Land Rover’s all-new Discovery 5 is thought to be at least 18 months away from going on sale internationally. Some of the technology, the SUV is likely to cradle are the first of its kind.
Suspension - Land Rover pioneered the use of preset suspension, ESP and engine settings for use on different terrains. The new Discovery 5 could get laser-scanning tech, which can ‘read’ the terrain ahead and adjust suspension and transmission settings on the fly.
Styling - The styling aims to take the long-established ‘stepped roof’ utilitarian Discovery look and soften it with much more fluid body surfacing, smaller and less square window graphics and a much more dynamic, nose-down stance. So although the Discovery 5 will still have seven seats and the ability to create a very large, flat load bay, it will also have the kind of rakish X5-rivalling lines that it needs to appear more at home in the city.
Structure - The Discovery 5 is based on the same basic bonded and riveted aluminium monocoque as the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
Laser projectors - Laser light projections on to the road can give the driver an exact indication of the car’s width – useful in any tight situation – and might even project large indicator symbols on to the road surface to make the driver’s intention clear in packed urban traffic.
Engine - The frugal hybrid system in the Discovery 5 will be based around the new 2.0-litre Ingenium engine and an electric motor enclosed in the eight-speed automatic gearbox. Off road, the electric motor could be ideal for metering out torque precisely enough to prevent wheel slippage.
"Transparent" bonnet - The "transparent" bonnet tech — which projects an image of the road or terrain beneath on to the bonnet – will not only be useful off road but also in urban areas.
Interior - Land Rover’s strategists have decided to bring the interior dramatically into the future, using a much larger central touchscreen than previously and a laser head-up display (HUD)that projects information in a much crisper and clearer manner than conventional HUDs.
Remote drive - Remote Drive could allow Discovery 5 owners to empty the car of occupants and then automatically park the car in a space that would otherwise be too tight to allow the doors to be opened.