combination of handling precision and occupant comfort.

Discovery Sport delivers outstanding performance, refinement and efficiency courtesy of the turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. Advanced technologies include smart regenerative charging, which prioritises charging the battery while the car is decelerating, greatly reducing the electrical system’s demands on the engine.

Nick Rogers, Executive Director, Product Engineering, Jaguar Land Rover said: “Ingenium engines are the cornerstone of Jaguar Land Rover’s investment into low-emission technologies in the UK. Environmental-innovation is fundamental to achieving these goals and Ingenium engines help to deliver this, along with the performance, efficiency and refinement our customers expect.”

The 2018 model year Discovery Sport also receives Jaguar Land Rover’s new 2.0-litre fourcylinder Ingenium petrol engines for the first time. Technologies including an integrated exhaust manifold, 200bar direct injection system and twin-scroll turbocharger are key to the engines’ responsiveness and efficiency.

The engines feature electrohydraulic control of the inlet valves. This cutting-edge technology enables variable valve lift, so load control is managed primarily by the intake valves rather than the throttle. This reduces pumping losses and provides unmatched flexibility and control over airflow into the combustion chambers, improving power and torque, increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

The 240PS Ingenium Petrol engine features turbo ball bearings which provide significant performance improvements to the turbocharger, including transient response and better efficiency when compared to standard journal bearings.

Producing 340Nm, this compact, lightweight and powerful engine ensures the flexibility essential for responsive in-gear acceleration, towing up to 1,800kg and tackling challenging all-terrain conditions. The unit achieves 8.0l/100km on the EU combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 181g/km (five-seat) and 182g/km (5+2-seat).

The Ingenium Petrol engine is available with four-wheel drive and state-of-the-art nine-speed automatic transmission.

Every Discovery Sport is fitted with ZF’s nine-speed automatic transmission.

A tactile rotary gearshift controller rises silently from the centre console when the ignition is turned on, while paddle shift controls attached to the steering wheel offer complete driver control for dynamic driving, precision off-road manoeuvres and manual gear selection while towing.

Nine closely-stacked gear ratios provide excellent response and allow for a very low first gear, improved mid-range acceleration and a tall ninth gear for reduced engine revs at higher cruising speeds; this reduces fuel consumption, emissions and engine noise.

The torque converter incorporates a multi-stage damper system to ensure the driver can pull away from rest smoothly. Similarly, second gear – approximately equivalent to first gear in transmissions with fewer ratios – is used to move away from a standstill to maximise efficiency and refinement.

Drivers can, however, manually select first gear when dynamic acceleration is required or for additional control in challenging off-road situations.

The transmission’s extremely fast gear changes are below the threshold of perception while a skip-shift function allows the gearbox to downshift directly between gears rather than sequentially cycling through them; this allows the desired gear to be quickly selected during heavier acceleration or braking inputs. Should the driver demand too low a gear, the transmission will remember the request and select the gear once engine revs fall to an appropriately low level.

An innovative adaptive-shifting system quickly matches the transmission’s responses to the driver’s mood. For instance, it selects taller gears more quickly and holds them for longer during relaxed driving, and responds to a more dynamic driving style by holding lower ratios for longer and downshifting more eagerly.

Discovery Sport’s body has been specially refined to cope with challenging off-road terrain, with 211mm of ground clearance and class-leading approach, departure and breakover angles of 25, 31 and 20 degrees respectively. This means the front, middle or rear of the vehicle can climb up, over and down extreme obstacles at low speed. Four-wheel-drive variants can also scale incredibly steep gradients of 45 degrees, as much as 14 degrees more than other competitor SUVs. In extreme situations, lower trim on the front bumper can be removed to increase the approach angle still further.

Combined with excellent axle articulation, long-travel suspension, outstanding all-wheel-drive traction and all-terrain tyres, Discovery Sport provides peerless off-road performance.

All Discovery Sport derivatives are available with Land Rover’s Efficient Driveline four-wheeldrive system. This intelligent full-time four-wheel-drive system delivers outstanding performance and traction on all surfaces, and continuously varies the torque split front-to-rear. The centre coupling is electronically controlled, allowing it to respond to wheel slip and driver demands far faster than a purely mechanical coupling. This provides excellent off-road capability together with enhanced agility on the road.

Active Driveline is available on Discovery Sport five-seat vehicles. Active Driveline can intelligently switch between two- and four-wheel drive as conditions dictate, combining both the fuel-saving benefits of two-wheel-drive with the all-terrain capability of four-wheel drive. On-road agility also increases with Active Driveline.

Four-wheel-drive is continuously engaged to provide large reserves of traction from a standstill, but a clutch completely disconnects the four-wheel-drive hardware – the propshaft, rear driveshafts, and rear differential and clutches – during normal steady-state driving at speeds above 35km/h. This greatly reduces friction losses and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Should the system detect wheel slip or a more dynamic driving style, four-wheel drive is re-engaged within 350 milliseconds.

Two electronically controlled clutches located either side of the rear differential distribute torque to the wheel with most grip as and when required. This improves on-road agility, while the rear axle can be entirely “locked” for maximum traction in very slippery conditions. Active Driveline’s transition from two- to four-wheel drive is seamless, but drivers can monitor its operation via a dedicated 4x4i screen on the central touchscreen display.

Terrain Response® maximises Discovery Sport’s performance and safety no matter how challenging the conditions. Easily controlled via an intuitive interface on the centre console, Terrain Response® allows Discovery Sport’s steering, throttle response, gearbox, centrecoupling and braking/stability systems to be precisely tailored to the demands of the terrain. Terrain Response® features four settings: General; Grass/Gravel/Snow (for slippery conditions on- and off-road); Mud and Ruts; and Sand.

Discovery Sport can wade through water to a depth of 600mm, an invaluable benefit in offroad situations and when roads are flooded. Relaying information from sensors in the door mirrors, the Wade Sensing™ feature (available as an option) informs the driver of the water depth with a visual display on the vehicle’s touchscreen and an audible tone that increases as the depth rises. The driver can see both the current depth of the water along with how much deeper the car can safely wade; this proves particularly invaluable during poor visibility or when driving at night.

The air intake is positioned high above the wheel arch to ensure no water enters the engine, while a rigorous testing procedure ensures all door seals are watertight. A particularly demanding element of the test has a Discovery Sport parked in deep water, the doors opened and the interior flooded; after 30 minutes, Land Rover engineers then re-enter the vehicle and drive away.

Alongside Terrain Response® and Wade Sensing™, Discovery Sport also features additional off-road technologies. These include:

• Hill Descent Control® (HDC) maintains a set speed while negotiating steep inclines off-road
• Gradient Release Control® (GRC), available as an option, progressively releases the brakes when moving away on an incline for maximum control
• Roll Stability Control (RSC) detects the onset of a rollover and applies the brakes to the outer wheels to bring the vehicle under control
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) corrects oversteer and understeer by reducing engine torque and/or applying brakes to individual wheels
• Electronic Traction Control (ETC) reduces torque and/or applies a braking force to individual wheels to prevent wheelspin
• Engine Drag torque Control (EDC) helps to prevent lock-up under heavy engine braking in slippery conditions by increasing engine torque to the affected wheels

Discovery Sport’s chassis with lightweight suspension architecture and advanced chassis technologies has been optimised for dynamic handling and exceptional composure on-road. It is both fun to drive and incredibly comfortable for all occupants. A lightweight bodyshell with excellent torsional rigidity, long wheelbase, and a squat, muscular stance, provides the perfect base; steering response, ride comfort and agility all benefit.

Supple, long-travel suspension is attached to extremely stiff isolated subframes, with largediameter gas damper struts at the front and all-new advanced multi-link suspension at the rear for a combination of agility, refinement and composure. Body roll is well contained, and body control remains exceptional over even the harshest surface. A high level of suspension compliance ensures the tyres’ contact patches remain in touch with even very rough road surfaces, increasing driver confidence and safety.

“The characteristics that make Discovery Sport so versatile off-road also make it a genuinely accomplished vehicle on-road. The multi-link rear axle provides incredible agility, while the vehicle’s composure not only helps on rough terrain but it also results in a controlled fluidity over British B-roads. It gives a keen driver more confidence, and all occupants a high level of comfort.”

Adaptive Dynamics with MagneRide™ dampers can also be specified, bringing even higher levels of occupant comfort and driver engagement. MagneRide™ dampers offer a wide range of adjustment, and adapt to road conditions and driver inputs near instantaneously thanks to a special damping fluid containing magnetic particles. When the particles are subjected to a magnetic field, the viscosity of the damper fluid is either increased or decreased, making the suspension stiffer or softer.

MagneRide™ dampers offer everything from a connected driving experience with minimised body roll and heightened agility, to increased compliance and therefore greater control in offroad environments.

Adaptive Dynamics introduces a driver-selectable Dynamic mode on the Terrain Response® system, increasing throttle, gearbox and differential response, along with suspension and steering firmness for additional driver reward.

Torque Vectoring by Braking (TVbB), an optional feature, monitors dynamic behaviour and operates on all four wheels. Should understeer be detected, TVbB applies a small braking force to the inside front wheels, subtly tightening the car’s line for additional agility and safety.

The electric power-assisted steering system (EPAS) has been tuned for excellent driver feedback on the road, while the steering rack is solidly mounted to the front subframe to further enhance precision.

Variable-ratio steering features on Discovery Sport, with a slower ratio around the centre position for excellent stability at speed, but a faster ratio when additional steering lock is applied to increase agility on twisty roads. The transition from a slower to faster ratio is entirely linear; the driver is simply aware of an extremely responsive steering system.

The steering is light and responsive with additional power assistance at lower speeds for enhanced manoeuvrability, but firmer for a more assured response at speed.

EPAS also removes the need for engine-driven hydraulic steering assistance, reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions through parasitic losses. A further benefit is Park Assist, available as an option, which helps to identify suitable parallel and perpendicular parking spaces, before automatically steering the vehicle into place.

Discovery Sport is equipped with vented 325mm front and 300mm rear disc brakes, providing reassuring stopping power in all conditions, including when towing up to 2.5 tonnes. The front brakes feature stiff calipers and durable pads to enhance retardation.

Further enhancing safety, Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) automatically increases the amount of brake pressure when the system senses an emergency situation; Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) helps to ensure the perfect braking balance between the front and rear wheels in more extreme situations; and Corner Brake Control (CBC) reduces the likelihood of the driver losing control during heavy braking in a corner.

Discovery Sport has been engineered with the latest active and passive safety advances. A comprehensive occupant safety package including driver and passenger airbags, knee airbags, and side curtain and thorax airbags has naturally been a priority. Innovations include a unique-in-segment pedestrian airbag.

A pedestrian airbag is triggered by advanced pressure-tube sensors mounted between the bumper cover and the bumper beam, which are designed to detect impacts with adult pedestrians. Should any impacts be detected between 24-48km/h, an airbag concealed by a small scuttle panel at the base of the windscreen deploys in no more than 60 milliseconds, drastically reducing the risk of serious pedestrian injury.

The scuttle cover is attached to the airbag using two tethers, and forms part of the airbag system in helping to spread the load evenly across the airbag; thus the driver’s vision is not obscured during deployment and the airbag volume can be reduced to 110 litres. Rigorous testing ensured the airbag does not deploy in extreme off-road situations.

Complementing the pedestrian-protection system, Discovery Sport’s front end, bumpers, bonnet and cowl are developed to minimise potential injuries.

Driver Condition Monitor, available as an option, alerts the driver via visual and audible warnings if it detects signs of drowsiness. The vehicle algorithm, which continuously monitors driver inputs looking for signs of fatigue, helps to ensure safe driving.

Lane Keep Assist, available as an option, uses the forward-facing camera on the vehicle to detect lane markings. If the driver begins to veer out of their lane without indicating, the vehicle will gently counter-steer to ensure it does not leave its lane unintentionally.

Other driver-assistance systems include:

• Park Assist, available as an option, identifies suitable parallel and perpendicular parking spaces, allowing the driver to operate the accelerator, brake and gears while the vehicle autonomously steers on both entry to and – in the case of parallel parking spaces – exit from the space. Parking sensors offer further assistance
• Automatic High-Beam Assist, available as an option, automatically monitors other vehicles’ head lamps and tail lights, along with ambient lighting in built-up areas. It then controls the vehicle’s high-beam function as conditions dictate
• Lane Departure Warning, available as an option, gently vibrates the steering wheel to warn a driver who may be unintentionally drifting out of a lane
• Blind-Spot Monitor & Closing Vehicle Sensing, available as an option, detect vehicles that are either in the driver’s blind spot or are approaching quickly and could pose a danger during a lane-change. An orange warning light appears in the relevant side mirror to warn the driver
• Automatic headlamps and rain-sensitive wipers activate autonomously according to conditions

Discovery Sport optimises in-car connectivity thanks to the company’s infotainment system, Touch Pro, providing fast responses and intuitive operation. Introduced to the nameplate in 2016, it is available as an option on SE models. The display is delivered via a high-definition, capacitive 8-inch touchscreen.

The touchscreen behaves like a smartphone, the home screen can be customised: wallpaper can be set to any image, and widgets can be added to provide shortcuts to favourite features. And the touchscreen accepts the ‘pinch to zoom’ gestures familiar to all smartphone users, all displayed in the clear 21:9 super-wide format with 1280x542 pixel resolution.

Satellite navigation benefits from dead-reckoning functionality that accurately positions the vehicle even when GPS signals can no longer be received.

Bluetooth® functionality allows up to two phones to be synced to the infotainment system simultaneously: one to make or receive hands-free phone calls via multi-function steering wheel controls, the other to play audio, including streamed music from app-based services such as Spotify. Alternatively, smartphones and portable MP3 players can be synced and charged via USB sockets or auxiliary inputs.

Touch Pro's state-of-the art capability is delivered through a combination of a super-fast access 60GB Solid State Drive (SSD), which is around 100 per cent faster than a typical hard disc drive (HDD) and is the first automotive use of Intel's high-performance Quad-Core computing and graphics processor.

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