2018 Land Rover Discovery SVX & Jaguar At Frankfurt Motor Show – Video
Discovery SVX, launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show, adds extreme all-terrain capability to the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) product triangle. SVX will sit alongside the acclaimed Range Rover Sport SVR and Range Rover SVAutobiography, which are hallmarks for outstanding on-road performance and supreme luxury respectively.
Discovery SVX will be the first Land Rover hand-assembled by expert craftsmen at the SVO Technical Centre in the UK when production begins in 2018.
SVX takes Discovery versatility to new levels through further development of its formidable off-road ability. It will be offered exclusively with Jaguar Land Rover’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol powertrain, tuned to deliver 525PS peak power and 625Nm torque, along with suspension modifications to enhance driver confidence when tackling the toughest terrain.
Hydraulic Active Roll Control (H-ARC), is new to Discovery on SVX. It gives increased wheel articulation and improved body control, enhancing extreme off-road traction while also reducing body roll for smooth and sure-footed on-road driving.
Discovery SVX has improved approach, departure and breakover angles, achieved by raising both the lightweight aluminium monocoque architecture and the four-corner air suspension system, employing long-travel dampers and revised knuckles, and fitting larger 815mm diameter 275/55 R20 Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres on forged aluminium alloy wheels.
Tyres with higher side-walls reduce contact pressure and improve performance on soft surfaces. Combined with a more aggressive tread pattern, this improves grip in muddy conditions.
Discovery SVX is also equipped with active centre and electronic rear locking differentials which work with the specially tuned Terrain Response 2 system to optimise traction on all surfaces.
Complementing these hardware upgrades are unique software calibrations for the eight-speed automatic transmission with twin-speed transfer box, and Discovery’s dynamics systems including Hill Descent Control, Electronic Traction Control (ETC), Adaptive Dynamics, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), All-Terrain Progress Control (ATPC) and variable ratio electric power-assisted steering (EPAS). Discovery SVX also features a model-first Pistol Shifter in place of the Drive select rotary shifter to offer the driver optimum control of gear selection in off-road manoeuvres.
To visually reflect Discovery SVX’s inherent robustness and go-further ability, Land Rover designers have referenced features of iconic Discovery off-road challenge vehicles, such as those used for Camel Trophy and G4 Challenge events, to give SVX a distinctive, aggressive and purposeful appearance inside and out.
In terms of the exterior design, Jaguar is playing an interesting game, with elements on the E-Pace lifted straight off the F-Type instead of its bigger brother, the F-Pace. That’s slightly misleading since the new E-Pace is built on the front-drive-based platform used by the Land Rover Discovery Sport and the Range Rover Evoque, although its wheelbase has been extended by 1.18 inches.
That technical choice brought in a design challenge, as the front overhang couldn’t be any shorter. Not to worry though, because according to Jag designer Wayne Burgess, having only one short end is enough to make the proportions right. You can be the judge of that, but they sure cut the tail off right behind the axle, adding an unusually long spoiler to the tailgate to optimize aerodynamics.
While deliberately distancing it from the F-Pace on the outside—to make sure nobody would mix the two up at the dealerships—Jaguar claims the E-Pace still drives like a hot hatch, despite being a compact SUV weighing 4,175 lbs.
The top-of-the-range gas engine produces 296 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, while the entry-level version has 245 hp and 269 lb-ft. Wherever diesels make it, customers can choose between a 148-horse economy champion with 280 lb-ft of torque, a beefier 177-hp tune with 317 lb-ft, or the sporty version with 237 hp and a whole lot of torque at 369 lb-ft. All of these engines are linked to a ZF 9-speed automatic gearbox.