Next Land Rover Discovery Will Play A New Role In Automaker's Lineup

The Land Rover Discovery seems to be fading into the backdrop, as its Range Rover and Defender siblings encroach on sales with their own three-row variants. Company CEO Thierry Bolloré told Auto Express that the next-generation Disco is on its way, and will undergo significant changes in an attempt to differentiate itself from the rest of the lineup.

"We are completely reinventing Discovery. We believe there is a space for it, but we have to be creative," Bolloré said. "Defender is such a success that it has eaten a part of what was the territory of Discovery. Defender is a brand. We believe that Discovery could be a brand as well. We are looking at how we present our future line-up – it’s something we have in mind.”

There is some serious overlapping going on at Land Rover in the three-row SUV space, a feature that used to set the Disco apart from its relatives. Only recently, both the Range Rover and the Defender have gained seven- and eight-seat versions, respectively. This makes the Discovery seem obsolete, as it no longer boasts anything that truly makes it unique.

Bolloré suggested that the next Discovery might take on a new role as the automaker's family-oriented model. “We need to make a real family car for the most discerning families. Discovery has to, and should, play this role that could disappear from the market otherwise – in the luxury segments at least. The Discovery will be that car.”

Auto Express also thinks the the next-gen Discovery will shift upmarket, as this would separate it from the Defender in terms of pricing. However, this move would interfere with the flagship Range Rover, which already serves as the company's upmarket offering. The publication also speculates that the next Disco will ride on the MLA platform when it launches in 2025. This architecture already underpins the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, and supports both ICE and EV powertrains. A fully electric Discovery is slated to arrive later in the decade.

When asked about the future of the smaller Discovery Sport, Bolloré said: "We don't know yet." With the Velar and Evoque already appealing to the compact luxury crossover crowd, the future for the Sport seems grim. Instead, a long-wheelbase variant is said to be under consideration. But this once again raises the subject of whether the next Discovery will be stepping a bit too far into Range Rover territory.

How do you think Land Rover can make the Disco more unique?

Source: Auto Express

Images: Land Rover