A look at the Land Rover Discovery 4×4.

The history of the Land Rover Discovery SUV vehicle.

The Land Rover Discovery 4×4 was first introduced in the United Kingdom during 1989. The vehicle’s model was based upon the drivetrain and chassis of the more expensive upmarket Range Rover designs. The company wanted to create a vehicle that had all the quality of the usual Range Rover designs that was also affordable to customers looking for a quality SUV. The first generation Discovery series Land Rovers were the only ones to feature four-cylinder engines. The original models also only featured three doors but the five door version became available just one year after the initial release. The Land Rover Discovery I was met with universal critical acclaim and received praise, particularly for its user friendly and stylish design. The model even went on to  receive a British Design Award in 1989.

In 1994 Land Rover overhauled the design of the Discovery and marketed it under the name ‘Discovery 2′. The updated version contained a 2.5 L 300Tdi 4-cylinder Rover V8 engine. Some of the new Discovery models also featured a Bosch electronic emissions control. Larger headlamps, new rear lights and internal wiring were implemented to make the Discovery 2 more efficient. This version of the Discovery was also the first to be sold on the American market. In 1998 (1999 in America) the Series II Discovery was released with a range of new features. According to Land Rover, there was a total of 720 differences between the Series II and previous designs. The outer design was altered heavily in order to suit more modern tastes. Inside the vehicle directly injected 5 cylinder diesel models were implemented to improve driveability and performance overall.

In 2004 Land Rover introduced the Discovery 3 that harked back to the very first Discovery design. It featured an updated interior but retained original outer design features such as the steeped roof and steeply-raked windscreen. The latest version, the Discovery 4, was introduced in 2009 and features a ZF 6-speed transmission, a 5.0 L Jaguar V8 engine and daytime running lights that detect the level of lighting and determine how powerful the headlights should be.