Land Rover is well known for its off-road capability at no sacrifice to premium ride quality and convenience features. This is a reputation the U.K. automaker has worked to establish for the past few decades, but before its luxury pivot, the company produced no-nonsense, four-wheel drive machines. We’ve often wondered what a more trail-focused Land Rover would look like today and, thanks to the magic of the brand’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), we’ve got a pretty good idea.
At this month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Land Rover introduced its Discovery SVX, a near-production concept that will be the first SVX model. With the rollout of Land Rover Discovery SVX, SVO will have three distinct lines: SVR (performance models), SVAutobiography (upscale luxury vehicles), and SVX (rough and tumble off-roaders). The latest generation Discovery is still an impressive vehicle on and off-road, but the changes made to the SVX make it even more prepared for adventure.
Powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, the Discovery SVX churns out 525 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. The sole engine option is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. SVX has tuned the electric power steering and added long-travel dampers to the suspension.
Other changes include “hydraulic active roll control” to better manage body roll on-road and increase wheel articulation off-road. The SVX’s four-wheel drive system features active center and rear electronic-locking differentials, plus a revised version of the Terrain Response 2 system used in the standard Discovery.
Aesthetic distinctions of the Discovery SVX include orange-trimmed front and rear bumpers, a rear-mounted winch, 20-inch wheels with all-terrain Goodyear Wrangler tires, and a traditional gearshift lever (as opposed to the Discovery’s rotary selector). We expect the production version to look almost precisely the same as this concept, but Land Rover hasn’t stated exactly when that model will go on sale.
