New 2003 Discovery From Land Rover Unveiled in New York

NEW YORK, March 26 /CNW/ -- The New York International Auto Show will see the debut of Land Rover's new 2003 Discovery. The latest Land Rover Discovery features a new look, with lineage to new the Range Rover, a revised interior with two all-new interior trims, a number of significant technical enhancements and a more powerful V8 engine. The new 2003 Discovery retains the stability, assurance and comfort conferred by its optional dynamic control systems such as Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) and Self Leveling Suspension (SLS) and retains its iconic profile and introduces significant other improvements:

* A new Land Rover 'Family Face' inspired by the new Range Rover: - New twin pocket clear headlamp arrangement. - New front bumper and grill. * Revised rear light clusters. * Two all-new interior trims. * New equipment including rear Park Distance Control. * Improved braking and suspension. * 4.6-litre V8 engine.

These new developments not only increase Discovery's remarkable off-road ability but also improve its on-road performance and refinement. The exterior changes provide a prestigious new family look to the 2003 Discovery while the interior revisions reflect contemporary themes and offer greater customer choice. The new 2003 Discovery is powered by a 4.6-litre, 217 bhp all-alloy V8 engine. This engine offers more power and 20% more torque than the previous 4.0-litre unit, increasing the vehicle's top speed to 116 mph and cutting the 0-60 mph time to 9.5 seconds.

The unveiling of the latest Discovery marks the second new vehicle launch in a matter of months by Land Rover, part of the Premier Automotive Group of the Ford Motor Company.

Like the all-new Range Rover, launched to considerable critical acclaim at the start of 2002, the new 2003 Discovery is instantly recognizable by its dynamic new Land Rover 'family face', dominated by twin pocket headlamps providing improved lighting as well as a distinctive look. A new grill and a new front bumper with round fog lamps complement the new headlamp arrangement. There are also visual changes at the rear with improved rear lights. The turn indicators having been relocated to the upper vertical light cluster to provide better visibility to following traffic.

The interior features two new colors: 'Alpaca' beige and 'Land Rover Black'. These new color themes give the interior a new ambience, enhancing the spacious feel of the Discovery interior that can seat up to seven passengers. Attention to the detail of the noise pads, mountings and seals improve the refinement of the latest 2003 Discovery.

The revised profile of the new front bumper not only refreshes the styling of the 2003 Discovery but also improves its cross-country ability over rocky ground with an improved step height. The latest models retain four- wheel Electronic Traction Control (ETC) and the Hill Descent Control (HDC) system. These features, embodying more than 50 years of Land Rover 4x4 experience, give the Discovery supreme confidence in any off-road situation.

The new 2003 Discovery features a number of braking and chassis improvements to further enhance on-road handling. The front and rear disc brakes have been fitted with revised pads and callipers to improve response and feel while the suspension has revised locations to improve refinement. These improvements build on the Discovery's well-proven dynamic control systems of Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) and Self Levelling Suspension (SLS). The ACE system minimizes roll through bends while the air-sprung SLS system retains a level stance under all load combinations. This combination, allied with wide track axles and revised suspension set-up gives the Discovery handling and passenger comfort unrivalled in its class. Four-channel ABS braking with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) is fitted as standard.

Launching the new 2003 Discovery, Bob Dover, Land Rover's managing director, said, "The changes made for the 2003 Discovery improve all aspects of the vehicle from its distinctive styling to its on-and off-road performance. The new front end styling treatment provides an easily identified family resemblance to the new Range Rover while the new interior treatments complement its spacious packaging. With the chassis and power train improvements Land Rover has built on the Discovery's well-known strengths in road handling and off-road capability to re-assert the model's class-leading position in the 4x4 marketplace."

Land Rover vehicles are offered through 156 Land Rover Retailers in the U.S., including 106 exclusive Land Rover Centres, which look more like hunting lodges or ski villas than traditional dealerships. Twelve of those retailers are located in the metropolitan New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut area. Land Rover's highly regarded retailers continue to score near the top of the industry in areas such as satisfaction with the sales and service process.

Land Rover North America, Inc., established in 1986, imports and distributes Range Rover, Discovery and Freelander vehicles manufactured for sale in the U.S. by Land Rover in Solihull, England. Land Rover's worldwide operations are wholly owned by Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan. For information about the Land Rover Retailer nearest you, call 1-800-FINE-4WD or visit http://www.LandRover.com.

/Web site: http://www.LandRover.com http://www.ford.com/